SCORE Journal - The Official Publication of SCORE Off-Road Racing
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1511862
FORD PERFORMANCE ENTERS BRONCO RAPTOR AND F-150 RAPTOR R IN THE SCORE BAJA 1000 Ford Performance entered and competed in the BFGoodrich Tires 56th SCORE Baja 1000 Presented by K&N with two of its most capable stock-based race vehicles – Bronco Raptor and F-150 Raptor R. “The SCORE Baja 1000 is one of the most difficult off-road endurance races on the planet, making it as much a competition as it is a development and learning proving ground for us,” said Mark Rushbrook, Ford Performance, global director of Motorsports. “Racing Bronco Raptor and F-150 Raptor R in the SCORE Baja 1000 will help Ford continue to learn from and improve both vehicles under the most extreme conditions.” The two Ford entries competed in separate stock race classes, with the Bronco Raptor in Stock Mid-Size, and F-150 Raptor in Stock Full. Both race prepped rigs will follow SCORE’s Sportsman route, set at just under 1,200 miles total driving distance. STOCK RAPTORS MODIFIED TO RACE Both vehicles maintain near stock setups, with special modifications made for racing performance and safety to meet class regulations established by SCORE. The 2024 F-150 Raptor R includes new FOX Dual Live Valve shocks modified with custom internal valving and race-tailored front and rear coil springs designed to tackle Baja Mexico’s challenging terrain. This F-150 Raptor R is also powered by a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 with more than 700 horsepower, and paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission. With the exception of slight modifications to the intake system, the powerful combination is available to customers in the production model. The 2024 Bronco Raptor uses modified FOX Live Valve shocks with custom internal valves designed for the SCORE Baja 1000 and paired with stock front and rear coil springs. The Bronco Raptor features a 418 horsepower 3.0-liter EcoBoost engine and 10-speed transmission. Both vehicles have custom front and rear bumpers plus the required safety equipment, including a safety cage and fuel cells. They also include custom high intensity LED lighting and custom Method Wheels. “There’s tech transfer that’s happening here between the Ford Performance racing and Ford Performance vehicle engineering teams, so lessons learned in the SCORE Baja 1000 can be shared to help make better Raptor vehicles in the future,” said Brian Novak, Ford Performance off-road racing supervisor. BAJA-READY DRIVERS In this year’s edition, the Bronco Raptor will be piloted by 2022 SCORE Baja 1000 winners Brad Lovell and Jason Hutter, along with veteran off-road racer Bailey Campbell. The F-150 Raptor is the third generation F-150 Raptor to run at the SCORE Baja 1000 and will be driven by Ultra4 Racing Class 4600 National Champion and King of the Hammers Champion Loren Healy, plus three-time King of the Hammers Champion Jason Scherer and John Williams. OFFICIAL TRUCK AND SUV OF SCORE INTERNATIONAL Ford is the Official Truck and SUV of SCORE-International Off-Road Racing and lead sponsor of the SCORE World Desert Challenge Series. The partnership underscores Ford’s commitment to off-road motorsports and serves as a platform to develop and connect with off-road enthusiasts. For more information about Bronco, visit www.ford.com/bronco. For details about Raptor R, visit https://www.ford.com/f150-raptor-r/2023/.