Ford Performance factory driver, Ben Barker, will take on the world-famous Indianapolis Motor Speedway – aka the Brickyard – for this first time in his career this weekend. He’ll share the seat of the No. 55 Ford Mustang GT3 in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) in place of regular enduro driver Ryan Hardwick, and he’s looking forward to the challenge.
Speaking with Sportscar365, Barker said that he plans on going for a podium finish this weekend at Indy. He wasn’t originally on the driver roster for the Battle of the Bricks, but a scheduling conflict on Hardwick’s part left the seat open in the No. 55 Mustang GT3. Barker, not one to back down from racing experience, stepped up to the challenge. He’ll split duties behind the wheel with Corey Lewis and Giammarco Levorato.
“Ryan couldn’t make it and GTD being the way it is, a Gold [rated driver] is allowed to jump in with the two Silvers,” Barker told Sportscar365. “He said, ‘Look, can Ben do it?’ I got the all clear and I’m here.”
While Barker is new to Indy, he’s no stranger to WEC racing. He helped guide the No. 77 Mustang GT3 in the Six Hours of Fuji, racing alongside Hardwick and Zach Robichon in the enduro event. He also completed part of the 2014 WEC season, driving a GTD-compliant Porsche 911 GT America.
As for partnering with Lewis and Levorato, Barker said that he’s been impressed with the two thus far this season.
“They’ve had some really good results, with pole in the last round and strong pace and being very close to a podium,” said Barker. “There’s been a little bit of a BoP change but hopefully it won’t affect us too much and we can fight.”
He added, “We’re learning the trends of the car and then you can start reacting to what changes you need to make.”
Indeed, The Blue Oval’s racers seem to finally be making friends with the Ford Mustang GT3, which was introduced for competition at the start of the 2024 racing season. In fact, the manufacturer claimed a podium finish in the crown jewel of endurance racing earlier this year, finishing third in the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The six-hour 2024 Battle on the Bricks is scheduled for Sunday, September 22nd, 2024.
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