Ford Performance Gears Up for 2024 Tatts Finke Desert Race

Ford Performance is gearing up to defend its class title at the 2024 Tatts Finke Desert Race in Alice Springs next month. Off-road racing legend Brad Lovell, alongside his son and co-driver Byam Lovell, will once again take the wheel of the Ranger Raptor that secured victories at both the 2023 Finke Desert Race and the 2022 SCORE-International Baja 1000.

The father-son duo achieved an impressive win in the Production 4WD class last year with a total time of 5 hours, 56 minutes, and 30 seconds, including a record-breaking run from Apatula to Alice Springs in 2 hours, 51 minutes, and 18 seconds. For the 2024 race, the Ford Performance team in Australia has made several critical upgrades to enhance the race truck’s performance.

Mark Rushbrook, Global Director of Ford Performance Motorsports, expressed the team’s excitement, stating, “The Ranger Raptor is Ford Performance’s global off-road racing platform, and we are proud to return to the vehicle’s spiritual homeland of the Aussie Outback to defend our 2023 victory. While the team has been hard at work improving the Ranger Raptor for the 2024 event, our race truck still retains the same engine, transmission, and suspension components that roll off the showroom floor.”

With a year of racing experience at Finke now under their belts, the Lovells are eager to reclaim their title. “The Finke Desert Race is truly unique, with a challenging combination of high speeds and seriously massive whoops,” Brad Lovell remarked. “I’m looking forward to facing off against a stronger field of competitors this year and showing what the Ranger Raptor is capable of.”

Once again, Ford Performance will rely on Walkinshaw Performance for vehicle servicing, event management, and logistical support. Engineering assistance will be provided by Huseman Engineering, specialists in off-road racing based in the US.

In the 2023 race, the Ranger Raptor competed in a configuration similar to its Baja setup. For 2024, the focus has shifted to optimizing performance for the higher-speed demands of the Australian event by reducing weight and fine-tuning suspension calibrations. Although the race truck retains the same suspension hardware and electronics as the standard model, it now features a Finke-specific damper calibration.

Justin Capicchiano, Ford Performance and Special Vehicles Engineering Manager in Australia, emphasized the challenge ahead, saying, “Finke has an average speed nearly 35km/h faster than Baja, and by retuning the suspension and cutting weight, the Ranger Raptor will be the perfect weapon for Brad and Byam to defend their title. Last year we came close to securing the overall class record, and this year we return against a strong set of new competitors.”

The Finke Desert Race, renowned as Australia’s toughest off-road endurance race, spans over 460 kilometers between Alice Springs and Aputula (Finke) and will take place from June 7-10. Ford Performance is ready to take on the challenge and aims to demonstrate once again the capability and resilience of the Ranger Raptor.

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