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Category: Highlight

  • 2021 Ford Bronco will go off-road racing in Ultra4 series

    After unveiling Bronco-badged unlimited-class race trucks for the Ultra4 series, Ford on Wednesday announced that stock Broncos will also compete in the series.

    Scheduled to begin testing later this month, the Ford Bronco 4600 is a modified version of the SUV people will actually be able to buy. It’s based on the 2021 Ford Bronco two-door with the Sasquatch package, using the same T6 platform, twin-turbocharged 2.7-liter V-6, and 10-speed automatic transmission as the showroom version.

    The Bronco 4600 also gets Fox remote-reservoir coilover shocks, Wilwood brakes, and 35-inch BF Goodrich Mud-Terrain T/A KM3 tires, mounted to Method Race Wheels 202 beadlock rims.

    Other upgrades include heavy-duty front portal hubs and a heavy-duty hydraulic steering rack with cooler. A factory Dana AdvanTEK e-locking differential sends power to the front wheels, while the Bronco racer uses a DynaTrac ProRock XD60 axle with ARB 35-spline air locker at the back.

    Ford Bronco 4600

    Ford Bronco 4600

    On the outside, the Bronco 4600 sports Ford Performance front and rear bumpers, a Warn winch, Rigid LED lighting, and a custom roll cage. The livery is a mix of retro elements referencing the 1969 Baja 1000-winning Bronco at the front and more modern graphics at the back.

    Ford plans to field three Bronco 4600 race trucks, each with a pair of drivers in the Ultra4 series. The lineup includes drifting star Vaughn Gittin, Jr. and two-time King of the Hammers winner Loren Healy in one Bronco, a second Bronco driven by three-time King of the Hammers winner Jason Scherer and Baja 1000 class winner Bailey Cole, and a third Bronco driven by brothers and veteran off-road racers Brad and Roger Lovell.

    Some of these drivers are also slated to race the Bronco 4400 trucks in the Ultra4 series’ unlimited class. Unlike the Bronco 4600, the Bronco 4400 is a purpose-built vehicle, and it has nothing in common with the stock Bronco except a name.

    Prior to its foray into Ultra4, Ford entered the one-off Bronco R in the 2019 Baja 1000, using the T6 platform and 2.7-liter twin-turbo V-6 from the stock Bronco. While the Bronco R failed to finish due to mechanical issues, Ford said lessons learned from that project informed the Bronco 4600’s design.

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  • 1953 Hudson Hornet cruises in to Jay Leno’s Garage

    In the early 1950s, the hottest American performance car didn’t come from Ford, General Motors, or Chrysler. Featured on Jay Leno’s Garage, this 1953 Hudson Hornet represents the automaker’s brief moment in the performance spotlight.

    Hudson’s “step-down” design gave the Hornet a lower center of gravity, which improved handling. It also allowed for a lower floor (you literally step down when getting in), which in turn let designers give the Hornet a low, sleek roofline while maintaining an acceptable amount of headroom.

    When it debuted for the 1951 model year, the Hornet stood out from the more conservatively styled models from the Big Three automakers. It also offered impressive performance for the time.

    1953 Hudson Hornet on Jay Leno's Garage

    1953 Hudson Hornet on Jay Leno’s Garage

    Superior handling, combined with a potent-for-the-time 308-cubic-inch 170-hp inline-6, made the Hornet very competitive in NASCAR racing. A Hornet stock car even served as the inspiration for Doc Hudson, the character voiced by Paul Newman in the animated film “Cars.” The engine sported “Twin H-Power,” which was Hudson-speak for dual single-barrel carburetors, but Jay said Hudson’s downfall was caused in part by its failure to develop a V-8.

    However, Hudson wasn’t able to keep its streak of innovation going. The automaker stubbornly stuck with its flathead inline-6 as other automakers adopted overhead-valve V-8s, and that lessened its appeal, Leno said. Hudson merged with Nash to form AMC in 1954, and a badge-engineered Hornet based on Nash mechanicals was introduced. The Hudson brand disappeared altogether in 1957.

    Leno owned a Hornet while growing up in Boston. This isn’t that car, but he has had it for about 25 years. Leno said it only had about 15,000 miles when he got it, but the car has nonetheless been fully restored. This isn’t the only Hornet in Leno’s vast collection; he has a four-door version, too.

    Watch the full video for a lot more on the history of the Hudson Hornet and for the chance to see Jay take the car out on California roads.

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  • Wayne Taylor Racing’s Acura DPi driven to victory at 2021 24 Hours of Daytona

    Longtime General Motors partner Wayne Taylor Racing teamed up with Acura for the 2021 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship, and kicked off its campaign with a win on Sunday at the 24 Hours of Daytona.

    Competing in the premier DPi class, Wayne Taylor Racing’s no. 10 Acura ARX-05 took home the overall win thanks to the efforts of drivers Filipe Albuquerque, Helio Castroneves, Alexander Rossi and Ricky Taylor.

    They just managed to edge out the no. 48 Ally Racing Cadillac DPi-V.R driven by Jimmie Johnson, Kamui Kobayashi, Simon Pagenaud and Mike Rockenfeller to a second-place finish, roughly 4.7 seconds behind the winners.

    Third place went to the no. 55 Mazda Motorsports RT24-P driven by Jonathan Bomarito, Oliver Jarvis and Harry Tincknell, some 6.5 seconds behind the winners.

    No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-05 DPi at the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona

    No. 10 Wayne Taylor Racing Acura ARX-05 DPi at the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona

    This year’s win for Wayne Taylor Racing was the team’s third-consecutive overall victory at Daytona, but it almost didn’t happen. It was a nail-biting finish as the top contenders were all running within 30 seconds of each other as the race entered its final hour. And, with just minutes to go, the no. 1 Cadillac Dpi-V.R of Chip Ganassi Racing was catching up fast to the no. 10 Acura, with Kevin Magnussen and Renger van der Zande doing the driving. However, their attack was ended prematurely due to a puncture.

    The result was the first overall win for Acura and came 30 years after the automaker’s first class win in the event.

    In the LMP2 class, victory went to the no. 18 Oreca 07 of Era Motorsport, driven by Paul-Loup Chatin, Ryan Dalziel, Dwight Merriman and Kyle Tilley, who finished sixth overall.

    In the GTLM class, victory went to the no. 3 Chevrolet Corvette C8.R of Corvette Racing, driven by Nicky Catsburg, Antonio Garcia and Jordan Taylor, who finished 11th overall. This is the final year for the GTLM class, as the series organizer, IMSA, plans to replace the class next year with the GTD Pro Class which will use cars similar to a GT3-spec car. Many manufacturers already have GT3 racers and it’s likely a GT3-spec Corvette can be developed prior to the next season.

    No. 3 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTLM at the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona

    No. 3 Corvette Racing Chevrolet Corvette C8.R GTLM at the 2021 24 Hours of Daytona

    In the GTD class at this past weekend’s Daytona race, victory went to the no. 57 Mercedes-Benz AMG GT3 of HTP Winward Racing. Doing the driving were Indy Dontje, Philip Ellis, Maro Engel and Russell Ward, who finished 22nd overall.

    And finally, in the LMP3 class, victory went to the no. 74 Ligier JS P320 of Riley Motorsports. Doing the driving were Scott Andrews, Oliver Askew, Spencer Pigot and Gar Robinson, who finished 18th overall.

    The next round of the 2021 WeatherTech SportsCar Championship is the 12 Hours of Sebring on March 20 at Florida’s Sebring International Raceway.

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