Ford Performance NASCAR: Mustang Mach-E NASCAR Prototype Takes First Laps in Front of Fans – Speedway Digest

Earlier this afternoon, David Ragan made a demonstration run for fans at North Wilkesboro Speedway in the Ford Mustang Mach-E NASCAR Prototype.  It marked the first time this demonstrator vehicle appeared on an oval in front of fans.  Ragan completed a handful of laps that included a standstill start using the car’s ‘launch mode and a brief pause with braking to help recharge the battery.  He ended the session with a burnout down the frontstretch.

This is the ninth vehicle in the Ford Performance EV Demonstrator portfolio, which includes the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck that won last year’s Pikes Peak Hill Climb.  The Ford Mustang Mach-E NASCAR Prototype has the same chassis and safety components as the current NASCAR Cup Series Mustang.  It’s equipped with three motors, one in the front and two in the rear, and is capable of producing 1360 horsepower.

DAVID RAGAN, Driver, Ford Mustang Mach-E NASCAR Prototype – HOW DID THAT DEMONSTRATION RUN GO?  “It was really a quick test session for this Ford Mach-E NASCAR Prototype.  The first time here at North Wilkesboro Speedway and this thing has over 1000 horsepower, so it’s incredible the amount of power that this car has.  It stops really well.  I was trying to get a good burnout at the end without shredding the tires all the way, so that was fun.”

WHAT’S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HOW THIS CAR DRIVES VERSUS A CUP CAR?  “The cars really drive similarly in the middle of the corner.  This is the same chassis that the current Cup cars are running with in the Next Gen race car, so the steering, the side force, the handling feels very similar.  Where the Mach-E just outperforms the other car is that pure acceleration.  The amount of torque that it has is incredible and it’s instant torque because being an all-wheel drive car, you’ve got a lot of torque when you’re on the throttle.  When you hit the brakes, it stops on a dime and it’s quiet.  I can hear myself thinking and it’s really weird to hear some of the rubber banging off the inside of the car.  You can hear the tires squealing a little bit, so you don’t have that loud noise to drown yourself out.”

YOU STARTED THE RUN IN SOMETHING CALLED ‘LAUNCH MODE’.  HOW DOES THAT WORK?  “You need to take a look inside the car at the steering wheel.  There are a lot more buttons than I even know what to do with, but there’s a launch mode that revs the electric motor up to a really high RPM and when I release that button the car just instantly goes.  With this being an all-wheel drive Mach-E that has traction control, it sets you back in the seat so you better make sure you’re pointed and you’re going exactly where you want to go.  There’s a lot of acceleration and a lot of bells and whistles on the steering wheel that the driver can play with.”

THIS IS ANOTHER IN A LONG LINE OF EV DEMONSTRATORS FOR FORD PERFORMANCE.  HOW DOES THIS COMPARE?  “We’re really scratching the surface with the power and the potential with these full EV demonstrators at Ford Performance.  I’ve been a big fan of some of the Pikes Peak Hill Climbs with the SuperVan and F-150 Lightning SuperTruck, so there’s always a lot of new technology rolling out and it’s changing really fast.  I’m really thrilled to see the Mach-E as a part of this because that’s my daily driver.  I love driving it around town, so to see the power on a NASCAR style race car is exciting.  Keep in touch because over the next several months, and certainly later this year, I think we’ve got some really cool things up our sleeves.”

Ford Performance PR