cars news 10: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor to go Desert Racing

The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor pickup will go off-road desert racing before it reaches showrooms this fall. The production-based race truck will compete in the new factory stock class of the 2016 Best in the Desert off-road racing series.

Power for the race truck comes from the same second-generation 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine as the upcoming production pickup. Other production pieces include the automaker’s new 10-speed automatic transmission and torque-on-demand transfer case and the Raptor’s true dual exhaust system .

“The all-new Raptor has the DNA of a Baja race truck, with a purpose-built engine, chassis and suspension that enables it to travel fast over challenging desert landscapes or crawl over rocky terrain,” said Jamal Hameedi, chief engineer, Ford Performance, in a release.

2017 Ford F 150 Raptor Baja race truck front three quarter 1

2017 Ford F 150 Raptor Baja race truck side 02

2017 Ford F 150 Raptor Baja race truck rear three quarter 02

2017 Ford F 150 Raptor Baja race truck rear three quarter

Ford says the new 2017 F-150 Raptor pickup’s purpose-built, fully boxed frame and six-inch wider body contributes to its off-road racing capabilities. Other production bits up to the task of off-road desert racing include a Torsen front differential for better front end traction and its 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels with next-generation BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires.

In order to handle the extremes of off-road racing, the production F-150 Raptor has been upgraded by Foutz Motorsports. The production truck’s internal-bypass Fox Racing Shox have been replaced by a set of race-optimized, 3-inch-diameter Fox Racing Shox featuring an external bypass. The off-road race truck gets a new set of front and rear springs for increased ground clearance and compression for off-road racing.

Other race upgrades include LED light bars, a racing fuel cell, Lowrance GPS, and a RacePak digital dash and data logger. Inside, the race truck features a custom-fabricated roll cage and MasterCraft seats with five-point harness, and window nets.

2017 Ford F 150 Raptor Baja race truck front end

2017 Ford F 150 Raptor Baja race truck cabin

2017 Ford F 150 Raptor Baja race truck interior

2017 Ford F 150 Raptor Baja race truck rear three quarter 1

“This is the most stock truck I’ve ever seen in my time building Ford race trucks,” said Greg Foutz, owner of Foutz Motorsports, Ford’s truck builder and primary race truck driver. “Without custom technology or other modifications, this all-new Raptor is ready to prove the toughness and performance in the Best in the Desert series.”

Foutz will be joined by Tim Casey in the race version of the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor pickup.

The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor off-road desert race truck will make its debut in the new factory stock class of the 2016 Best in the Desert off-road racing series in Parker, Ariz., on February 4, 2016. The series has six events on the 2016 calendar, concluding in December with the Pahrump Nugget 250.

Source: Ford