Ford Performance Announces Junior Program To Find Talent

In recent months, Ford Performance has been on a bit of a roll when it comes to introducing new racing series and programs aimed specifically at one goal – fostering talent for the future. Those efforts include the all-new Mustang Cup, which will serve as the starting point in the Ford Performance sports car racing ladder for novice racers when it begins next year, as well as the Ford Red Bull Academy Program, which aims to support grassroots female drivers and prepare them to progress to Formula 3 and beyond, as The Blue Oval just signed back on to remain the title sponsor of that program for another year. Now, Ford Performance has launched another program centered around finding motorsports talent.

That new effort is called the Ford Performance Junior Program, and it aims to find the next generation of racing talent by evaluating participants from existing series such as Mustang Challenge, Mustang Cup, and Mustang GT4. FP will be looking at a variety of factors when determining which drivers it selects for the Junior Program, including their average stats compared to other leading drivers, current performance, feedback from sanctioning bodies, temperament, and year-over-year driving improvement. The program will be open to drivers globally and will be available for a select group of drivers in any one calendar year.

Evaluations for the first Ford Performance Junior Team class are already underway and will continue through December, during which those who are selected will be contacted and contracted prior to the announcement of the inaugural class. Ford Performance has already revealed that the first driver selected for the program is 2024 Mustang Challenge Dark Horse Class Champion, Robert Noaker. Drivers will receive mentoring from factory Mustang GT3 pilots, along with coaching during selected race weekends, plus simulator sessions and training in a variety of areas by Ford Performance itself, and if they’re lucky, they might just get the chance to earn a seat in the Mustang GT3 Factory Program. The full slate of the Ford Performance Junior Team program will be announced at the upcoming Season Launch event in January 2025.

“At Ford Performance, we are always on the lookout for fresh new racing talent and with the new Ford Performance Junior Team program, we think we have a great solution for the future,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsport. “This program is all about creating opportunities for the next generation of Mustang racing talent. We want to give these drivers the tools and support they need to reach their full potential, and we’re excited to see what they can achieve.”