THE LINE

October 21, 2009

      Ford. With Honda formally announcing its new engine for Formula Ford, and the SCCA allowing it by changing the official name of the class to "FF," Ford will throw a lifeline to thousands of historic Formula Ford racers worldwide thanks to a decision to put the legendary "Kent" engine block back into production. Engineering work has already begun at Ford Racing’s Performance Parts division in the USA, with sales scheduled to start in 2010. The 'Kent' engine began its production life 50 years ago and was the choice of power when Formula Ford was created in Britain in 1967. Though the engine was superseded at the top level of Formula Ford racing in the UK in 1993, between 5000 and 7000 'Kent'-engined cars are competing around the globe, and engine parts are becoming increasingly scarce. Now expertise gained by Ford Racing Performance Parts through its remanufacturing of classic Ford road car engine blocks, like that for the original Mustang, is to be put to good use on the 'Kent'. “Our parts division has many years of expertise in re-making blocks,” says Ford Racing Engineering Supervisor Andy Slankard, “and we are going to take our knowledge of modern techniques to remanufacture the 'Kent' block and improve its durability. Our aim is not to make performance gains but to strengthen it and to make the unit more reliable. There are many thousands of 'Kent'-engined Formula Ford cars still racing around the world – particularly in the USA, which never adopted the Ford Zetec engine which replaced it in Europe – and we believe that the majority of owners of these historic machines will want to retain the originality of their car by using a genuine Ford engine.” Another alternative for Formula Ford owners is the launch of an all-new version of the Ford Duratec 1600cc engine, offering 110 PS. This engine is designed to complement the highly successful 155 PS Duratec unit, the engine which since its introduction in 2006 has powered Formula Ford back into the single-seater limelight. The new Duratec 1600cc 110 PS engine, which has been in development for the last 12 months, will be available from the end of 2009 with a price tag expected to be around £5,000. The new engine can be fitted into new Formula Ford chassis, or in older cars as a replacement for the 1600cc Kent or Zetec 1800cc engines. “The new power unit will be ideal for fitment in new chassis; it will be a stepping stone to the more powerful Duratec engines used in the MSA Formula Ford Championship of Great Britain and other series worldwide,” says Mike Norton, Motorsport Manager, Ford of Europe. “And the engine will be made available throughout the world, from the U.S. to Europe, Australia to Africa.”

Some other facts about Formula Ford:

*  Formula Ford is in its 43rd racing season. It was conceived by Brands Hatch-based Motor Racing Stables, and the first race was held at the English circuit in July 1967.
* Formula Ford quickly took off, reaching mainland Europe and the USA in 1969, and spreading as far afield as Brazil by 1971.
* Now Formula Ford is competing in many countries including England, Ireland, Scotland, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Norway, Belgium, Holland, France, Switzerland, USA, Canada, South Africa, Brazil and Australia.
* Formula Ford cars currently powered by 'Kent' 1600cc (105PS), Zetec 1800cc (145PS) and Duratec 1600cc (155PS) engines.
* 57 Formula Ford events were scheduled in the UK in 2009 alone across 7 championships, which include Ireland, Scotland and the knock-out competitions of the Formula Ford Festival, Walter Hayes Trophy and Golden Helmet. 
* Over the years the careers of many Grand Prix greats have begun with Formula Ford including Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher, James Hunt, Emerson Fittipaldi, Jody Scheckter, Damon Hill and Mika Hakkinen. Jenson Button, the new;y-minted F1 World Champion, is another Formula Ford graduate.

(Ford)
Formula Fords go at it in the current British Formula Ford Championship.

(Ford)
The 1.6-liter Duratec Formula Ford engine.



(Ford)
A Formula Ford vintage racer using the Kent engine.

    Jimmie Johnson. "The Chase" may be contrived, and the haters have come out of the woodwork to heap derision on the-three-time NASCAR champion, but there's no question that Johnson is the most dominant driver of this era by far, and when he wins his fourth championship in a row - which seems to be a fait accompli at this point - he will have to be considered among the all-time NASCAR greats. 

(Photo©2009, autostock, USA, Brian Czobat)
Jimmie Johnson (left) heads for another re-start next to Matt Kenseth's Roush-Fenway Racing Ford last Saturday night in Charlotte.

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