History has a funny way of making a comeback, and Ford is rolling out a machine that looks straight out of a history book. For the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the pair of Ford Racing Ford Mustang GT3 cars will wear a striking "Sweepstakes" livery in honor of the company's 125th anniversary.
Back in 1901, a struggling Henry Ford entered his newly built vehicle—named "Sweepstakes"—into a local race in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, on October 10. Going up against heavy favorite Alexander Winton, Ford pulled off a stunning upset. That single victory proved the durability and engineering of his machine, ultimately attracting the investors needed to launch the Ford Motor Company. Now, the championship-chasing factory Ford Racing Mustang GT3s (Nos. 64 and 65) are dropping their familiar blue and white for a meticulous color-matched recreation of that original 1901 aesthetic, complete with the original Ford Motor Company logo and a nod to the brand's 1903 founding date.
What a story it would be to book end to start with the championship and end with a win,
The attention to detail goes down to the drivers, whose firesuits are designed to replicate a turn of the 20th century three-piece suit. Meanwhile, the signature "Glow Pony" on the rear fender is getting an upgrade. Scott Bartlett, Manager of On-Road Racing and Product Marketing, calls it version 2.0: the inner section will be fully illuminated, brightly displaying the American flag in black and gold as a nod to the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Ted Ryan, Heritage Brand Manager and Archivist at Ford, admitted during a Tuesday media availability that keeping the project under wraps was a massive feat. "In 30 years I’ve never done anything that exciting," Ryan said. "Not just to be on 'Sweepstakes,' but it was so critical to what became Ford Motor Company. He only (raced) it once!"
Bartlett noted that convincing Mark Rushbrook to ditch the traditional all-blue racing color for black, gold, and red took some work, but the shocking divergence paid off. The team even added "H. Ford" as a driver name on the B-pillar.
Beyond the aesthetics, there's a serious title fight on the line. Ford enters the season finale down 68 points, with a shot at the GTD PRO Manufacturer Championship. "What a story it would be to book end to start with the championship and end with a win," Bartlett said. "It would be a Cinderella story to close out 125 with a championship."
