Ford Performance has revealed the 40 drivers who will compete in the inaugural Mustang Challenge Le Mans Invitational next weekend at Circuit de la Sarthe.
Inaugural Mustang Challenge champions Robert Noaker, winner of the 2024 Dark Horse class, and 2024 Dark Horse Legends class champion Alex Bachoura will feature among the cast of Mustang Challenge regulars taking part in this exhibition event.
Noaker and the rest of the inaugural class of Ford Performance Junior Drivers will be in action as well, sharing the stage with fellow American drivers Jenson Altzman, Sam Paley, Erik Evans, as well as Canada’s Marco Signoretti, and Belgium’s Nathan Vanspringel. It will be the first time that all six Ford Juniors will race each other head-to-head.
And then, of course, there’s the inclusion of six high-profile drivers from outside the Mustang Challenge world, racing in the new Dark Horse Stars category.
Sir Chris Hoy, the six-time Olympic gold medalist, 11-time World Champion of cycling, and one-time Le Mans 24 Hours starter will race on behalf of his charity to raise awareness for prostate cancer research. Hoy will drive in Race 1, then turn the controls over to former Top Gear presenter, automotive journalist, and GT World Challenge alumni Chris Harris in Race 2.
Tanner Foust, a three-time rallycross champion and two-time Formula Drift USA champion, will represent Formula Drift alongside Chelsea DeNofa, the 2023 Formula Drift USA champion.
Actor-turned-NASCAR racer Frankie Muniz, who made his Mustang Challenge debut at Circuit of the Americas last summer, returns to the series in between his slate of races in the Craftsman Truck Series.
And finally, Ford Motor Company President and CEO, Jim Farley, will round out the category – having been a part of the inaugural Mustang Challenge event at Mid-Ohio last year, and returning to action last month at Laguna Seca. And as Ford Performance’s Chris Ward wrote in today’s press release: “This is no playtime for Jim. He is a committed racer and knows the importance of the sport to the overall health of Ford as a company. It will be exciting to have Jim in the field with us.”
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The weekend’s 45-minute races take place on Friday 13 June at 11:00 AM CET, and Saturday 14 June at 8:25 AM CET, before the start of the 93rd 24 Hours of Le Mans. Both races will be streamed live on the official Ford Performance YouTube Channel.
Feature image © Ford
