Archive for the ‘2018 Press Releases’ Category

STARRETT AND ROUSH YATES ENGINES RENEW PARTNERSHIP

Posted on: January 25th, 2018
Location: post

MOORESVILLE, NC, January 25, 2018 – Roush Yates Engines and L.S. Starrett Co. are pleased to announce they have reached a partnership extension.

Starrett precision measuring solutions provides the Roush Yates Engines’ team with premier measuring and inspection tools required in the fast paced and competitive world of motorsports.

“Starrett is bar none the premier metrology instruments and measuring tool manufacturer,” said Todd English, VP Business Development, Roush Yates Engines. “We rely on their high standards of workmanship and quality every day on and off the track. We are excited for the opportunity to grow and expand this valued partnership and look forward to taking it to the next level.”

Starrett has been a trusted and valued supplier of Roush Yates Engines’ since 2003 and became an official Roush Yates Engines’ partner in 2016. They have been an integral part of over 14 Championships, 312 Wins and 282 Poles with Roush Yates Engines, proving that precision and repeatability are vital for winning results.

We utilize the Starrett product line because they are a trusted, made in America, industry leader in metrology equipment,” said Chad Johnson, QA Manager, Roush Yates Engines. “The name alone speaks for itself in the machining world. In order to produce the best product, we use the best equipment.”

Their shared commitment to quality ensures a continued level of excellence that is expected from a world class organization.

“Being technical partners with Roush Yates Engines has been a significant win for Starrett,” commented James B. Taylor, Ph.D., VP of Operations, L.S. Starrett Co. “As with any true partnership, both parties were able to bring expertise and relationships to the table to be leveraged in a synergistic way. Starrett’s metrology expertise helped win the 2017 Daytona 500 and keep Roush Yates Engines making lots of steam! RYE networked Starrett into an entire industry and helped develop B2B relationships that continue to bear fruit. We look forward to continuing to win in business as well as on the track.”

About L.S. Starrett Co. (NYSE: SCX):  
The L.S. Starrett Co. was founded in 1880, in Athol, Massachusetts. Starrett, a leader who has set the standard for fine precision tools in the industry for over 130 years, has rightfully earned the title, “World’s Greatest Toolmakers”.

Manufacturing more than 5,000 variations of precision tools, gauges, measuring instruments and saw blades for industrial, professional and consumer markets worldwide. Starrett operates sixteen manufacturing locations worldwide with six in the United States.
For more information about L.S. Starrett visit http://www.starrett.com.

FORD GTs PREPARE FOR THE 12-HOURS OF SEBRING

Posted on: March 12th, 2018
Location: post

MOORESVILLE, NC, March 12, 2018 – Ford Performance looks to make it two consecutive wins for the Ford GT this weekend. At this year’s Rolex 24 At Daytona, it was their time to shine for the No. 67 Ryan Briscoe, Richard Westbrook and Indy car driver Scott Dixon earning the top spot on the podium, while No. 66 teammates Joey Hand, Dirk Müller and Indy car driver Sébastien Bourdais clinched P2. Ford Chip Ganassi Racing will try to keep the momentum going at the 12 Hours of Sebring on Saturday.

The Ford GTs used smart pit and tire strategy, not to mention heads-up driving, to get the lead early on in the 24 Hour race and kept it. Will this be the same strategy for the 12-hour race this weekend?

“We’re only one race into the season, so there’s a lot of work ahead of us,” commented Briscoe. “The competition is going to be tough. I think Sebring as always is going to be a true test. It’s one of the toughest tracks on the circuit for a lot of reasons. The racing is hard; it’s a long race. I hope we’ll be prepared enough to compete well, but I have no expectations it’s going to be easy.”

The win in Daytona was the second in a row for the team at the Rolex 24 and the 200th overall for team owner Chip Ganassi. Ford has only one historic race left to win with the new Ford GT – the 12 Hours of Sebring – and that has made the team hungry.

“We’re fortunate in that we have the smartest people in the business at Ford Chip Ganassi Racing,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Performance Motorsports. “They make smart decisions and it’s proven again and again on the track.”

