Following its global debut last year, the all-new, next-generation Ford Ranger Raptor headed out to the legendary Baja 1000 off-road race in November, where it managed to score a class win in its very first outing. Developed in partnership with Kelly Racing from Australia and U.S.-based Lovell Racing, this special version of the new Ford Ranger Raptor is largely stock, save for its mandatory safety equipment, though it’s also running a low-carbon biofuel from Shell, interestingly enough. Now, this same pickup is set to be put to the test once again – this time, at the grueling Tatts Finke Desert Race in Australia.
Widely considered to be the toughest off-road race in that particular country, the Tatts Finke Desert Race covers a total distance of over 460 kilometers (285 miles) between Alice Springs and Aputula. The specially-prepped Ford Ranger Raptor racer from Baja will compete in the Production 4WD class, with the father and son team Brad and Byam Lovell of Lovell Racing behind the wheel once again. Meanwhile, servicing, event management, and logistical support will be provided to Ford Performance by Walkinshaw Performance. This will mark the very first time that both Ford and Lovell Racing have competed in this particular event.
“The Finke Desert Race is one of the toughest events on the off-road calendar, and one that we’ve wanted to take on for a long time,” said Brad Lovell. “The Ranger Raptor is an incredible machine, and we’re confident that it will perform exceptionally well in the race. We’re looking forward to pushing ourselves and the vehicle to the limit.”
“Bringing the Ranger Raptor to the Finke Desert Race is the next stage of Ford Performance’s strategic global racing plan,” said Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “Ranger is our flagship platform for global off-road racing, and after conquering the Baja 1000 in the Stock Mid-Size class, we decided the next stop should be back to Australia, where the production truck was developed, to tackle the toughest off-road race down under.”
We’ll have more on the next-gen Ford Ranger Raptor soon, so be sure to subscribe to Ford Authority for the latest Ford Ranger news, Ford Ranger Raptor news, and non-stop Ford news coverage.
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