Ford Ranger Raptor will participate in off-road Baja

[ad_1]

Former V8 Supercars team Kelly Racing has used input from the US to build a Ford Ranger Raptor ready to compete in one of the world’s most famous off-road races.

AND Ford Ranger Raptor was introduced into exhausting Mexico Baja 1000 An off-road endurance race later this month, when the American car giant relies on a team of Aussies to build a car powerful enough to reach the finish line.

In October, Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsports, did not rule out a potential Baja entry for the Ranger Raptor, saying “the interest is certainly there, it’s just a matter of when and where the time is right.”

Less than a month later, Ford Australia has confirmed that the Ranger Raptor will compete in this year’s Baja 1000, with former V8 Supercars team Kelly Racing building a hardcore off-roader with American team Lovell Racing.

The Baja 1000 is an annual off-road endurance race for cars and motorcycles held on the Baja California Peninsula in Mexico.

Competitors complete a rally of more than 820 miles (1,320 km) that starts and ends in Ensenada, with the fastest classes using specially designed “Trophy Trucks” to complete the rally in approximately 16 hours.

The contender Ford Ranger Raptor Baja was listed in the Stock Full class, limiting its performance upgrades to two-inch wider wheel arches, three-inch suspension lifts and minimal engine modifications.

Full stock teams must use their car’s original engine block and heads, although “all internals are exposed.”

The Ford Ranger Raptor will continue to be powered by a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine with a double cab, while the Baja rival will run on low-carbon biofuel produced by oil company Shell.

Additional changes to the Baja-ready Ranger Raptor include a stronger steel front bumper with a skid plate, Method off-road wheels wrapped in BF Goodrich tires, a tailpipe, and several LED light bars.

The Baja-ready Ford Ranger Raptor can fit two spare tires and a car jack in its sleeping compartment, and the interior is equipped with a roll cage and sport seats for better occupant protection.

Ford’s Baja race car will be driven by recent USA Off-Road Hall of Fame inductee Brad Lovell.

The 2022 Baja 1000 is scheduled to take place from November 15-20, with the first competitors heading off the starting line at 10 a.m. Ensenada time on November 17 (4 a.m. November 18 ET).

Jordan Mulach was born in Canberra/Ngunnawala and currently resides in Brisbane/Turbala. Joining the Drive team in 2022, Jordan has previously worked for Auto Action, MotorsportM8, The Supercars Collective and TouringCarTimes, WhichCar, Wheels, Motor and Street Machine. Jordan is a self-proclaimed iRacing enthusiast and can be found driving his Octavia RS or swearing in his ZH Fairlane on weekends.

More about Jordan Mulach

[ad_2]

Source link