At last year’s race in Sebring, Ford nearly finished p2-3 at Sebring after a penalty sidelined one of the leaders, until a last-lap crash put the No. 67 out of podium position. The No. 66 finished second, ending its attempt to win class titles in the Le Mans 24, Rolex 24 At Daytona and 12 Hours of Sebring in nine months.

“We really just put everything on the table,” Hand said. “If you finish second, the one thing you want to make sure of is that you did everything you could to win the race. We’ve tested at Sebring a few times since then and added to the data we have from that track, we’re confident we can give it another shot this year.”

* Courtesy Ford Performance

FIA WORLD ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP “SUPER SEASON” OPENER

Posted on: May 2nd, 2018
Location: post

MOORESVILLE, NC, May 2, 2018 – The first ever FIA World Endurance Championship “Super Season” gets underway this weekend at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium. After completing an intensive winter test program, the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team is stronger than ever and ready for what is expected to be the most competitive GTE Pro class battle ever.

Michelin has produced a new tire for 2018, so much of the test program has focused on getting the most from the new rubber. Spa will be the first opportunity to see who has done the best job on that front.

“The Super Season is a huge task for the team as it contains two Le Mans 24 Hours and is spread over a long period so we have to make sure we stay focused the whole time,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director of Ford Performance Motorsport. “We’re thrilled to have been invited to run four Ford GTs at Le Mans again this summer and we will do everything in our power to make sure all four GTs ‘Go Like Hell’. Our target is to win at Le Mans, both times and to win the championships in both WEC and IMSA. We’ve started well in IMSA where we are running first in the GTLM driver, team and manufacturer’s championships. We’re aiming high!”

Ford will face stiff competition from Ferrari, BMW, Aston Martin and Porsche during the WEC Super Season, with Corvette joining the fight at Le Mans. When the level of competition is as high as it is in GTE Pro you need a team of exceptional drivers, and Ford is delighted to retain Stefan Mücke (GER) and Olivier Pla (FRA) in the No. 66 Ford GT and Andy Priaulx (GB) and Harry Tincknell (GB) in the No. 67. Joining them for Spa and Le Mans are team regular Billy Johnson (US) in No. 66 and Indycar superstar Tony Kanaan (BRA) in the No. 67 Ford GT.

“I’m really looking forward to Spa and the start of the Super Season,” Mücke said. “We’re excited to start this special season that has two Le Mans 24 Hours in the schedule. We have new competition coming with new cars and a very big GTE Pro field for Le Mans. It’s going to be a tough season with tough racing but that’s exactly what we want. We know the Ford GT well now; every bolt and every detail. We’ve been very busy over the winter especially with tire testing and making sure every detail of the car is perfect. I think we are stronger than ever, better prepared than ever, and that’s why I think we have a very good chance this year.”

The Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team has had a busy winter, running through a detailed test program to make sure everything is ready for Spa. This has included many pit stop drills for the team as the rules governing pit stops have been updated for 2018. Teams are now permitted to change tires at the same time as refueling the cars, which will make the stops faster and provide more excitement in the pits.

The 6 Hours of Spa gets underway on Saturday, May 5 at 7:30 AM ET on Velocity.

*Courtesy of Ford Performance 

FORD TEAMS SWEPT WATKINS GLEN!

Posted on: July 2nd, 2018
Location: post

WATKINS GLEN, NY – July 2, 2018 – It was an all Ford weekend in Watkins Glen, New York. The Ford Chip Ganassi Racing (FCGR) team of Dirk Müller and Joey Hand won the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Series, Sahlen’s Six Hours of the Glen, while the Ford Mustang GT4 found Victory Lane in the Continental Tire 240.

