By Mark Gearhart

powerTV Media

If you look back nearly 25 years you may be able to find a strong contingent of Ford power in the NHRA Pro Stock class. Since that time there have been attempts to regain the prominence that the likes of Bob Glidden once had behind the wheel of a Ford but to some dismay those attempts have usually foiled out quickly. While Glidden was a fierce competitor and racked up 85 national event wins, no one has come close to duplicating these performances behind the wheel of a Ford. Check out more on this story at StangTV.com

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

As you would probably expect, Roush Fenway lead engineer Chris Andrews is a little weary of being asked on a daily basis about his teams’ “struggles,” but there isn’t a bit of defensiveness in his explanation of how the Fords are actually doing as we sat outside the No. 6 hauler and talked about them for a bit this morning. Ford is the one manufacturer that hasn’t had a car win a race this season, true–but the points tell a different story. The four main Roush cars are actually further ahead in the points than they were this time last year. And Jack Roush is one of only two owners (the other being Rick Hendrick) who currently have three drivers in the top twelve in the points–Matt Kenseth in 3rd, Biffle in 7th, and Carl Edwards in 10th. So the Ford teams have actually been doing quietly well, despite all the ballyhoo about their terrible performance that’s currently in fashion amidst a storyline-starved season. The Roush Fords only need the wow-factor of a win before the commentators start giving some attention to what’s actually been solid but stealthy improvement–and in a sport that revolves around wins, that seems only fair.

Today’s Coke 600 could be good to the Roush Fords, because its gargantuan length places emphasis on steady performance and avoiding stupid mistakes as fatigue takes hold toward the end–qualities that a generally level-headed driver like Matt Kenseth has in spades. Looking ahead, the teams are stoked about Ford’s all-new FR9 engine, a cooler-running package with more torque and more horsepower which will be making its for-points debut in all the Roush cars next week at Pocono. I guess we’ll see how it goes.

NASCAR coverage brought to you by Valvoline Engine Guarantee–the first and only motor oil in the industry that will guarantee your engine up to 300,000 miles. *Registration required, some limitations apply.

By Rob Einaudi

Editor-in-Chief

Yes, even a 540 hp Roush Mustang at WOT will brake to a stop, but the best thing is to just shift into neutral if you ever experience a stuck throttle. Read the full story at Car and Driver.

By Mike Musto

RideLust.com

Every once in awhile a car comes along that makes me a bit nervous. Not so much because of what it is, but more because of what it does. Take this 1965 427SC MKIII Cobra from Superformance owned by New York Motor Club founder Larry Kosilla.

I have been very fortunate to have driven some of the fastest, most powerful cars on the planet, and they’ve all been amazing experiences. But this particular car may take the proverbial cake. Weighing in at 2,300 pounds, this Cobra sports a Roush Racing 408 Windsor stroker that puts out 495rwhp. Those numbers make for one seriously fast machine. Continue reading…

Continue reading "The Infamous Copper Cobra" »

Inspiration—that is something that is shared between this particular ROUSH pickup truck and a nineteenth century novel. ‘Nightmare’ was the original term for the state later known as waking dream, first credited to Mary Shelley in her novel ‘Frankenstien.’ Anonymously published in 1818, the story came about one stormy night in a cottage on the shores of Lake Geneva. Together for the evening, Mary, her husband and Lord Byron challenged each other to write the most fearful ghost story. In 1831, she revised her first novel, Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, and republished it under her own name.

When it comes to the ROUSH Nitemare pickup truck though, there is nothing anonymous about it. Back for a second run, the 2008 version was distinctly different from the original black-only predecessor. Once again limited to a run of 100 units, this flare-sided implementation was made available in three colors—black, red and the gleaming white version we were loaned for a long weekend.

Starting from a standard cab, F-150 FX/2 model ensures that this dream isn’t carrying any excess weight. Under the hood, the ROUSHcharger power adder boosts the 5.4L, 3-valve engine to 445-flywheel horsepower and 500 lb-ft. of torque. Additional go-fast pieces include updated intake manifolds, intercooler, radiator and air induction system.

Aside from the color selection, the most obvious change for the new model is the inclusion of 22-inch chromed wheels. A revised graphics package also sets the newer model apart, while ‘stealth’ badges do nothing to hide the fundamental nature of this beast. Driving the truck around the Detroit area elicited only one of two responses from other wannabees—either a ‘thumbs up’ gesture, or an attempt to make some snarling noises out of an anemic aftermarket exhaust.

