Dearborn, Mich. — What's not to like about America's Best Selling truck, especially when it gets 20 miles per gallon on the highway, accelerates almost like John Force's Mustang, hauls a half-ton of cargo and has racing DNA?

The Ford F-150, is (as are all vehicles that bear the Blue Oval) an ancestor to the race car driven by Henry Ford in 1901, that gave him the capital needed to begin what is now known as the Ford Motor Company. Ford, even though he had a most vivid imagination, could not envision something like this as his company's flagship.

I produce and host a nationally syndicated radio program called Radio-Road-Test, where I share driving impressions and data on the vehicles (American and foreign cars and light trucks) I drive. It began in January, 1993. Sixteen years and 799 vehicles later, the result is Road Test No. 800—Ford's F-150 4x2 Supercrew in Lariat Trim. Here's a print version of those impressions, from a racing point of view.

The test truck was equipped with a 5.4-liter V8 and six speed automatic transmission. The combination stopped our KAT Three Axis Accelerometer at 7.9 seconds timed from a complete stop to 60 miles an hour. Austin Coil and Bernie Fedderly (John Force's crew chiefs and brain trust) do much better with their racing Mustangs, let me assure you.

Rick Crawford might like to have some of what the driver gets in the Lariat in his NASCAR Camping World version of the F-150. Power captain's chairs trimmed in leather, optional Sony Navigation Radio, tilt steering wheel and optional heated and cooled front seats, make real world driving a lot more pleasant, and keep the driver alert, when other drivers are paying more attention to the cell phone and make up brush and take some of your driving lane for theirs. The SYNC system has a feature where a Bluetooth cellphone can be paired with the audio system (in case one drives where it is illegal to hold a cell phone in the hand and drive). Road warriors who need to charge up a cell phone can use 12 volt power points inside and outside the center console.

After a leisurely drive from Fort Lauderdale, across Alligator Alley (20.4 miles per gallon in cruise at 2,000 RPM engine speed) and up I-75, I got to the Tampa Airport to pick up the Pennsylvania Posse of Chuck Givler and Ken Christensen from the Easton, PA Express Times, and John Bryant from Nazareth Racecam. The majority of the in town driving would be going back and forth from hotel to race course for the IndyCar and American LeMans Series races in St. Petersburg.

The F-150 was easier to drive in traffic than I suspected. With a long (146 inch) wheelbase vehicle, driving in traffic takes a few more inputs into the steering wheel than, for instance, a Ford Fusion. It rode on optional 18-inch chrome clad wheels and all season tires, with a 3.55 limited slip rear axle ratio and Ford's Advancetrac with roll stability control.

The Lariat was very quiet. After spending a day listening to racing engines at full song, it was pleasant to hear the nuances of music channels on the optional Sirius Satellite Radio.

One sound we did not mind listening to was that of the engine. The 5.4 makes a throaty V8 sound, whether it's under idle or acceleration.

As do most full crew cab style pickup trucks, the Lariat did not have a full size eight foot box. Those of you who drive pickup trucks will know how to compensate for that. The optional ($350) tailgate step had me a bit skeptical (as a farm boy, I am familiar with how pickup trucks are used in the real world and have done a share of that as well). This concept did work, especially when one was parked in an active unloading zone and had airport terminal gendarmes taking more than admiring looks at the Lariat while unloading was taking place. Our test vehicle was rated for 71-hundred pounds gross vehicle weight rating. I'd suspect one could yank a fair sized trailer (or John Force Racing Funny Car Mustang) and stop it right quick with the optional trailer brake controller package.

Combined fuel mileage (stop and go, city driving and highway driving) was 17.4 mpg. EPA numbers (estimates, your mileage can and will likely be different) were 14 city and 20 highway. The four-wheel drive equipped models will get a bit less. The 5.4-liter V8 could run on regular unleaded gasoline and ethanol blends up to E85. The F-150 had Ford's easy fuel capless fuel filler, which allows the driver to put the nozzle in the tank where the cap would normally be, and fuel as normal. So besides room and utility, F-150 owners get better fuel economy and contribute to sustainable mobility (by being able to use alternative fuels).

All wheel anti lock disc brakes, safety canopy and body on full frame construction give the driver and passengers a margin of safety. Those vehicles behind the Lariat will appreciate the LED turn signals that flash under the dual rear view mirrors. The vehicle is covered under a three year, 36-thousand mile bumper to bumper warranty, and a five year, 60-thousand mile limited powertrain warranty, as well as five year and 60-thousand miles of roadside assistance.

Base price for our particular F-150 was $34,845. The as tested sticker price with options and a $1,000 Lariat Premium Discount was $42,605.

One could buy this for a work truck and on the weekends or days off, hitch up the trailer and tow to the races wherever the "Blue Oval" gang competes—on the Saturday night short tracks, super speedways and dragstrips.

Paul Kaminski is the News Director for the Motor Sports Radio Network, and hosts its nationally syndicated "Race-Talk" and "Radio-Road-Test" radio programs, which are heard around the world on American Forces Radio. He is also the auto racing contributor for CBS News, Radio. Paul blogs and Tweets on Twitter. Listen to Race-Talk or Radio-Road-Test