Mustang Cup Launched for 2025

Photo: Ford Performance

Ford Performance will expand its portfolio of racing platforms for the Mustang Dark Horse R next year with the launch of the Mustang Cup.

Announced on Thursday, the USAC-sanctioned series will serve as an entry point into racing for Mustang enthusiasts, sitting below Mustang Challenge, which kicked off this year and will continue under IMSA sanctioning.

Mustang Cup, which will be split into two identical championships, the Parnelli Cup and Miles Cup, named after sports car legends Parnelli Jones and Ken Miles, will feature two 40-minute races with each separate 15-minute qualifying sessions and three 30-minute practice sessions on each weekend.

Although not mandatory, drivers will be able to share a car in Mustang Cup if desired, with one driver entering the Parnelli Cup (Race 1) and the other in the Miles Cup (Race 2) over the same weekend.

Ford Performance global motorsports director Mark Rushbrook said the addition of Mustang Cup completes the brand’s ladder system, from the Ford Performance Racing School to club racing and Cup and Challenge competition with the Dark Horse R, to the Mustang GT4 and Mustang GT3, which was also introduced this year.

“It was a conscious decision from the very beginning that we wanted to have that ladder within our motorsports strategy, specifically in sports car racing,” Rushbrook told Sportscar365

“Initially it was Mustang GT3, Mustang GT4 and Dark Horse R in Mustang Challenge.

“What we realized is that we need more than that.

“We have the Ford Performance Racing School, which allows people that buy a Dark Horse to get a track day in Charlotte. That offers a potential entry point.

“There are people that may participate, return for another track day and eventually go all the way to Mustang GT3.

“But we felt like we needed something more to help that step because you can’t just go to a day at the racing school and suddenly be in IMSA Mustang Challenge.

“We want to have one more step in there to help with that ladder.”

Dave Born, Ford Performance Motorsports Program Supervisor added: “The Dark Horse R is still a great fit for that in-between level, but we needed a home for folks to go racing there.

“Now you can get into that with relatively little experience: Some driving school and driver certification coming out of the school, and it gives those racers a place to go play.

“We’re running with USAC, which is a very professional organization sanctioning a number of globally recognized racing series in the U.S., but the weekends are a bit more of a club atmosphere.”

Born said the cars will run to the identical specifications, allowing for teams and some drivers to cross-over between the Mustang Cup and Challenge series.

Additionally, the schedule, which is slated to kick off at NOLA Motorsports Park in April, has been designed to allow customers to take part in both series with the same cars, allowing for increased flexibility.

“There’s a lot of things that are really appealing for the drivers, even at [the Mustang Challenge] level, if some of them wanted to step away from the bigger show [in IMSA], they can come to that,” added Born.

“But for the new folks coming up, we really think it’s an ideal place for them to go race the new Dark Horse R.”

As it has been previously highlighted, competitors are able to source many production parts for the Mustang Dark Horse R through their local dealership.

On-site, Ford Performance will offer the same level of parts and series support in Mustang Cup as it currently is providing to Mustang Challenge competitors, while also offering drivers additional tracks not currently on the 2025 Challenge schedule.

It includes NOLA, the new Ozarks International Raceway in Missouri, Lime Rock Park and Virginia International Raceway, which will close out the season in early November.

2025 Mustang Cup Schedule (Provisional):
April 11-13 – NOLA Motorsports Park
May 16-18 – Circuit of The Americas
July 4-6 – Ozarks International Raceway
Aug. 8-10 – Road America
Oct. 17-18 – Lime Rock Park
Nov. 7-9 – Virginia International Raceway

John Dagys

John Dagys is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Sportscar365. Dagys spent eight years as a motorsports correspondent for FOXSports.com and SPEED Channel and has contributed to numerous other motorsports publications worldwide. Contact John