'Modded' Ford Ranger Raptor to take part in 2024 Tatts Finke Desert Race in Australia

MANILA: Ford Performance will compete again at the 2024 Tatts Finke Desert Race next month using a modified Ranger Raptor. Behind the wheel of the truck at the upcoming race will be off-road legend Brad Lovell with his son, Byam Lovell, as the co-driver. 

The team will return to the off-road competition to defend its class title, which it also achieved with the older Lovell at the helm of the Ranger Raptor at the 2023 edition of the aforementioned race. 

Notably, the truck the Blue Oval will be fielding at the 2024 Tatts Fink is the same Ford Ranger Raptor it raced to gain a class victory at the 2022 SCORE-International Baja 1000. 

For 2024, however, Ford shared that the truck has been upgraded. For starters, engineers have fitted the off-road racing beast with a new damper calibration, which will enable it to handle Finke's rigorous terrain. The company also worked on shedding an undisclosed amount of weight from the truck. Despite those, the vehicle still uses the same suspension hardware and electronics as the production version. 

According to Lovell, the Finke Desert Race brings a unique set of conundrums for the team. Nevertheless, the off-road racing Hall of Famer shared his confidence in the Ranger Raptor race truck.

“The Finke Desert Race is truly unique, with a challenging combination of high speeds and seriously massive whoops. I’m looking forward to facing off against a stronger field of competitors this year and showing what the Ranger Raptor is capable of,” said Lovell. 

Ford Performance enters the 2024 Tatts Finke Desert Race with the logistical support of Australia-based Walkinshaw Performance. American off-road specialists Huseman Engineering, meanwhile, will be providing engineering support. 

The upcoming race will be held from June 7-10, 2024. It will cover a distance of 460 kilometers and is considered one of the hardest off-road endurance races in The Land Down Under. 

Photos from Ford Performance

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