Ford Mustang 1,000 lap challenge
22nd June, 2010
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- Ford will attempt to run a 2011 Mustang V6 1,000 laps – more than 500 miles and the equivalent of
two back-to-back NASCAR races – on a single tank of fuel at Bristol Motor Speedway during the 1,000
Lap Challenge
Ford Mustang has always been fast, fun, and affordable.
But on 23rd June (local time) a team of four Ford Mustang engineers, along with NASCAR driver
David Ragan, will showcase the 2011 Mustang V6’s class-leading fuel economy when they attempt to
drive more than 1,000 laps, or 533 miles, at Bristol Motor Speedway (Tennessee, USA) on a single tank
of fuel.
“We all know how much fun it is to drive Mustang, but in today’s market customers also care
about fuel economy,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford North America Motorsports. “By going
at least 1,000 laps on one of NASCAR’s most popular tracks, we expect to show that when it comes to
Mustang, you can have both performance and fuel economy.”
The Mustang 1,000-Lap Challenge will highlight the Mustang V6’s blend of power and fuel efficiency
that enabled engineers to reach 305 horsepower and 31 miles per gallon with the new 3.7 litre V6
engine.
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The Challenge will begin early Wednesday morning with a team of four Ford Mustang engineers
continuously circling the track billed as “the world’s fastest half-mile” until the vehicle runs out
of fuel. David Ragan, driver of the No. 6 UPS NASCAR Ford Fusion, will join the Challenge team in
the afternoon to try to help put the Mustang over the 1,000 lap mark.
“I think it will be cool to be involved with this Challenge,” said Ragan. “I’ve driven
plenty of Mustangs over the years, and I’ve also driven Bristol many times, so I know how hard the
challenge really will be for the team. Racing 500 laps in a NASCAR Sprint Cup race can wear on you,
so doing twice that many laps without a fuel stop is impressive.”
Mustang is powered by a lightweight, all-aluminium 3.7 litre dual-overhead-cam (DOHC) V6 engine
that uses advanced engineering to deliver its combination of power and economy. Twin independent
variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) adjusts the valvetrain in microseconds depending on driver inputs,
further contributing to the engine’s overall efficiency.
In fact, the Mustang used at the Challenge will have no special modifications for the event and
is the same Mustang V6 that is available to consumers on the showroom floor.
“This car we will be driving at Bristol is exactly the same Mustang that consumers can
purchase at their local Ford dealership,” said Tom Barnes, vehicle engineering manager, Mustang.
“We’re not doing any tricks or making any modifications. The base car delivers 31 mpg and this is
what you can buy. It has standard tyre pressure, standard ride height, standard octane fuel. We’re
just going to be driving it.”
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