Ford is bringing its biggest and baddest beast to the 2016 Best in the Desert off-road racing series. The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor will be joining the series’ new factory stock class, complete with its powerful 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, 10-speed transmission, and torque-on-demand transfer case.
“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.
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Greg Foutz, owner of Foutz Motorsports and truck builder extraordinaire, will serve as the truck’s primary driver in the series. He will be joined by Tim Casey, who like Foutz is a multi-time stock full-class champion.
Modifications made to get the F-150 Raptor race ready include three-inch-diameter external-bypass front and rear Fox Racing Shox, front and rear springs, a custom roll cage, MasterCraft seats with five-point safety harness, LED light bars, Lowrance GPS, RacePak digital dash and data logger, and a racing fuel cell.
The truck makes its off-road debut this month at the Parker 425 in Parker, Arizona on February 4-7. Thereafter, it will compete in the Mint 400, Laughlin Desert Classic, Vegas to Reno, Bluewater Challenge, and Pahrump Nugget 250.
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Gallery: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Race Truck
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