Built For Baja - Next Gen Ranger Raptor Is Baja 1000 Bound
Taking place on November 15th - 20th 2022, the 55th edition of the SCORE (Southern California Off Road Enthusiasts) International Baja 1000 will see professionals and amateurs alike descend on the Baja California peninsula on Mexico’s west coast to participate, and the next-gen Ford Ranger Raptor will be in attendance to make its motorsport debut. Not only one of the most prestigious off-road races in the world, but also one of the deadliest, it attracts thrill-seeking competitors from around the globe. Starting in Ensenada, and running 828.25 miles, drivers and teams will have 36 hours to complete the treacherous - and often fatal - loop.
The course is made up of steep drops, boulders, cacti forests and silt dunes - which are described as closer in consistency to talcum powder than sand. Not to forget the river crossings, rogue cattle, boobytraps set by spectators and dangers from other competitors – many teams don’t make it remotely close to the finish line due to breakdowns and wipe-outs.
Not one for the faint hearted, this race not only takes extreme physical endurance and stamina but requires psychological discipline too. For many, it is a way of life and full-time occupation, with competitors returning year after year attempting to get their hands on the trophy.
This year, Ford Performance are taking the new Ranger Raptor to compete in the stock class, before it is even available to purchase domestically. The fact that it is a manufacturer entry investing in the sport is truly a testament to the passion and dedication of its developers and their faith in this model.
The eagerly anticipated Baja mode as part of the terrain management system will no doubt play a part and should optimise the Ranger Raptor for high-speed desert running, dialling down traction, improving responsiveness and shifting speed.
Race prepared in Australia, tested in the Australian Outback, and optimised in pre-race testing in Johnson Valley, California, Ford has collaborated with Kelly Racing, an Australian motorsport team with experience in racing and high-performance competitions, and Lovell Racing, a US- based motorsport company. The full team are listed on SCORE’s website as:
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Kelly Racing is led by 2005 Bathurst 1000 winner Todd Kelly, who also previously competed in the Supercars Championship until 2022. While it might seem unusual for an Australian touring car outfit to participate in American off-road racing, the Raptor Ranger was developed in Australia and won’t be on sale until 2023, making the Baja 1000 a prime location to show off the new vehicle in advance and publicly demonstrate what it is capable of.
Lovell Racing’s owner Brad Lovell was recently inducted into the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame, due to winning the Ultra4 USA 4600 championship in a Ford Bronco that he shared with his 16-year-old son Adam. Lovell oversees Ford’s rock crawling and Bronco racing programme, as part of his Ultra4 racing. He has also won championships in short course racing and the Baja Challenge class at the 2012 Baja 1000, so it looks like the new Raptor Ranger is in safe hands.
Developed and built to the rules and regulations of SCORE’s stock class, it will be interesting to see how the next-gen Ranger Raptor fares in the obstacle-ridden, unforgiving, and rough Mexican terrain. Ford Performance believes the Ranger Raptor is up for the challenge.
““The Baja 1000 is a demanding event and a well-known proving ground for off-road vehicles. We are excited to compete in this extreme event with the Ranger Raptor””
Coming down to cosmetic additions, we see that the Baja-inspired Ranger Raptor is draped in a sportier attire. The black hood carries branding for ARB Accessories, Herrod Performance, Shell, and Method Race Wheels. This truck also carries three ARB Intensity LED bars, a pair of Nighthawk lamps, and Safari snorkels.
Modifications made include a 3.0-inch lift kit, widened wheel arches, and Method Racing wheels wrapped in BFGoodrich off-road tires and a bull bar. While the previous-generation Ranger Raptor was powered by a bi-turbodiesel four-cylinder engine, its replacement has made the switch to a larger twin-turbo 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6, which in stock form delivers a maximum of 392 hp.
To underline their push towards carbon neutrality and their sustainability pledge it will be racing on Shell low-carbon biofuel, featuring a 30% blend of renewables, which highlights alternative fuels that can reduce the life cycle of greenhouse gas emissions compared to conventional fuels.
“Demonstrating low-carbon fuels in performance settings like the Baja 1000 can help bring biofuels and other clean energy technologies to scale more quickly and help to make them more available and affordable for everyone”
Ford is working to achieve carbon neutrality globally across its vehicles, operations, and supply chain no later than 2050 and to reach science-based interim targets by 2035.
Behind the bed, it has been modified with roll cages for protection and different housings to carry spare tires and important tool kits and the rear bumper also offers two additional tow hooks.
Inside, the interior of the Baja-specific Ranger is further strengthened with roll cages for extra protection in case of collisions. The cockpit is equipped with larger sets of displays and more ergonomically arranged controls than that of the regular models. Apart from the displays, there is a chunky engine starter knob and a drive selector console that enable easier access to controls. The bucket seats have been replaced with a pair of Racetech lightweight racing seats with six-point seatbelts for a sportier driving position.
“By entering this event, we’re building on the hundreds of thousands of kilometres of
development testing and pushing the Ranger Raptor to new extremes” says Novak.
Manufacturer entry to the Baja 1000 is nothing new for Ford, first winning overall in 1968, since then it’s won multiple times with the various versions of the F-150 Raptor and Bronco. Back in the 90s their Rough Riders team became infamous, cleaning up and taking trophies at multiple events. Ford even entered the stock F-150 Raptor in 2017, which finished on the podium and proceeded to then drive the 400 miles home.
The last raptor overall win was back in 2011 with father and son duo Scott and Andy Mcmillin, of the Mcmillin racing legacy family, featured in the 2005 Baja 1000 documentary Dust to Glory.
“It’s Baja. It’s so magical and so mysterious; you have no idea what’s going to happen.” Says Andy Mcmillin (now 5x baja1000 champ)
Expectations are high for the Ranger Raptor’s performance and how it will hold up in this unforgiving endurance test across the Mexican desert, stay tuned to see if it takes home a trophy.
Instagram accounts to follow to keep up with the Ranger Raptor’s epic journey at the Baja 1000:
@bfgoodrichtires | @scoreinternational | @fordperformance | @shellvpowerracingteam | @bradlovell44 | @toddkellyracing
For more on the Baja 1000, check out the free Red Bull docuseries here.
