Plenty of manufacturers use racing to develop their street technology, and Ford is no exception. Even though the 3.5 liter EcoBoost V6 engine has been well received, Ford thinks that a bit of hard use would do it some good, and it’s taking the engine to the TUDOR United Sports Car Championship for 2014.
In January, an EcoBoost-powered Riley Technologies Daytona Prototype car will be on the grid at the 2014 Rolex 24 in Daytona. Fielded by Michael Shank Racing and driven by Colin Braun, the Ford-powered Riley will compete for the entire twelve-race season. Ford expects to provide the EcoBoost engine to other teams as well. In addition to the extreme-duty development lessons to be learned, Ford hopes that the EcoBoost engine’s participation in the racing series will demonstrate its performance and efficiency capabilities.
The Michael Shank Racing DP car features a unique design that incorporates cues from several production Ford models, including headlight trim similar to that of the Fusion and a Ford family grille shape. It was designed in conjunction with Garen Nicoghosian, Ford’s lead production designer. Ford Racing contributed to the aerodynamics as well.
Testing is scheduled to begin in Daytona on October 9, when the 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona championship team will use the Michael Shank EcoBoost car to attempt to set a new track record. The current record of 210.364mph was set in 1987 by Bill Elliott in a NASCAR-prepped Ford Thunderbird. Can Ford’s modern turbocharged V6 beat the traditional V8 power on the track? Stay tuned.
