Ford Performance will head to a track that Paul Newman once called “heaven on earth” this weekend for Round 8 of the IMSA Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge as the Multimatic Ford Shelby GT350R-C makes its debut at Virginia International Raceway.
Saturday’s race, which will be streamed live via www.imsa.com, will see the new Multimatic Ford Shelby GT350R-C chase a third win in four races on the 3.27-mile natural terrain circuit set in rural Virginia.
The track is one that is steeped in history and speed. It has also been the scene for some incredible Ford wins, including victory in the first-ever Trans-Am race held at the track in 1966 when drivers Tom Yeager and Bob Johnson combined for victory in the VIR 400, with support from none other than Carroll Shelby.
That Shelby legacy could be extended this weekend as the No. 158 Multimatic Ford Shelby GT350R-C of Jade Buford and Austin Cindric will be joined by the No. 15 Multimatic Ford Shelby GT350R-C team entry for Scott Maxwell and Billy Johnson in the two-hour and thirty minute combined-class race.
Buford and Cindric earned a spot in Ford Performance history with their breakthrough run to victory with the Multimatic Ford Shelby GT350R-C at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in July.
After the squad made a miracle happen when they took a totaled car and had it ready to race just days later, Maxwell and Johnson used it to add to the Multimatic Ford Shelby GT350R-C win count with a big victory at Lime Rock Park in the very next race.
The next round, at Road America, didn’t bring the same racing luck but Buford and Cindric toughed out a seventh place finish and are looking to build on that this weekend.
“VIR is an awesome track and I think our Multimatic Ford Shelby GT350R-C should be very good to race there,” said Buford. “A big back straight, some fast and blind corners, and some technical sections, VIR has a little bit of everything. This car is well balanced, has good brakes and good power so hopefully we can get back to the podium again this weekend.”
Johnson won the IMSA Continental Tire race at the track in 2011, and was part of the driving lineup when Multimatic tested at the track earlier this year.
Racers Edge will also look to deliver results for Ford Performance this weekend, having scored 10th in the most recent race at Road America. The team is targeting improvement on that result this weekend with the No. 78 Ford Mustang Boss 302R with Nick Galante and his co-driver.