“Joey drove absolutely stellar at the end,” said Dirk Müller. “O’Gara (Mike O’Gara, Team Manager) made the perfect call. We leap-frogged everybody. There was a lot of pressure. It sounds easy, but it wasn’t. I gave it my all.”
“Congratulations to Joey, Dirk, Chip and Ford Performance,” said Doug Yates, President and CEO of Roush Yates Engines. “Endurance races are always challenging, especially this one, returning from Le Mans. Our team in partnership with Ford Performance did a great job, making sure the cars had what they needed from an engine perspective and managing the six-hour race with excessive temperatures. I’m proud of the entire team and happy to see Ford back in Victory Lane.”
With temperatures on the track reaching well over 100 degrees, the twin turbo Ford EcoBoost V6 engines showed great pace and performance by qualifying 1-2 on Saturday. It was the No. 67, driven by Richard Westbrook, that captured the pole, running a 1:41.961 lap time and recording Roush Yates Engines’ 300thall-time pole. Teammate Joey Hand piloted the No. 66 to P2 to make it an all Ford front row.
During a late race caution the No. 66 was able to take a shortened pitstop due in part to running a fuel saving strategy. Then a heads-up call by Mike O’Gara, Team Manager, directing Müller to make a fast out lap from the pits, while the leaders went into the pits, allowed the No. 66 to inherit the lead on lap 166.

Müller never looked back, building a 1.592 second lead over the P2 Corvette, to lead the last 25 laps of the race and win the GTLM class.

Only one point separates the two FCGR teams in the Driver and Team Points Standings, No. 66 (147 points) in first place and No. 67 (146 points) in second. In addition, Ford retains its lead in the Manufacturer Points Standings by four points over Porsche.

The No. 66 and Ford also now lead the Tequila Patron North American Endurance Cup Series, which is a combination of the four longest races on the IMSA schedule; Daytona, Sebring, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta.
In the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race at Watkins Glen International on Saturday, it was a Ford Mustang GT4 in Victory Lane. The No. 8, Multimatic Motorsports Ford Mustang GT4 with drivers Chad McCumbee and Pat Gallagher made it to the top of the podium for the first time in the 2018 season, making it a combined third Ford Mustang GT4 win this year.
After starting on the front row at P2, next to the pole-winner No. 80 Mustang GT4, the No. 8 fought hard throughout the race with clean pit stops and good tire strategy to lead a race total 59 laps and take the checkered flag.

“Two podiums in a row, a second and a first, is great,” Gallagher said. “Multimatic has been giving us great cars to get some results, so we’ll keep it rolling. I really wanted to win at Mid-Ohio because it’s my home track, but Watkins Glen is one of my favorites also.”

The No. 80 dominated early on in the race, before getting turned into a tire wall halfway through the race. Brett Sandberg and co-driver Martin Barkey finished P15.
Ford NASCAR development driver Ty Majeski returned to IMSA competition with co-driver Scott Maxwell in the No. 15 Multimatic GT4 and finished P9.

Ford now leads the Manufacturer points standing by seven points over BMW in the IMSA Continental Tire Sportscar Challenge, GS class.

The Ford teams move onto Canada this weekend to Canadian Tire Motorsport Park. Reference the full 2018 schedule on Roush Yates Engines.

14 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 334 WINS – 301 POLES!
*Images courtesy of Ford Performance

Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Resumes Fight for Title at Laguna Seca

Posted on: September 7th, 2018
Location: post

MONTEREY, CA, Sept. 7, 2018–Two races remain in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season and both Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GTs remain in the fight for the title.

Next up is Laguna Seca, the Central California track where the No. 67 Ford GT and drivers Richard Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe earned a monumental first win for the supercar in 2016. It’s also the hometown track for driver Joey Hand, who shares the No. 66 Ford GT with Dirk Müller.

“For me, it’s a big one because not only is it two races to go, but it’s also my home race,” Hand said. “I have a lot of family and friends that come to the race. We even camp at the track, so it’s an exciting one for me.”


Hand’s wife Natalie, son, daughter and friends will attend the race.

“There’s always the hope that the home track advantage might come into play,” Hand said. “I’ve driven this track a lot, so I know it well. Dirk likes the track. We’ve got all the right things going for us; we just have to put it all together. It’s also really cool to see the fan engagement. People can see from the hill at the top of the Corkscrew and get up close in the paddock and see the cars. It’s a fun one for me.”

Ford CGR has had an astounding 2018 season. The No. 67 Ford GT is just four points behind the leader in the point standings, while the No. 66 Ford GT is nine points out.

“I love this track,” Westbrook said. “It’s a real highlight of the season. Strategy is really important here as it is difficult to overtake, but with all three classes racing here there are some opportunities that arise in traffic. History points to having a few yellows so fuel management can be a real key if the safety car comes out at a certain time, as myself and Ryan found out when we won in 2016.”

