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Man Racer a Mustang for Dreamers
Posted April 24, 2006 08:47 PM by Tim Beggs.
Sunny Saturday afternoon? Check. Open pits at the track? Check. Racing license? Check. A 550hp Ford Mustang? Check. Favorite beer for after a hard day’s play? Check. Reality? Check….if you have $200K and a racing license. Don’t bother pinching yourself; it is not a dream.
Dan Davis, director of Ford Technology, has crafted an exquisite blue Ford Mustang, dubbed the “Man Racer” for quenching the thirst of power-hungry Mustangs fanatics worldwide. The “Man Racer” you ask? What’s that? Reflect back on the Ford Mustang FR500C, the $125K, 420hp racecar and its original nickname, “Boy Racer” (assigned by Ford executives). Now, with another 130 powerful ponies pushing forward, contained within a new platform, the Man Racer sets the bar a tad higher.
Future plans for the Man Racer Mustang are not certain, but Davis’ plans are to have several dozen more built. Hopes are for the Man Racer to be raced within the Champ Car circuit, with Ford being the exclusive engine provider.
Making its presence known at the Long Beach Grand Prix, driver Scott Maxwell sped the Man Racer around the track during the customary morning pace car rides. Hitting about 165mph, the Man Racer finished its lap in the 1.5 minute range, which is about 10 seconds slower than the Grand-Am Daytona Prototype runners.
“And that was with 190 pounds of extra weight,” Davis said. “Me! We didn’t tune the car for this track, we just unloaded it and sent it out there. You think we could sell some?” he wondered aloud. “Thirty or 40, maybe?”
Dare we say it, Dan? Dare to Dream….dare to dream.
