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  1. #1
    FEP Super Member PaceFever79's Avatar
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    Default 1981 Ford Mustang returns to IMSA GT racing

    Stumbled on this cool bit of Fox history.....

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    FORD MUSTANG RETURNS TO RACING:

    "After the 1971 championship season for Parnelli Jones in the Boss 302 – Ford scaled back its support of professional motorsports in favor of focusing attention on a challenging business environment and struggling economy. Thankfully, 1981 saw Ford return to its racing roots. April 12, 1981 the Miller Mustang overcame qualifying issues and navigated through a field of BMWs, Porsches, and Datsuns at the IMSA Camel GT race at Road Atlanta Raceway. The turbocharged 1.7L 4-cylinder engine creating almost 700 horsepower, and piloted by Klaus Ludwig stormed through the field to within 0.14 seconds of the leading Porsche 935 at the finish line – boldly announcing Ford’s return and commitment to auto racing."

  2. #2
    FEP Power Member 4-barrel Mike's Avatar
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    Cool!

    Mike

  3. #3
    FEP Super Member PaceFever79's Avatar
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    Here's a more complete quote:

    Mickey Matus, Ford Racing Marketing Manager, remembers, “As the Ford Division motorsport marketing guy at the time, I was at Road Atlanta for the debut of the ‘Miller Mustang’ on April 12, 1981. We hosted a major event on the hill at Turn 5 for dealers, across from a trackside billboard claiming “The Boss is Back” which was appropriate for two reasons: first, our future CEO, Red Poling, was there watching, and second, this event marked the return of Ford to active competition, the first since we refocused all competition efforts on fuel economy and safety in the ’70s.”

    “The car, powered by a turbocharged 1.7L 4-cylinder engine, was a re-bodied Zakspeed Capri, and was driven by Le Mans champion and German road racing ace, Klaus Ludwig. Despite issues in qualifying, Klaus stormed through the field of BMWs, Datsuns, and Porsches, only to finish second to a Porsche 935 by a mere 0.14 seconds at the finish. The next chapter of Ford’s racing program had begun.”

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