Ford maintains its lead in the manufacturers’ standings by 12 points and can all but secure the title at Laguna Seca.
The race will air from 5-8 p.m. ET on FOX Sports 1 on Sept. 9, 2018. Outside the U.S., tune in at IMSA.tv.

*Courtesy Ford Performance

FORD CHAMPIONSHIP WEEKEND | HOMESTEAD-MIAMI

Posted on: November 15th, 2018
Location: post

HOMESTEAD-MIAMI, FL – November 15, 2018 – The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season ends with Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400 in which Joey Logano and Kevin Harvick will be racing to deliver the first drivers’ title for the manufacturer since Kurt Busch won in 2004.

In addition, Cole Custer will be trying to win his first NASCAR XFINITY Series championship in Saturday’s Ford EcoBoost 300.

Here is a look at Ford’s championship-contending drivers, along with how they have fared at Homestead-Miami Speedway through the years.

 MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES

 JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford Fusion – Team Penske

This marks the third time in five years Logano has made it to the Championship 4 and he has improved his finish on each occasion, going from fourth in 2014 to second in 2016…In 9 starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, he has one pole, a pair of top-five and four top-10 finishes. He qualified for the Championship 4 by winning at Martinsville last month.

 KEVIN HARVICK, No. 4 Jimmy John’s Ford Fusion – Stewart-Haas Racing

This will be the fourth time Harvick has competed for the championship in the five years this format has been in existence, capturing the title in 2014 after winning the Ford EcoBoost 400. That marks his only win in 17 career starts at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but he has nine top-five and 15 top-10 efforts overall. He advanced after finishing fifth last weekend at ISM Raceway.

FORD’S MENCS CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVERS

1965 – Ned Jarrett

1968 – David Pearson

1969 – David Pearson

1988 – Bill Elliott

1992 – Alan Kulwicki

1999 – Dale Jarrett

2003 – Matt Kenseth

2004 – Kurt Busch

CLOSING IN ON MANUFACTURERS’ CHAMPIONSHIP

Ford has won 9 of the last 13 MENCS races to take control of the manufacturers’ championship battle going into this weekend’s season finale.  Ford has had seven different drivers win races this season and nine drivers score points toward the championship, which has helped produce an 18-point lead in the standings.  The Blue Oval has won the manufacturers’ title 15 times with the last coming in 2002.

 FORD MANUFACTURER CHAMPIONSHIP SEASONS: 1956, 1957, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002

 NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

 COLE CUSTER, No. 00 Haas Automation Ford Mustang – Stewart-Haas Racing

This will be Custer’s first appearance in the Championship 4 and many consider him a favorite based on what he did last year at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Custer dominated the Ford EcoBoost 300 in 2017, leading 182-of-200 laps and winning by 15.405 seconds to post his first series victory. He qualified for this year’s Championship 4 after winning at Texas Motor Speedway two weeks ago.

FORD’S NXS CHAMPIONSHIP DRIVERS

2002 – Greg Biffle

2007 – Carl Edwards

2011 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2012 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2015 – Chris Buescher

 

 MUSTANG LOOKING TO ADD ANOTHER TITLE

Mustang has dominated the NASCAR XFINITY Series since it joined the circuit full-time in 2011, winning at least one championship in six of its first seven seasons.  Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won back-to-back drivers’ championships in 2011 and 2012 while Team Penske followed that with three straight owner’s titles from 2013-15 and again last season.  Overall, Mustang has won eight driver’s and owner’s championships combined going into Saturday’s Ford EcoBoost 300.

 MUSTANG NASCAR XFINITY CHAMPIONSHIP STREAK

2011 — Driver’s Championship (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.)

2011 — Owner’s Championship (Jack Roush, No. 6)

2012 — Driver’s Championship (Ricky Stenhouse Jr.)

2013 — Owner’s Championship (Roger Penske, No. 22)

2014 — Owner’s Championship (Roger Penske, No. 22)

2015 — Driver’s Championship (Chris Buescher)

2015 — Owner’s Championship (Roger Penske, No. 22)

2017 — Owner’s Championship (Roger Penske, No. 22)

* Courtesy of Ford Performance

MAHLE AND ROUSH YATES ENGINES EXTEND LONG STANDING PARTNERSHIP

Posted on: January 23rd, 2018
Location: post

MOORESVILLE, NC, January 23, 2018 – Roush Yates Engines announced today that it has reached an extension agreement with longtime partner MAHLE. These two powerhouses continue to build upon their strong 14-year relationship.

