Michael Shank Racing, Ford Working On Turbocharged Engine For 2014
Michael Shank Racing has been working with Ford and GRAND-AM to bring the EcoBoost powerplant into the DP class beginning in 2014, helping usher in a new era of turbocharged engines to the top prototype class of the unified series. The car – which was displayed by Michael Shank Racing at the Roar Before the Rolex 24 test at Daytona International Speedway in January – has a 3.5-liter, twin-turbo, direct-injection V6 engine.
Ford’s DP EcoBoost turbo is built by Roush Yates, the famed NASCAR engine builders who also supply Ford’s current V8 DP engine.
“We have the submission of the turbo engine from Ford to GRAND-AM and it's in process right now for homologation if it meets all the guidelines and milestones for the 2014 season," GRAND-AM Managing Director of Competition Richard Buck told SPEED.com (full story HERE). “And that has been communicated as well with our current partners in the series, including Porsche, GM and BMW."
Shank is looking at 10 to 12 test days this year so that Ford and GRAND-AM can learn more about the car and how it compares in lap times. Ford currently competes in DP with a 5.0-liter V8 powerplant.
“We are working with GRAND-AM to bring in our EcoBoost powerplant into the DP class, the unified series," said Ford Racing Director Jamie Allison. “In endurance racing, it's the blend of performance and fuel economy, which is what the P-class is about. You don’t sacrifice performance when you try to go after fuel mileage. And in endurance racing it's equally important."