NORTH WILKESBORO, N.C. — Veteran NASCAR Cup Series driver David Ragan made an exhibition run for fans Sunday afternoon at North Wilkesboro Speedway driving the Ford Mustang Mach-E NASCAR Prototype.
It was the first time this demonstrator vehicle appeared on an oval in front of fans. Ragan completed a handful of laps that included a standstill start using the car’s ‘launch mode and a brief pause with braking to help recharge the battery. He ended the session with a burnout down the frontstretch.
This is the ninth vehicle in the Ford Performance EV Demonstrator portfolio, which includes the F-150 Lightning SuperTruck that won last year’s Pikes Peak Hill Climb.
The Ford Mustang Mach-E NASCAR Prototype has the same chassis and safety components as the current NASCAR Cup Series Mustang.
It’s equipped with three motors, one in the front and two in the rear, and is capable of producing 1360 horsepower.
“It was really a quick test session for this Ford Mach-E NASCAR Prototype,” Ragan said. “The first time here at North Wilkesboro Speedway and this thing has over 1000 horsepower, so it’s incredible the amount of power that this car has. It stops really well. I was trying to get a good burnout at the end without shredding the tires all the way, so that was fun.”
Ragan discussed the difference in driving the Mach-E compared to a NASCAR Next Gen car.
“The cars really drive similarly in the middle of the corner. This is the same chassis that the current Cup cars are running with in the Next Gen race car, so the steering, the side force, the handling feels very similar,” Ragan explained. “Where the Mach-E just outperforms the other car is that pure acceleration. The amount of torque that it has is incredible and it’s instant torque because being an all-wheel drive car, you’ve got a lot of torque when you’re on the throttle.
“When you hit the brakes, it stops on a dime and it’s quiet. I can hear myself thinking and it’s really weird to hear some of the rubber banging off the inside of the car. You can hear the tires squealing a little bit, so you don’t have that loud noise to drown yourself out.”