“MAHLE has been with us since the beginning,” said Doug Yates, President & CEO, Roush Yates Engines. “We have collaborated on numerous projects over the past 14 years, developing the best products and results in the industry. MAHLE always strives to be the best in the industry making them a very valuable partner to Roush Yates Engines.”

The strong alliance between Roush Yates Engines and MAHLE was formed in 2004. They have been a vital contributor to the design and development of all Roush Yates Engines’ products. With the help of companies like MAHLE our engine packages are developed to maximize horsepower and efficiency with exceptionally reliable under the harshest of conditions.

Today, MAHLE products are an integral part of the Ford FR9 V8 NASCAR race engine, twin-turbo Ford EcoBoost V6 and Ford Mustang 5.2L V8 road race engine, as well as the Roush Yates Engines RY45 V8 purpose built engine. MAHLE parts were essential in powering key Roush Yates Engines’ wins last year in NASCAR and Road Racing, including the 2017 Rolex 24 At Daytona with the No. 66 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing team of Joey Hand, Dirk Müller and Sébastien Bourdais.

“MAHLE’s focus on quality is evident in all their products we receive,” noted Brett Manwill, Reliability Manager, Roush Yates Engines. “MAHLE has leveraged their experience making millions of parts each year to develop processes and procedures to ensure that every product that we receive is exactly what we expect. This quality is critical to ensure that each engine we build performs as intended and provides our race teams the power, performance, and reliability on race day. MAHLE products are the total package. They deliver ultimate performance, consistent quality and dependability.”

“The relationship we continue to maintain with everyone at Roush Yates Engines is very special to us, and remains one of the longest running partnerships we have in the sport,” commented Jon Douglas, President of MAHLE Aftermarket Inc.  Although these two companies officially only go back to 2004, the relationship dates much further back to the days when Robert was tearing up tracks as an engine builder and owner on his way to the NASCAR Hall of Fame. We are both committed to quality, technology, and innovation; and we look toward many years of success together.”

About MAHLE  
MAHLE, located in Farmington Hills, Michigan is a leading international development partner and supplier to the automotive industry. With its products for combustion engines and their peripherals as well as solutions for electric vehicles, the group addresses all the crucial issues related to the powertrain and air conditioning technology—from engine systems and components to filtration to thermal management.

For our customers, quality means failure-free assembly, satisfied end customers, no product recalls—and thus a strong brand. For MAHLE, quality is a significant factor in our global success. Quality management is fully integrated into all business processes. We have developed an in-house Group standard for quality planning and controlling. Learn more about MAHLE at http://www.us.mahle.com/.

OFF TO THE RACES with Sage X3

Posted on: March 16th, 2018
Location: post

MOORESVILLE, NC  March 16, 2018 – In the auto racing world, everything moves a little faster. The cars move fast. Engines need to be built and rebuilt every week. And any delays – whether days, hours, or even minutes – can cost precious seconds at the track. Read the full story.

 

https://www.rklesolutions.com/blog/roush-yates-engines-and-sage-x3/

https://www.rklesolutions.com/off-to-the-races/

 

 

FORD AND “THE MONSTER MILE”

Posted on: May 4th, 2018
Location: post

DOVER, DE, May 4, 2018 – Ford’s fast start continued last weekend as Joey Logano won his first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season, giving the Blue Oval a series-best five victories in 2018. This week’s stop is Dover International Speedway. Here’s a look at how Ford has fared at the Monster Mile though the years.

FORD IN THE MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES

  • Ford has 25 all-time Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series wins at Dover.
  • The last win for Ford at Dover was by Matt Kenseth in 2011 (13 races ago).
  • Kurt Busch (2011), Brad Keselowski (2012) and Kevin Harvick (2015) all have one series victory at Dover, but not under the Blue Oval.
  • Richard Petty won the inaugural race at Dover while driving a Ford in 1969.

