( WCF ) - Last year we brought you news from the SEMA show that Ford was preparing to launch a new budget Mustang racer. Now the company has announced they delivered the first 19 Mustang FR500S' last weekend at the inaugural Ford Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup racing series.
New owners were given the chance to meet with series officials, receive technical information from Ford Racing engineers and attend the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School. Priced at $75,000 the FR500S race cars sits below other Mustang race cars like the FR500C ($125,000) and the FR500GT ($250,000).
Power is provided by a tweaked version of the standard 4.6L V8 found in the Mustang GT, producing about 325 hp. Changes to the car include a new cold air intake, a modified exhaust system, performance tuning by Roush, a stripped down interior to remove excess weight, the addition of a rear wing and a roll cage. Co-developed by Ford Racing Technology and Miller Motorsports Park, a total of 77 Mustang FR500S' were built by AutoAlliance International in Michigan.
The cars will compete in the Ford Mustang Challenge which will be held at various race tracks across the United States. Sanctioned by the Grand American Road Racing Association, the series will only be open to racers with the new FR500S.