Ford Performance has revealed additional details about the inaugural Mustang Challenge season in 2024, including a change to the schedule.
In August, the initial IMSA-sanctioned Mustang Challenge schedule was announced. It featured a five-round, 10-race calendar beginning in June at Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course. Since then, two updates have followed, allowing Ford Performance to now share a more detailed schedule.
The second round at Watkins Glen International has moved up in alignment with IMSA’s schedule change.
Additionally, Ford has revealed Mustang Challenge finale will now be held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway as a precursor to the SRO Indianapolis 8-Hour, as part of the Intercontinental GT Challenge championship.
Each IMSA-sanctioned event will feature two 30-minute practice sessions, one 15-minute qualifying session and two 45-minute sprint races. The field of up to 40 full season entries, with additional entries possible at rounds two through five, will be split into two classes – Dark Horse and Dark Horse Legends, the latter being an optional classification eligible to bronze-level drivers 45 years old and over.
Michelin has developed an all-new bespoke race tyre for the series, and teams will be eligible to purchase three new sets of these 295/30R19 Michelin race tyres per weekend.
Ford Performance and Michelin will also have personnel onsite at each race weekend to directly support entrants of the series. Parts will be available at the track, however as this is also a production-based car, many parts will be available through local Ford dealers.
Each race will feature a podium celebration for both classes, as well as prize money awarded to overall 1st through 3rd place finishers.
At the end of the season, Ford will then offer a choice of prizes to the Dark Horse champions. Either a cash prize of $40,000 or a $100,000 Scholarship towards a Mustang GT3 or Mustang GT4 seat the following year.
Both paths will be accompanied by a test day in a Mustang GT4.
Series tyre partner Michelin is also supporting the Mustang racing ladder with overall championship prize of a set of tyres per weekend for any driver racing a Mustang Dark Horse R, Mustang GT4 or Mustang GT3 in a Michelin series the following year.
Those finishing 2nd and 3rd overall in the championship will also receive cash payouts of $20,000 and $10,000 respectively.
The Dark Horse Legends champions will receive a cash prize of $20,000 or a test day in a Mustang GT4.
2024 Mustang Challenge Schedule
- 7/9 June: Mid-Ohio Sportscar Course – Supporting IMSA
- 20/23 June: Watkins Glen International – Supporting IMSA
- 2/4 August: Road America – Supporting IMSA
- 31 August/1 September: CoTA – Supporting FIA WEC Lone Star Le Mans
- 4/6 October: Indianapolis – Supporting SRO IGTC Indy 8H