FORD IN THE NASCAR XFINITY SERIES

  • Ford has 11 NASCAR XFINITY Series wins at Dover.
  • The only season sweep for Ford came in 2011 when Carl Edwards won both events.
  • Mark Martin won Ford’s first series event at Dover in 1987.
  • Joey Logano won a series-record four straight Dover races from 2012-13.

CHASING ROUSH FENWAY

The last time Roush Fenway Racing finished 1-2-3 in a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race was on Sept. 21, 2008 at Dover International Speedway when Greg Biffle edged Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards to the checkered flag. The three Jack Roush Fusions battled each other over the closing laps with Biffle making the decisive pass on the outside of leader Kenseth coming off turn four with only nine circuits remaining. The victory was Biffle’s second straight to open the 2008 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup after winning the opener at New Hampshire Motor Speedway the previous week.

WHEN JUNIE LOVED MAY

Dover proved to be magical for the late Junie Donlavey, who won the only Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of his career at Dover on May 17, 1981 in the Mason-Dixon 500 when driver Jody Ridley took the checkered flag.  Ridley had a good car that day, but it was even more reliable and that proved the difference. Neil Bonnett was the dominant driver as he led 404 of the first 459 laps, but he blew an engine that ended his day. Cale Yarborough appeared to be the main beneficiary as he inherited the lead, but the same fate befell him 20 laps from the finish and sent him to the garage. That left Ridley to assume the top spot and he held on from there to register his first and only Cup win. It also ended up being Donlavey’s only trip to victory lane. The Richmond native made 863 starts and fielded strictly Ford products from 1965-2002 in NASCAR’s top series that featured names like LeeRoy Yarbrough, Fred Lorenzen, Harry Gant, Ricky Rudd, Ken Schrader and Dick Trickle.

FROM 500 TO 400

In 1997 Ford swept both Dover events, but it’s remembered for historical reasons because when Ricky Rudd won the spring event on June 1, 1997 it marked the speedway’s final 500-mile event. Rudd took advantage of being in the right place at the right time after leader Ernie Irvan was involved in an accident with 29 laps remaining. Rudd took over the lead and held off Mark Martin over the final few laps to lead a Ford sweep of the top four spots. Martin bounced back a few months later by winning the fall event, which marked the inaugural 400-mile race at the track. That started a streak that saw him win three straight fall events at the Monster Mile.

FORD MONSTER ENERGY NASCAR CUP SERIES DOVER WINNERS

1969 – Richard Petty

1978 – Bobby Allison (2)

1980 – Bobby Allison (1)

1981 – Jody Ridley and Neil Bonnett

1985 – Bill Elliott

1986 – Ricky Rudd (2)

1987 – Davey Allison and Ricky Rudd

1988 – Bill Elliott (Sweep)

1990 – Bill Elliott (2)

1994 – Rusty Wallace (Sweep)

1997 – Ricky Rudd and Mark Martin

1998 – Dale Jarrett and Mark Martin

1999 – Mark Martin (2)

2004 – Mark Martin (1)

2005 – Greg Biffle (1)

2006 – Matt Kenseth (1)

2007 – Carl Edwards (2)

2008 – Greg Biffle (2)

2011 – Matt Kenseth (1)

*Courtesy of Ford Performance & NASCAR Media

MOMENTUM!

Posted on: July 5th, 2018
Location: post
MOORESVILLE, NC – July 5, 2018 – The 2018 race season has been loaded with Roush Yates Engines’ horsepower. With more than half the season in the rear-view mirror and the chase for multiple championships ahead; 21 wins and 19 poles have been recorded, while 4,772 laps have been led by 33 different drivers, representing 16 different Ford Performance teams. This dynamic partnership between Ford Performance and Roush Yates Engines has been firing on all cylinders.
The Ford GTs, powered by the twin-turbo Ford EcoBoost V6 race engines, kicked off the 2018 season in January at the IMSA season-opener, Rolex 24 At Daytona. It was a case of deja vu for Ford Chip Ganassi Racing with a first-place finish for the second consecutive year in the 24-hour endurance race.
Ford GT Goes Back-to-Back at Rolex 24 | Ford Performance
Play
No. 67 Ryan Briscoe, Richard Westbrook and IndyCar driver Scott Dixon recorded Ford’s first win of the season and marked Chip Ganassi’s 200th win. In addition, the No. 66 sister-car with drivers Joey Hand, Dirk Müller and Sébastien Bourdais (2017 Rolex winners) came in second, making it a 1-2 Ford finish.

