Nearly 125 years to the day of Henry Ford’s historic 1901 “Sweepstakes” race victory, Ford Racing enters the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. Ford Racing has its sights set on the GTD Pro Manufacturers’ Championship. Wrapped in a special commemorative 1901 tribute livery, the Ford Mustang GT3 will battle over 10 hours at Petit Le Mans (September 30–October 3), bridging 125 years of Ford racing heritage with a title fight on one of modern sports car racing's biggest stages.
FAST FACTS
- The special livery on the Ford Factory Mustang GT3s honors 125 years of Ford Racing, a legacy born from Henry Ford’s historic first victory on October 10, 1901. Mirroring the classic color palette of Sweepstakes, the design prominently features the original Ford Motor Company crest on the hood and a Henry Ford signature on the c-pillar. Crowned by an American flag detailed within the iconic Mustang pony emblem, America’s Race Team fuses a legendary motorsport heritage with modern racing technology on the global stage.
- Fresh off its second GTD Pro victory of the season in Indianapolis, Ford Racing ranks second in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship Manufacturers’ standings, just 68 points back from the lead (2,900 points).
- The ultimate crossover of track precision and off-road capability returns to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta with the Ford Racing Off-Road Experience. Showcasing the bleeding edge of Ford Racing development, this public course lets fans witness the unmatched versatility of the F-150 Raptor R, F-150 Raptor, Ranger Raptor and Bronco Raptor firsthand.
- Ford Racing Driver Development Team member Erik Evans is set to make his IMSA and hometown debut at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. The Johns Creek, Georgia native has built an impressive resume in Europe behind the wheel of a Mustang, capturing the 2023 SRO British GT Championship in the GT4 category and claiming race wins in the GT4 European Series.
DRIVER QUOTES
DENNIS OLSEN, No. 64 Ford Racing Mustang GT3 – “I’m really looking forward to Petit Le Mans. We’ve had a good run of results recently and both the team and the car have been performing really well. It’s the final race of the season and an important one for us, so of course we want to finish strongly. I really like Road Atlanta; it’s a challenging track and always produces an exciting race. We’ll give everything we have and see what the weekend brings.”
BEN BARKER, No. 64 Ford Racing Mustang GT3 – “I’m really excited to head into the final race of the season off the back of our win at Indy. That result helped us close the gap in the Manufacturers’ Championship and that is a big focus for us going into Petit Le Mans. It’s an ambitious target and we know it won’t be easy. There’s always a lot of traffic at Road Atlanta and that’s part of the challenge of this race, but hopefully we can execute another strong strategy and finish the season with a really good result.”
MIKE ROCKENFELLER, No. 64 Ford Racing Mustang GT3 – “It’s great to be back with the boys in the No. 64 Mustang GT3. I’ve been following the season closely and hopefully the strong performance at Indy gives us an extra boost going into Petit Le Mans so we can keep that momentum going. Sebring feels like a long time ago now, so I’m very happy to be back racing in IMSA. It’s a fantastic event and I’m looking forward to helping the team finish the season on a high.”
FRÉDÉRIC VERVISCH, No. 65 Ford Racing Mustang GT3 – “Petit Le Mans is always one of the biggest challenges of the season and I’m really looking forward to getting back to Road Atlanta. Ten hours around this circuit is demanding for the drivers, the car and the whole team, especially with so much traffic, so you have to stay focused and put everything together. We know the Mustang GT3 has the pace and our aim is to be in contention when it matters at the end of the race.”
CHRISTOPHER MIES, No. 65 Ford Racing Mustang GT3 – “We’re still in the fight for the Drivers’ Championship, even though it’s a big gap after Indy, and we’ll keep fighting until the end. Whatever happens there, we will give everything for the Manufacturers’ Championship for Ford and Multimatic. We’ve had a strong season with the No. 65 Mustang and the goal at Petit Le Mans is simple: we want to win the race and give ourselves every possible chance in both championships. We’ll do it for Piper (IMSA Resilient Racer program), for the whole team and for everyone involved in this project."
SEBASTIAN PRIAULX, No. 65 Ford Racing Mustang GT3 – “I’m really looking forward to getting back into the No. 65 Mustang GT3 with Fred and Chris. I’ve missed racing in IMSA, so I’m very excited to be back for Petit Le Mans. The pace of the car has looked particularly strong over the last few races and hopefully we can carry that into Road Atlanta, have a clean weekend and finish the season on a high.”
ERIK EVANS, No. 61 McCumbee McAleer Racing Ford Mustang GT4 – “I’m super excited for my homecoming to Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta. I finally get to make my debut outside my home city of Johns Creek, Georgia and in IMSA which is an incredible honor. It’s a very proud moment for me to do this all as a Ford Racing Driver Development Team member and with the Ford Mustang GT4 – a car that has guided me to championships, race wins and podiums in Europe. To also have this opportunity with a perennial title contender in McCumbee McAleer Racing, and to share the seat with Jenson Altzman is a huge opportunity. They have been so welcoming, and it really does feel like family here at Ford.”
