Ford’s Ward Pleased With Series’ “Ever-Continuing Development”

Ford Racing’s global one-make series manager Chris Ward said he’s been pleased with the “ever-continuing development” in Mustang Challenge as the single-make series aims to make incremental changes to continually improve both its production-based race car and its regulations after two seasons of competition.

Ward, who joined Ford Racing for the first time this year after a long history of managerial and marketing success in the paddock, oversaw both the IMSA-sanctioned Mustang Challenge and the new-for-2025 USAC-sanctioned Mustang Cup this season.

“Overall, it’s been a great first season for me in this paddock,” Ward told Sportscar365.

“I don’t think I’ve ever encountered a more welcoming paddock. From the drivers to the team operators, to the crew, to the Ford Racing staff. I think one of the most welcoming paddocks I’ve ever encountered. It’s been a real delight.

“The team has done a remarkable job on the car [led by] Dave Born and the engineering team.

“As with any new race car program, there’s always things to figure out as the car gets used and the fleet of cars grows. Dave and the team have been on every item that has popped up throughout the year.

“I’m delighted with the progress on the development of the car, and it’s an ever-continuing development cycle that we’re on to improve the product for the customer.”

This year, Mustang Dark Horse Rs across the IMSA and USAC paddocks saw a handful of upgrades, including an improved wheel and tire package, clutch and flywheel improvements, new gearing, and the implementation of GT4 suspension components after the cars’ first year of competition in 2024.

Ward noted that competitors reported being satisfied with their updated machinery this season and that Ford Racing will continue to evaluate cars in a constant evolutionary and developmental process aimed at continually improving the production-based racing machines.

“The main thing is teams getting used to the platform,” said Ward. “The biggest feature update change was from the 19-inch wheel, tire combination that we ran last year to the 18-inch wheel and Michelin H2 compound tire that we’re running this year and I think that’s transformed the platform.

“I think we would all now agree that we’re on a much more stable tire wheel package and the customers have just responded to that in their droves, which is great.

“It’s facilitated tighter racing and more competitive racing and less cautions, which is great.

“I have a personal goal with our partners at IMSA of trying to maintain a very low percentage of caution running and we’ve reduced the percentages by nearly double-digit figures in terms of caution running from last year to this.”

According to Ward, on-track testing and development on some updated Dark Horse R components are set to begin in the coming weeks, though no major parts changes are understood to be in the works.

Next year’s updates are likely to take more of an evolutionary and developmental step, rather than feature significant change.

Ward mentioned that off-season changes could extend to the series regulations as well, with Ford Racing currently considering minor tweaks to its current rules and regulations.

“There’s a couple of regulation changes that at this stage we’re only investigating,” said Ward. “We’re looking at the possibility of reducing the Dark Horse Legends eligibility age criteria. Not hugely, but maybe from 45 to 40 [years old]. That’s been a bit of paddock feedback.

“There may be a small tweak and it really is a tweak on the tire allocation on a race weekend, where we might consider the mandatory use of the qualifying tire to start Race 1. It would mean that the set of tires that you would normally start Race 2 on would move up earlier in the race weekend to be used in Free Practice 2.”

Ward said this consideration was also based on paddock feedback and would allow competitors to get practice laps on new, ‘sticker’ Michelin H2 slicks, rather than running on new tires for the first time in qualifying.

“We’re really about evolution rather than revolution and stability in the rules,” stressed Ward. “People are really enjoying the format, so small tweaks around the edges rather than upending the series, so to speak.

“Interest seems really strong in Challenge for next year. New teams [will be] joining the series. New customers [are] even coming here, to Charlotte to basically come and check out the series and the racing this weekend.

“So [we are] looking forward to putting on the best possible show for them this weekend and welcoming them into the paddock in 2026.”