Ford Efficiency is taking its race-prepared Ranger Raptor to Australia’s Tatts Finke Desert Race, simply months after conquering the 2022 SCORE-Worldwide Baja 1000. The off street weapon will compete within the Manufacturing 4WD class.
Utilizing the identical Kelly Racing constructed car that gained its class on the Baja 1000 within the fingers of Lovell Racing, the Raptor options modifications to car and crew security objects, wheels/tires, additional lights, underbody/car safety and a 160-litre gas cell.
“Bringing the Ranger Raptor to the Finke Desert Race is the following stage of Ford Efficiency’s strategic world racing plan,” world director of Ford Efficiency Motorsports Mark Rushbrook mentioned.
“Ranger is our flagship platform for world off-road racing, and after conquering the Baja 1000 within the Inventory Mid-Measurement class, we determined the following cease must be again to Australia, the place the manufacturing truck was developed, to deal with the hardest off-road race down below.”
Father and son workforce Brad and Byam Lovell will pair up as soon as once more to drive the car within the gruelling desert problem. An Off-Street Motorsports Corridor of Famer, Brad Lovell runs considered one of Ford Efficiency’s key off-road racing groups – Lovell Racing.
The Lovells are intimately related to the Ranger Raptor after the operating the workforce and driving it to the win on the Baja 1000. Past Lovell Racing’s aggressive actions in SCORE and Ultra4, Brad participates in a myriad of improvement duties for Ford.
He’s labored on the whole lot from conducting superior off-road coaching to serving to develop the Bronco, Bronco 4600 and Bronco DR.
“Byam and I make an incredible workforce, and I’m assured that our mixed abilities and expertise will assist us navigate the difficult terrain and end sturdy. We all know the truck is sweet, it ran faultlessly at Baja, and we’re aiming for extra of the identical at Finke,” Brad mentioned.
Car servicing, occasion administration and logistical help shall be offered to Ford Efficiency by Walkinshaw Efficiency, who’ve expertise racing within the Manufacturing 4WD class at Finke and within the Australian Off-Street Championship.
Walkinshaw Efficiency is a sister organisation of main Ford Supercars workforce Walkinshaw Andretti United. The Tatts Finke Desert Race is famend as Australia’s hardest off-road endurance race.
The 2023 occasion will mark the primary time that Ford and Lovell Racing will compete. Overlaying a complete distance of greater than 460km between Alice Springs and Aputula (Finke), the race attracts rivals from everywhere in the world.
Recognized for its harsh circumstances and difficult terrain, the occasion will run throughout the weekend of June 9-12.
