Nostalgia is great… but modern beats vintage every time. The fastest original 427 Cobra to circle the full course at Virginia International Raceway has done it in a record 2 minutes, 14 seconds. FFR Challenge Cars running stock 225 hp engines have made in 2:09’s!... and higher hp FFR Challenge Cars have run in the low 2:00 range! The legend is not even close.
But what about modern cars that you’ll run against? The much vaunted Lotus Elise, heralded as one of the best open track weapons around was timed by Car & Driver (July 2004) in 1:08.96 seconds… FFR engineer Dave Riha has run the same course in 1:04.635
If you campaign a Challenge Car you will own your local track and consistently run with the fastest cars. Since these cars are used primarily on roadcourses, let’s compare modesty powered Challenge Cars to some of the fastest cars there are at tracks around the country.
FFR Challenge Cars have won the Charlie Gibson 300 Enduro numerous times. Challenge Cars have completed the gruelling 25 hours of Thunderhill for the past four years, earning a third place in class and setting the fourth fastest lap time of all cars in 2004.
A Factory Five Challenge Car ran the Fastest Time of the Day at the 2006 Mid America Shelby Meet against a full field of vintage Mustangs and Cobras.
A Factory Five Challenge Car runs 1-2 seconds per lap faster than a 2005 Z06 Corvette at the Bondurant School Maricopa Track.
The conclusion is obvious. The combination of years of racing refinement, a highly rigid chassis, low vehicle weight, low centre of gravity, correct suspension geometry and honest V8 power and torque deliver together to net a great track day car.
All times listed above are for stock FFR-NASA Challenge Series eligible cars in the USA.
Factory Five Racing 2008
