Ford Performance released details regarding the upcoming inaugural season of the Mustang Challenge, set to begin in June 2024.
The series will take place at tracks in North America, including Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen, Road America, COTA, and a season finale at Charlotte Motor Speedway, home to the Ford Performance Racing School, which will manage the official spec racing series.
The initial IMSA-sanctioned Mustang Challenge schedule features a five-round, 10-race calendar beginning in June at Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course.
The second round at Watkins Glen International has moved up in alignment with IMSA’s schedule change. Additionally, Ford revealed that the Mustang Challenge finale now will be run at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a precursor to the “SRO Indianapolis 8-Hour presented by AWS” endurance race, as part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge championship.
Each IMSA-sanctioned event will feature two 30-minute practice sessions, one 15-minute qualifying session, and two 45-minute sprint races.
The field of up to 40 full season entries, with additional entries possible at rounds two through five, will be split into two classes — Dark Horse and Dark Horse Legends, the latter being an optional classification eligible to bronze-level drivers 45 years old and over.
Michelin has developed an all-new bespoke race tire for the series, and teams will be eligible to purchase three new sets of these 295/30R19 Michelin race tires per weekend.
Ford Performance and Michelin also will have personnel onsite at each race weekend to directly support entrants of the series. Parts will be available at the track, however as this is also a production-based car, many parts will be available through local Ford dealers.
Each race will feature a podium celebration for both classes, as well as prize money awarded to overall first through third place finishers.
Ford Performance will be offering an innovative championship prize structure for Mustang Challenge, encouraging progression in the Mustang sports car racing stable.
Dark Horse season champions will have two paths to choose from for prizes:
- Cash prize of $40,000, or
- $100,000 Scholarship towards a Mustang GT3 or Mustang GT4 seat the following year.
Both paths will be accompanied by a test day in a Mustang GT4.
Series tire partner Michelin also is supporting the Mustang racing ladder with overall championship prize of a set of tires per weekend for any driver racing a Mustang Dark Horse R, Mustang GT4, or Mustang GT3 in a Michelin series the following year.
Those finishing second and third overall in the championship will also receive cash payouts of $20,000 and $10,000, respectively.
Dark Horse Legends champions will receive a cash prize of $20,000 or a test day in a Mustang GT4.
Pricing for Mustang Dark Horse R starts at $145,000. Deliveries are planned to begin in 2024, prioritizing customers competing in the full Mustang Challenge season. For more information or to order a Mustang Dark Horse R, visit here.
