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FORD CEO JIM FARLEY WILL PERSONALLY RACE A MUSTANG GT4 AT DAYTONA

It Will Be The First Race Of The Next-Generation Mustang

Ford CEO Jim Farley Ford Mustang Dark Horse GT3 S650 Race Car IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge 24 Hours of Daytona Roar Before Rolex

When you’re the CEO of a company, you tend to stand behind your product. But to what extent? With regard to car companies, you certainly see company chief executives sampling the latest and greatest products available under their umbrella. But to take one racing? That’s exactly what Ford CEO Jim Farley plans to do with a S650 Ford Mustang Dark Horse GT4. And he’s going to do so during next weekend’s inaugural IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge rounds at Daytona International Speedway, as part of the Roar Before the Rolex 24. Along with being a weekend of practice sessions, the Roar serves as the official qualifying session for the 24 Hours of Daytona taking place the following weekend. That’s one way to close out the S550 generation, if we do say.

Update: Ford has reached out to clarify that CEO Jim Farley will be racing the current, S550-based Mustang GT4. The S650 Mustang Dark Horse GT4 will debut in 2023 during the racing season and will begin competition in 2024.

Ford Mustang S550 GT4 CEO Jim Farley Multimatic Motorsport IMSA Daytona Race Car
Image via Multimatic

Farley, who is already known as a fairly accomplished historic racer with a GT40, will compete in the GSX class with a Multimatic Motorsports-run Ford Mustang GT4, which is comprised entirely of GT4-spec vehicles. And he’ll have his work cut out for him, as the entry list features nine LMP3 cars and 15 GSX entries that will compete in two single-driver races spanning 45-minutes long. Some of those drivers feature FIA Bronze or Silver ratings, while it’s Farley’s IMSA debut.

As well as the Multimatic Ford Mustang GT4 driven by Ford CEO Jim Farley, KohR Motorsports will also field a Mustang GT4 for Bill Griffin. And Frank DePew has the lone Chevrolet Camaro GT4.R in the field, entered by Rebel Rock Racing.

The IMSA VP Racing SportsCar Challenge fires up on Friday, January 20 with a pair of practice sessions, followed by qualifying on the morning of Saturday, January 21. Race 1 gets underway at 2:05 p.m. ET later that day, with Race 2 on Sunday January 22 at 12:20 p.m. ET. The races will be streamed live on Peacock and will be available on IMSA.tv for international viewers.

New S650 Ford Mustang Race Cars On The Way

With the help of various partners Ford Performance, will race the new S650 Mustang Dark Horse all over the world in multiple racing leagues by next year. This includes Australian Supercars, NHRA drag racing, IMSA sports car racing, GT3-class WEC endurance racing, NASCAR, and will even sell customers various turn-key racers of various specifications. And it’s all starting with Farley and the Mustang GT4 at Daytona International Speedway.

Ford Mustang Dark Horse S R IMSA SCCA SRO NHRA GT3 GT4 Le Mans Race Cars Car Muscle S650 New 2024
Image via Ford.

Written by Manoli Katakis

Muscle Cars & Trucks was founded by Manoli Katakis - an automotive media veteran that has been covering the latest car news since 2009. His journalism has uncovered dozens of major product changes, updates, plans, and cancellations long before automakers were ready to make things official.

Some highlights over the years of his reporting include the uncovering of the Zora trademark before anybody else reported on the coming of a mid-engine Corvette, as well as the dead-accurate reporting of the coming of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, two years before it hit the market, and even before the debut of the concept vehicle. This type of reporting has immediately continued here, with reports of the original seventh-generation Camaro plans being shelved, as well as what's in store for the Chevrolet Silverado.

Some of his work can be found on massive automotive media outlets, such as Motor1. He also has been a guest on the 910AM Radio Station with Detroit News auto critic Henry Payne, as well as the enthusiast-oriented Camaro Show podcast.

Over the years, Manoli has interviewed various automotive industry titans, leaders, and people that make things happen otherwise. These include figureheads such as GM CEO Mary Barra, GM President Mark Reuss, automotive aftermarket icon Ken Lingenfelter, Dodge firebrand Tim Kuniskis, along with various chief engineers of vehicles such as the Ford F-150 & Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro & Corvette, and many more.

At MC&T, Manoli is taking his journalism expertise, deeply planted sources, driving abilities, and automotive industry knowledge to new levels, covering more vehicles and brands than ever before. This is the place where you will continue to read groundbreaking stories about American performance vehicles, pickup trucks, and sport utility vehicles. Here is where you’ll also read insights and quotes from various automotive subject matter experts on the latest relevant products, as well as some of the latest official news from their manufacturers.

Fun facts: he also once beat Corvette Racing driver Tommy Milner in an autocross with a Chevrolet Bolt EV. The biggest vehicle he’s ever driven is a John Deere mining truck. Besides a go-kart, the smallest vehicle he’s driven has been a Hyundai i10. He’s also spent time in the cockpit of various American performance vehicle icons, including the fifth-generation Chevrolet Camaro Z/28, Dodge Challenger Demon, and Ford Mustang GT350R. He has reviewed dozens of trucks, SUVs, and performance vehicles over the years.

One of his favorite new vehicles on the market today happens to be the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison. He is also a card carrying member of the Sports Car Club of America, and regularly participates in Detroit Region autocross events.

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