Roush Yates Ford EcoBoost and Chip Ganassi Racing carry last race momentum
The team looks for back-to-back Sebring victories and consecutive wins on the Tudor United SportsCar Championship circuit.
Mooresville - Coming off a monumental win at the 53rd Rolex 24 in January, Roush Yates Engines and Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sebates carry momentum into the 63rd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring. The team looks for back-to-back Sebring victories and consecutive wins on the Tudor United SportsCar Championship circuit.
“We are very happy with our three race wins in 2014 with the FORD EcoBoost,” said Mark Rushbrook, FORD Performance, Motorsports Engineering Manager “It goes without saying that we are really proud of our engineering team and our partnership with Roush Yates and Chip Ganassi Racing. To win the first race of 2015 at Daytona really sets the pace for the rest of the year.”
This engine is the future,
Doug Yates
The combination of Scott Dixon, Kyle Larson, Jamie McCurray and Tony Kanaan in their 02 FORD EcoBoost Riley Prototype powered by Roush Yates Engines, proved again why they are some of the best drivers in the world winning the Rolex 24 in late January. The race came down to a seven-minute, thirty-second dash to the checkered that was determined by just 2.267 seconds.
“Sebring is just as difficult to win as Daytona,” said John Maddox IMSA Program Manager for Roush Yates Engines, ”Strategies are very important as well as a car that’s durable and can last 12 hours. Drivers don’t have any long straightaways to catch their breath so it’s a difficult race on the drivers.”
The trio of Scott Pruett, Memo Rojas and Marino Franchitti gave FORD Performance its first win at Sebring in 28 years after a 1986 GTO class victory. The margin of victory was just 4.682 seconds, the closest contested victory in the 62 years of Sebring. It marked the first win for the EcoBoost which debuted just one month prior.
What makes the FORD EcoBoost platform so incredible is that 70 percent of the parts used to build the engine are from the factory assembly line. The twin-turbo, 3.5 liter V6 Ecoboost engine competes in a competitive class of V8 engines.
“This engine is the future,” said Doug Yates, CEO, Roush Yates Engines. “This FORD EcoBoost engine includes all the newest technology – direct injection, turbocharging and high efficiency. We’re looking at taking it to the next level through this sports car racing program.”
Sebring International Raceway is America’s oldest road racing track, with over six decades of racing history. The track derives from Hendricks Field which was an old World War II airbase. The first 12-hour endurance race took place in March of 1952.
The green flag drops at the 63rd Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring on Saturday, March 21st at 10:40am.
Roush Yates Engines would like to thank our partners FORD Performance, Mahle Clevite, Cometic Gasket, Del West, Rottler Manufacturing, Mitsubishi Materials U.S.A. and Safety Kleen. Roush Yates relies on these products each week in our engines as they play a vital role in our success.
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