10-06-06: Good news for race fans: Ford Racing has entered a relationship with Miller Motorsports Park (MMP) and its High Performance Driving School to equip the facility’s fleet of Mustangs with high-performance, go-fast-right-now race parts. The Ford Racing Performance Parts add-ons convert the school’s Mustangs into race-prepped thoroughbreds. Better yet, the parts on MMP’s Club Racer cars are available to any Mustang owner from the Ford Racing Performance Parts catalog at any Ford dealership.

“We’re thrilled to again have a relationship with a driving school program,” said Jaime Allison, manager of Ford Racing Performance Group. “Ford Racing has become a Charter Member of the new, state-of-the-art Miller Motorsports Park. Our relationship is more than just a sponsorship; it is rooted in a technical development program that began before the facility was even complete. We've been working with the team at MMP for over a year now developing, testing and proving-out the 20 Mustangs and I'm proud to say, they're ready to go."

The cars students will drive at Miller Motorsports Park have become a blueprint for making track-tuned Mustangs. A true development collaboration between Ford Racing and Miller Motorsports Park, each Mustang is fitted with Ford Racing Performance Parts’ Drag Pack, Handling Pack and a host of other go-fast parts from the FR500C program.

The Drag Pack fits the 2005 Mustang GT with 5-speed manual transmission and includes a 90mm cold air kit, 8.8-inch ring gear and pinion sets, a gear installation kit, shorty headers, a performance oil filter and a super-short throw shifter designed by Ford Racing and Hurst. The kit recalls the days of big block Ford power and provides the modular Mustang engine with that same big block performance. With the Drag Pack, drivers launch harder and can expect to shave a half-second off quarter mile estimated times.

The Handling Pack fits any 2005-07 Mustang GT Coupe and includes dampers uniquely tuned by Multimatic Motorsports (the same company that makes dampers for the FR500C race car), lowering springs, sway bars and a strut tower brace that stiffens the front end. The Handling Pack lowers the car by one to two inches and can add a touch of FR500C to any Mustang.

In addition to the two kits, the cars also have 18-inch Mustang Wheels, a Ford Racing Stripe kit, Ford Racing Mufflers, a Torsion Differential, FR500C race dampers and brakes, a Ford Racing seat and safety harness, and a performance radiator. All told, the Miller Racing School Mustang has 335 horsepower – 35 more horsepower than a Mustang GT and 10 more than a Shelby GT-H.

“This relationship to outfit Miller Motorsports Park’s fleet of Mustangs with high-performance parts is the culmination of all our Ford Racing Performance Packs on Mustang from the FR1, FR2, FR3 and on,” said Allison. “Everyone in our office has been involved in this program.”

Students attending the MMP High Performance Driving School will learn competition braking, heel-and-tow downshifting, the skid pad, vehicle dynamics, the proper race line and cornering techniques. The day-long course begins with a chalk talk classroom session that covers driving and handling characteristics, driving abilities, techniques and safety issues. Students then do some on-track skill exercises. There’s lunch and then lead-and-follow sessions to show students the right, and wrong, line to take on a track. The day ends with one-on-one track driving at speed with an instructor. Classes are $650 with your own car or $1295 in a Miller Mustang.

For more information on Ford Racing Performance Parts, click on FordRacingParts.com. For more information on Miller Motorsports Park and the race school, click on MillerMotorPark.com or call 801-563-4250. The track is located 25 minutes from the Salk Lake City airport in Tooele, Utah.