Inside the Logistics for Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational

Photo: Wes Duenkel/Ford

Ford Performance is undertaking what’s being coined as a “massive” logistics effort to get 35-plus Ford Mustang Dark Horse R race cars and its teams overseas to France for the first-ever Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational.

The June 11-14 event, held at the legendary Circuit de la Sarthe, will mark the international race debut for the Dark Horse R, which serves as the highly capable spec car used in the IMSA-sanctioned Mustang Challenge and USAC-sanctioned Mustang Cup domestically.

According to Ford Performance global one-make manager Chris Ward, it will mark the largest-ever group shipping effort to Le Mans for an American manufacturer.

“We’ve partnered with great teams in the past for factory efforts but to do this as a full customer effort is a new and exciting venture for us,” Ward told Sportscar365. “It’s proving to be a massive logistical undertaking, but it’s highly motivating to put on such a special event during the 24 Hours of Le Mans week”

The Detroit manufacturer has taken two “parallel paths” in its logistics for the event.

Ford Performance has partnered with Scan Global Logistics for the trans-Atlantic journey, which will see 22 Dark Horse Rs and equipment loaded onto a Boeing 747 Freighter bound for Frankfurt, Germany on Wednesday.

Mustang Challenge and Mustang Cup teams trucked their equipment to a prep facility in Spartanburg, S.C. prior to the overnight flight.

An additional 20 Dark Horse R race cars, meanwhile, are en route via sea freight to Antwerp, Belgium, the majority which will be rented out to customers for the double-header race supporting the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Both convoys will be united at Le Mans later that week, prior to a two-day shakedown at Circuit Lurcy-Lévis — a three-hour drive from Le Mans — for the rented Dark Horse Rs.

Ward said customers from all corners of the globe have signed up for the race.

“It’s really remarkable, honestly, and a testament to the platform that somebody would come from as far away as Australia to travel to Le Mans, especially accounting for all the preparation by teams that have yet to experience the car,” he said.

Once loaded into the Maison Blanche support paddock on Saturday, all teams will then have several days to prep their machinery, beginning Monday of race week, prior to the start of official on-track action next Wednesday.

Ward has credited the assistance of Scan Global Logistics, which was on-site at the most recent Mustang Challenge round at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, to assist its customer teams for all shipping-related inquiries.

“We have a great partner, Scan Global Logistics, that came to Laguna Seca with two members of staff and sat one-on-one with every team representative that have cars going to Le Mans to explain the paperwork that has to be completed and literally holding [their hand] from Step A to Step Z of the whole journey,” Ward said.

While the entry list has yet to be officially released, Ward expects 35-plus cars to take part in the event, which will feature a third class, ‘Dark Horse Stars’, to facilitate for some “interesting” entries that will include Ford Motor Co. CEO Jim Farley.

Additionally, all six of the Ford Performance Junior Team drivers — Robert Noaker, Nathan Vanspringel, Erik Evans, Sam Paley, Marco Signoretti and Jenson Altzman, will be taking part in the top Dark Horse category. The Ford Performance Junior Team is designed to mentor select drivers up to the highest level of sports car racing – all with Mustang.

“I think it’s going to be a spectacular weekend of racing,” said Ward. “With five 45-minute sessions and a stampede of Dark Horse R race cars charging through Le Mans, it will be unimaginable hearing the distinct sound of the Coyote V8s barreling down the Mulsanne Straight.”

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