2017 Ford F-150 Raptor to Race in the Baja Stock Full Class

What's cool about this is that if Ford wins, it will be virtually the same truck you will be able to buy for a measly $50,000. And they've already signed a four-time Baja 1000 winner by the name of Greg Foutz to sit behind the wheel.

However, a couple of mods needed to be made for the F-150 Raptor to be a legal racer. Obviously, a roll cage is a must if you don't want your star driver to die a horrible death. The Raptor also needs racing seats and a 5-point harness. The front bumper also welcomes the addition of Industries LED light bars. That's something many people will want to put on their truck. The factory-spec Raptor springs and Fox Racing shocks were revised to accommodate the added weight from the safety cage and fuel cell.

Finally, the factory fuel tank has been replaced by a puncture-resistant unit and there's a big spare wheel in the bed. Other than that, the class rules dictate that this has to be a completely stock truck, so under the hood, you will find a 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 engine that's good for 450 horsepower (456 PS) and 510 lb-ft (619 Nm) of torque.

“The stock engine, transmission, and powertrain calibrations are phenomenal. Suspension-wise, everything else – including its wheels and BFGoodrich K02 tires – is carried over from the 2017 production model,” explains Foutz, who says this is the most production-based truck he’s ever raced.

This is hardly a cliffhanger, folks. It's not like Ford has to worry about stiff competition from Porsche or BMW. And while we are a little worried to see what the reliability is like under severe conditions, the hardware is good. Foutz, however, seems pretty confident that this is the winner, explaining that there are two more inches of suspension travel over the 2008 model. He was impressed with how the 10-speed never feels like it's hunting for gears or that the V6 keeps the turbo continuously spooled up.