Video: Ford EcoBoost racer shatters Daytona speed record

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Watch Colin Braun drive this Riley Daytona Prototype with Ford EcoBoost V6 power to a 222.971 lap record. 

 

MCG is a big fan of record stunts. They’re an effective way to draw attention to a product or program. Also, it’s entertaining and illuminating to see race cars used for other than their design purposes. For example, Daytona Prototypes were not designed for top speed runs; they were designed to pound around tight road courses for up to 24 hours at a time, so they have loads of downforce and they’re built like tanks.

But still: Wouldn’t it be interesting to really open up a DP racer and see what it can do at Vmax?

That’s what the folks at Ford, Michael Shank Racing, and Roush Yates Racing Engines must have been thinking. Also, that a record run would be an excellent promotional tool for Ford’s EcoBoost engine family, demonstrating that the turbocharged powerplants deliver performance as well as fuel economy. In fact, the Ford EcoBoost 3.6L V6 will be competing in the United SportsCar Championship with Michael Shank Racing in 2014.

 

Michael Shank Racing photo

 

The key components of the record run include: Michael Shank and his crack team, Michael Shank Racing; driver Colin Braun; one Riley Technologies Daytona Prototype MK XXVI race car; and one Roush Yates-prepared twin-turbo 3.6 liter EcoBoost V6 engine. According to sources at Ford Racing, the little screamer makes around  750 hp in record tune and will be dialed back to 600 hp for sanctioned racing next season. (See it run on the dyno here.)

With the twin-turbo V6 singing in his ear, Braun set new standing start 10-kilometer and 10-mile records, and also bested Bill Elliott’s all-time track record of 210.354, set in qualifying in for the Daytona 500 in 1987, with a lap of 222.971 mph. Video below.

 

2 thoughts on “Video: Ford EcoBoost racer shatters Daytona speed record”

  1. It’s great to see an American manufacturer do something like this again. For decades, it seemed like they had a moratorium on stunts that would appeal to true enthusiasts. From my perspective, this adds a whole new level of credibility and appeal to the Eco Boost engines. I hope it pays off for Ford and, as a result, other manufacturers follow suit.

  2. I enjoy these record runs, too. To me they’re a very cost-effective promotion. Somebody give me 500K and we can bump it to 250.

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