NASCAR shifted into high gear in February, during Daytona Speedweeks and so did the 22 Ford Performance teams.

Brad Keselowski, Team Penske’s No. 2 Ford Fusion, came out to win the first non-points race of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (MENCS) season, the Clash at Daytona International Speedway.
In their second year with Ford Performance, Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) has been dialed in, winning 8 out of the first 19 MENCS races of the season.

It was a 1-2-3 finish for Ford Performance at Atlanta Raceway. Powered by the Ford FR9 EFI race engine, the No. 4 of Kevin Harvick captured SHR’s 40th all-time MENCS win with his Jimmy John’s Ford Fusion, along with Ford teammates, Brad Keselowski and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top three spots in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500.
In addition, Harvick swept the weekend, by taking the No. 98 Stewart-Haas Racing with Biagi-DenBeste Ford Mustang to its first Victory Lane at Atlanta in the NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS).
The West Coast swing saw a lot of action, tallying up four NASCAR wins and the first MENCS pole of the season.

At Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Harvick drove the No. 4 into Victory Lane for the second week in a row, winning his 100th career NASCAR race.
Ryan Blaney, Team Penske’s new full-time driver of the No.12, also found success in the dessert, winning Ford’s first MENCS pole of the season in Las Vegas.
It was two wins for Ford Performance at the second stop on the West Coast, Arizona. Harvick reached another career milestone at ISM Raceway, winning his 40th career MENCS race and recording his third win in a row for SHR and Ford Performance.
Brad Keselowski also went to Victory Lane in Arizona, winning Team Penske’s first NXS race of the season in the DC Solar 200.
Joey Logano collected the second checkered flag, in as many weeks, for the No. 22 NXS team owner Roger Penske. Logano won Penske’s first Xfinity series race at Fontana and recorded his 29th career Xfinity win by leading 139 of the 150-lap race.
KohR Motorsports won the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge Series (CTSC) race for the second consecutive year in Sebring, Florida. Drivers Nate Stacy and Kyle Marcelli picked up their first win as co-drivers in the No. 60 Ford Mustang GT4.
To wrap up the month of March, Clint Bowyer won his first race at Martinsville Speedway, leading a race high 215 laps in the MENCS STP 500. Bowyer recorded his first win under SHR and secured a spot in the run for the championship.
The No. 41 SHR driver Kurt Busch, leveraged the horsepower of the Ford FR9 engine to collect his 20thcareer pole at Texas Motor Speedway.
Texas also saw Team Penske’s No. 22 post its’ third win of the season in three straight races with its’ third different driver. Driver Ryan Blaney swept the NXS event by collecting both the pole and the race win.
California native, Joey Hand captured the IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship pole in Long Beach, California, the location of the only street race on the IMSA schedule. The No. 66 FCGR team captured the pole with co-drivers Hand and Dirk Müller.
The double zero of Cole Custer (No. 00) from SHR captured consecutive Xfinity poles in Bristol, Tennessee and Richmond, Virginia.
At Talladega Superspeedway it was the Ford Fusions that took the pole and checkered flag.