Read the full story at Uber Drive Magazine.

Given his recent behavior—see the Wall Street Journal for a full "breakdown"—the idea that John McCain would make fun of Barak Obama for recommending that people keep their tires inflated and their cars in tune doesn’t come as a surprise. Disappointing, sure. But I honestly can’t say that any of his tactics would really surprise me. Sorry for the rant, here’s the news:

• Some people really care about owning a limited edition ride. Case in point? Ford is being sued by  folks that bought Roush BlackJack Mustangs. Apparently, the company advertised that only 100 would be made, then actually produced 200. Oops. This could be an expensive math lesson for the Blue Oval. Reuters
• Talk about hilarious! A Dallas-area car thief chilling in the parking lot of a convenience store found his me-time interrupted when a car jacker came up and boosted his ill-gotten ride. How awesome is that?  Associated Press via Jalopnik
• What’s all the hoopla about the possible return of Datsun? Seriously, launching new nameplate is expensive, and for most consumers, the Datsun brand probably wouldn’t invoke tons of nostalgia. But that’s not stopping people from hyping a comeback. Auto Express
• Tesla is snapping up more talent from the Big Three, presumably because execs there have experience delivering cars with functioning gearboxes. Automotive News

As Nate pointed out, this week’s Showroom Showdown was mostly based on styling, since it was difficult to find two supercharged models from these builders that matched up well in terms of price and hp. And yes, I agree with many that the price is a bit steep for these considering you don’t get much in the way of a performance increase over a stock GT. Still, I was surprised that the Saleen dominated this one so brutally–Roush only got a handful of votes. Maybe in the coming weeks I’ll pit a supercharged Saleen against one of the Griggs no-nonsense track cars. That might be interesting.

Saleen and Roush are two heavyweights when it comes to Mustang tuners. For this Showroom Showdown, I’ve pitted their entry-level pony cars against each other–the Saleen S281 3V vs. the Roush Stage 2. Both come with various suspension and styling tweaks (and the Saleen comes with a very mildly tuned engine to bump the hp up to 335 vs. the Roush’s stock 300hp). Depending on how you option them, both cars will come in somewhere south of $50k. Motor Trend preferred the Saleen in their test. Which would you choose?

Oh, and thanks to Nate for the idea!

By Jen Dunnaway

Editor

In the hopes of bringing a few race-fans into the donor pool, the American Red Cross is teaming up with Roush-Fenway Racing in a national program to encourage NASCAR fans to give blood. It’s unclear from the press release whether donation drives will be held at NASCAR events, where blood-alcohol levels might become an issue, but one pretty awesome aspect of the program is a points system that rewards "frequent donors" with credits toward Red Cross Racing merchandise. Blood for racing swag—now that’s an arrangement that truly benefits everyone involved. You can sign up at the Red Cross Racing website beginning April 24. Expect to see Greg Biffle’s No. 16 Ford Fusion decked out in its special Red Cross paint scheme for the Aarons 499 in Talladega, and check out the Red Cross website for details.

os

Where would we be without aftermarket suppliers? These days, making a car unique can be as simple as buying the various bits and pieces and bolting them onto your ride. Alternately, if you’re prepared to pay a bit more, you can give your car a complete makeover. But what I really love is when this is taken to the next level by boutique customizers who offer complete, done-over versions of already-impressive supercars. Why leave your expensive Ferrari, Lambo, or Porsche stock when you can spend thousands more to make it a truly custom machine? Companies like Koenig have been doing this for years—I remember they received quite a bit of flack from Ferrari back in the 80’s because not only did they dare to improve on what Ferrari had built, they even removed the Ferrari badges and replaced them with their own! Now the Ford GT is in for the same sort of treatment. UK-based Avro Motor Cars and Roush Technologies have teamed up to produce the 720 Mirage. Based on the Ford GT, it will be limited to a production run of only ten cars. Roush engineers have tuned the supercharged 5.4 litre V8 to produce 720 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque, and the already squat suspension has been lowered an additional inch and upgraded to include a fully adjustable coil-over system. Available in Italian Metallic Orange, the cars look sensational. More details at Supercars.net.