Our Focus Gets Dirty

Tom
Update by Tom Suddard to the Ford SVT Focus project car
Dec 17, 2014

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The start was dirt, but we still couldn't spin the tires. We really, really need to replace that worn clutch.

The course was full of transitions between pavement and dirt, and the Focus handled them like a champ.

Yes, there was dust. We kept our windows closed.

Our Focus didn't do too badly–we even caught a Fiesta ST during one of our runs.

Ford products were everywhere at the event.

We’d used our Focus as a daily driver. We’d dyno tested it. We’d even taken it on a full-fledged road course. What was next for our 250,000 mile daily driver? Rallycross, of course.

The FIRM in Starke, Florida, let us know that they’d be putting on a rallycross event, so we once again threw our helmets in the car and drove over to the expansive vehicular playground.

We got more than we’d expected: a course that took nearly four minutes to complete, and was split evenly between dirt and asphalt driving. We think we’ve finally found a home for our Focus: one with jumps, dust, dirt, and rally tires.

Let the modifications begin.

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Comments
captdownshift
captdownshift GRM+ Memberand Dork
12/17/14 3:03 p.m.

YES!!!

(spoiler alert, a Limited Slip upgrade is coming!)

Brett_Murphy
Brett_Murphy GRM+ Memberand UberDork
12/17/14 3:29 p.m.

So many links.

If the entire course was as smooth as the start looks, I am betting the suspension setup can stay pretty firm.

captdownshift
captdownshift GRM+ Memberand Dork
12/17/14 3:35 p.m.

their course looks pretty sweet

Tom Suddard
Tom Suddard GRM+ Memberand Associate Editor
12/17/14 3:50 p.m.

Here's the facility, by the way. We started on the far end by the motocross track, then wound our way up to the top left corner, then through all the dirt paddocks and through the esses to the bottom left corner, then went up the straight and crossed over to the kart track, then drove down to the end of the big straight and took the hairpin at the bottom center of the photo, then followed the track around the right side of the photo before cutting into the infield for more dirt driving (and a jump we could have run), then back onto the kart track, then the finish line.

It was quite a course.

captdownshift
captdownshift GRM+ Memberand Dork
12/17/14 4:09 p.m.

They've been posting on a rally specific board about hosting a grassroots level competition euro style wheel to wheel rallycross, which would be pretty awesome.

ScreaminE
ScreaminE HalfDork
12/17/14 5:08 p.m.

Was there back in 2007 to help a buddy with his mini-supermoto. Man, that place has really changed.

This before or after the clutch?

Gearheadotaku
Gearheadotaku GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
12/17/14 7:38 p.m.

I like to see big courses like this, a 45 second autocross run just isn't enough!

fidelity101
fidelity101 SuperDork
12/18/14 9:19 a.m.

SCCA does not let you run pavement for rallyX, at all. This would be awesome!

NONACK
NONACK HalfDork
12/18/14 9:20 a.m.

In reply to fidelity101:

Wait, what? I've run at a RallyX with a paved section

captdownshift
captdownshift GRM+ Memberand Dork
12/18/14 9:38 a.m.

In reply to fidelity101:

the speed doesn't appear to be SCCA friendly as well, which adds to the awesome. I for one welcome our new rally event hosting overlords!

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