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Ford Motor Company's line-up of performance vehicles is pretty stout. Enthusiasts can select between the affordable 197-hp Fiesta ST, Focus ST, Focus RS, the 526 hp Shelby GT350 or the new 450-horsepower 2017 F-150 Raptor. And in addition to offering such a wide palate of performance, Ford also want its specialty car and truck owners to understand and experience the full capabilities. So with performance in mind, the Detroit automaker offers owners a free specially designed driving course at the Ford Performance Racing School at the Utah Motorsports Campus in Tooele, Utah.
The UMC, which was formerly named Miller Motorsports Park, is home to a variety of tracks designed for instruction and all-out racing, and it houses the Ford's Racing School that's headed up by Dan McKeever and his team of professional instructors.
Ford wanted us to experience the program since this week it will be introducing two new courses, the RS Adrenaline Academy for the Focus RS and the Raptor Assault, which incorporates an amazing off-road experience for Raptor owners.
Invite in hand, we headed to UMC and spend a day flinging the Focus RS and climbing and descending with the Raptor. "This is what we want to provide our owners so they feel like a part of the Ford Performance team." says Jim Owens of Ford. "You get to experience the vehicle in the environment the engineers designed it for and this lets owners tap into the capabilities," he added.
Ford's on-track programs began in 2012 with the Boss 302 Track Attack and it was wildly successful. Ford VP Jim Farley, a performance enthusiasts himself, wanted to give Boss owners something special, so they came up with a course tailored to giving enthusiasts a fun and educational day at the Ford-specific school. Boss owners seized the opportunity and came away impressed and today Ford offers this training at no cost to anyone who purchases a Fiesta ST, Focus ST, Focus RS, Shelby GT350 and starting this year, the Ford Raptor. And in addition, it offers add-on days and options to allow a guest to join in on the fun.
Read more on Hot Rod Magazine.
