Ford Builds EcoBoost Race Car to Set Speed Record

Ford Motor Co. plans to set a new speed record next week at Daytona International Speedway using a 3.5-liter six-cylinder engine that is similar to EcoBoost power plants found under the hoods of some of its street vehicles.

The planned Oct. 9 record attempt is part of a broad program at Ford to promote its turbocharged EcoBoost engines, which the car maker touts as delivering the unusual combination of relatively high horsepower and good fuel economy.
The company said its Ford Racing motorsport unit, Continental Tire and race team Michael Shank Racing prepared a special prototype race car designed to surpass the fastest average speed of 210.364 miles an hour set in 1987 by Nascar champion Bill Elliott.
Among fans of stock-car racing, the Elliot record is a legend. The driver set the high mark during qualifying for the Daytona 500. In the late 1980s Elliot was leading a steady advance in speeds that drove Nascar’s bosses to change the rules to improve safety and slow the cars down.

Ford also plans to give the EcoBoost-powered Daytona Prototype race car its competition debut in the Rolex 24 at Daytona on Jan. 25-26.
Race fans can follow the Oct. 9 record attempt on Ford Racing’s Twitter channel (@FordRacing) and Facebook page throughout the day.