SHR drivers swept the front row of qualifying, with No. 4 Harvick securing the pole, covering the 2.66-mile track in 49.247 seconds (194.448 mph) and teammate No. 41 Busch earning P2.
Joey Logano, the No. 22 driver for Team Penske, came away from Talladega with the win and became the third Ford Performance driver to secure a spot in the playoffs.
Logano recorded Ford’s ninth plate race win out of the last 11 races. No manufacturer has dominated the restrictor-plate tracks of Daytona and Talladega more than Ford Performance, which has won 17 of the last 30 MENCS events at these two tracks.
In May, the Ford Chip Ganassi Racing – UK team started the FIA World Endurance Championship Series (WEC) season out strong by qualifying on the pole and capturing the win in the season opener in the Six Hours of Spa. Andy Priaulx, Harry Tincknell and Tony Kanaan took the pole in the No. 67.
No.66, FCGR sister-car, took home the checkered flag with Stefan Mücke and fellow drivers Olivier Pla and Billy Johnson.
Ford Performance | Ford GT wins WEC Season Opener at Spa
At Mid-Ohio, we saw the IMSA CTSC series, No.8 Ford Mustang GT4 team of Chad McCumbee and Patrick Gallagher start on the pole.
While, the No. 60 KohR Motorsports/Roush Performance Ford Mustang earned its second CTSC win of the season with drivers Kyle Marcelli and Nate Stacy taking the checkered flag in the Mid-Ohio 120.
The month of May started off red hot in NASCAR as well. Harvick didn’t waste any time kicking off the month in Dover, Delaware, where he drove to Victory Lane for the fourth time this season.
Harvick went on to record two more wins, in as many weeks. The first at Kansas Speedway where he also won the pole.
Ford Performance | Beginning of the 2018 NASCAR Season
He then came home to Charlotte Motor Speedway, the home of NASCAR, where he won $1,000,000 in the NASCAR All-Star race.
Matt Kenseth returned to racing at Charlotte Motor Speedway, where his career started at Roush Fenway Racing, to record the 359th all-time career NASCAR pole for Jack Roush.
In addition, Brad Keselowski and Ford teammate Cole Custer made it a 1-2 start and finish for Ford Performance in the Charlotte Xfinity race, marking the fourth NXS win for Team Penske for the year.
Blaney recorded his second MENCS pole of the season in Pocono.
Ford Performance and Roush Yates Engines horsepower dominated Michigan with seven Ford Fusions finishing in the top-8. Clint Bowyer alongside SHR teammates made it a 1-2-3 finish. The No. 14 of Bowyer, with Kevin Harvick and pole winner Kurt Busch, made history with the first 1-2-3 finish for SHR. Ford teams led a race total of 121 laps out of the 133 lap race.
Recording a blistering 23.971 lap time, Austin Cindric scored his first NXS pole in the No.22 Team Penske Ford Mustang at Iowa Speedway,
On track in Watkins Glen, New York, the Ford Mustang GT4 took the pole with No. 80 AWA team of Brett Sandberg and Martin Barkey.
After starting in the front row in P2, the No.8 Multimatic Motorsports Mustang brought home the checkered flag at Watkins Glen International in the Continental Tire 240 with teammates Chad McCumbee and Patrick Gallagher.
It was the No. 67 FCGR team, driven by Richard Westbrook and Ryan Briscoe, that secured the GTLM pole at The Glen and recorded a milestone 300th over-all pole for Roush Yates Engines.
The No. 66 Ford GT with Dirk Müller and Joey Hand recorded the second IMSA WeatherTech Sportscar Championship win of the season for FCGR at Watkins Glen International, putting Ford on top of the Manufacturers’ points leader board.
Paul Menard in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford Fusion won his first pole of the season and first with the Wood Brothers by narrowly beating Ford teammate Ryan Blaney, making it an all Ford front row in Chicago.
This MOMENTUM will propel us into the second half of the year and keep us focused on the mission this weekend in Daytona Beach for NASCAR and in Ontario, Canada for the IMSA road race series.

14 CHAMPIONSHIPS – 334 WINS – 301 POLES!
Special Tribute: 
NASCAR Hall of Fame Inductee – Jack Roush
Jack Roush was recognized in May for his many accomplishments, legendary career and contributions to the sport of NASCAR, by being inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame as part of the five-member Class of 2019.
For almost 50 years Roush has been committed to winning on and off the track. As a direct result of Roush’s hard work, drive and dedication he turned his love of building engines and racing into 43 championships, more than 500 race wins in drag racing, sports car and stock car racing, 1,000 top-5 and over 2,000 top-10 finishes, while leading over 57,000 laps and turning well over a million miles.
Roush has made an indelible mark on NASCAR by achieving 325 NASCAR wins and eight NASCAR championships, while being a partner in Roush Yates Engines with NASCAR Hall of Famer Robert Yates and mentoring countless drivers and team members like NASCAR Hall of Famer Mark Martin.

It is our honor and privilege to say, “Congratulations and Thank you Jack!”

* Pictures and videos courtesy of Ford Performance and NASCAR Media