Ford's all-new 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor will be running the 2016 Best in the Desert off-road racing series factory stock class. Leveraging the Ford Raptor's production platform including the 3.5 liter EcoBoost engine and 10-speed transmission.
The all-new Raptor has the DNA of a Baja race truck, with a purpose-built engine, chassis and suspension that enables it to travel fast over challenging desert landscapes or crawl over rocky terrain.
Racing in Best in the Desert's intense stretch of races will demonstrate the all-new 2017 Ford Raptor's capability and performance on off-road terrain.
The backbone of the 2017 Ford Raptor's purpose-built fully box frame features higher-strength steel than outgoing Raptors and sits six inches wider than a standard F-150 for improved stability off-road.
- Torsen front differential boosts off-road capability further, significantly increasing grip for the front end and allowing the truck to pull itself over obstacles and up steep grades - even when traction is split between the front tires
- First-ever dual exhaust and new Ford Performance 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels with next-generation BFGoodrich All-Terrain KO2 tires enhance off-road performance
"This is the most stock truck I've ever seen in my time building Ford race trucks," said Greg Foutz, owner of Foutz Motorsports, Ford's truck builder and primary race truck driver. "Without custom technology or other modifications, this all-new Raptor is ready to prove the toughness and performance in the Best in the Desert series."
Modifications to the F-150 Raptor race truck include:
- Race-optimized three-inch-diameter external-bypass front and rear Fox Racing Shox similar to Raptor's segment-exclusive internal-bypass Fox Racing Shox
- Race-optimized front and rear springs raise ride height to gain additional ground clearance and provide increased compression rate to handle extreme terrain
- Custom-fabricated roll cage
- MasterCraft seats with five-point harness safety belts and window nets
- LED light bars, racing fuel cell, Lowrance GPS, RacePak digital dash and data logger
Rated at 411 horsepower and 434 lb. of torque Ford's high-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine that produces more power with greater efficiency than the outgoing 6.2-liter V8.
A new transfer case, which manages power distribution between the front and rear wheels, combines the best attributes of clutch-driven, on-demand all-wheel drive with durable, mechanical-locking four-wheel drive to send power to the wheels in slippery conditions.
New Terrain Management System enables drivers drivers to select modes to optimize driving conditions with six preset modes.
- Normal mode for everyday driving
- Street mode for higher-performance, on-road driving
- Weather mode for rain, snow or ice
- Mud and sand mode for muddy, sandy trails and terrain
- Baja mode for high-speed desert running
- Rock mode for low-speed rock crawling
Dates and locations to catch F-150 Raptor racing events this year are as follows:
- Parker 425, Parker, Arizona, Feb. 4-7
- Mint 400, Las Vegas, March 10-14
- Laughlin Desert Classic, Laughlin, Nevada, May 5
- Vegas to Reno, Nevada, Aug. 17-20
- Bluewater Challenge, Parker, Arizona, Sept. 10-Oct. 6
- Pahrump Nugget 250, Pahrump, Nevada, Dec. 1-4
Addictive Desert Design's is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the 2017 Ford Raptor just like everyone else. We can't wait to build some amazing off-road products for the all-new Raptor, including front and rear bumpers, side steps, and chase racks. Check out our 2017 Ford Raptor page to stay up-to-date on new Raptor information and products that we have planned in the future.
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