Racing engine builder Roush Yates plans to buy Ford EcoBoost engines made in Brook Park for use in American Le Mans racecars this year.
British racecar maker Lola plans to use Ford EcoBoost engines made in Brook Park for vehicles that could be on the track later this year. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- No question about it, Ford's EcoBoost engine is a powerful V-6 in its Taurus SHO and upcoming F-150 pickup. But some racing experts think they can do better.
North Carolina racing engine builder Roush Yates plans to start buying 3.5-liter turbocharged engines from Brook Park this year, upgrade them for racing and ship them to British racecar builder Lola. If everything goes according to plan, the engines will be racing in the American Le Mans series by the end of this year.
"We think it's a good platform. We just need to get down the line with our development to see exactly where we can go with this," said John Maddox, engine program director at Roush Yates.
The American Le Mans series uses production engines in race cars, but they don't stay production-grade for long. The engine company will replace dozens of components including the crankshaft with custom-built pieces designed for the rigors of racing. Maddox said he doesn't plan to replace the engines turbochargers, but he will have to reprogram the computer controls because race rules limit the amount of boost that turbos can offer.
Roush Yates will also have to shave some size off of the 3.5-liter engine.
Race rules allow a maximum engine size of 3.2 liters. The Roush Yates-altered Ford engine will be racing against an altered Honda 2.8-liter turbocharged V-6 and racing versions of other companies' engines.
"We haven't used turbocharged V-6s in the past, so this is going to be interesting," Maddox said.
Roush Yates won't be buying enough EcoBoost engines to make a difference on employment or capacity in Brook Park, but wins in the racing series could give workers bragging rights.