Noaker Says Upgraded Dark Horse R is “98 Percent Perfect”

Photo: Wes Duenkel/Ford

Ford Performance Junior driver and reigning Mustang Challenge champion Robert Noaker says the various mechanical upgrades fitted to the Ford Mustang Dark Horse R this season brings the production-based race car to “98 percent perfect for what it is.”

After customer feedback and their own testing, Ford Performance introduced a number of mechanical changes to its single-make series pony car aimed at increasing on-track performance and reliability and reducing running costs.

Noaker aided Ford in the testing and development of these new parts during the off-season.

“Overall, I’d say the pace we’re probably pushing two-and-a-half seconds a lap faster than last year,” he told Sportscar365.

“Between the lightness of the wheels and tires to the grip of the tires, the lighter clutch that’ll let it rev up faster and then the rear end. While it is taller gears, they’re more useable gears.”

Additionally, Ford fitted its Dark Horse Rs with the adjustable rear camber arms from its GT4 car to help widen its setup window.

“Overall, I’d say we’re 98 percent of the way there to a perfect car for what it is,” Noaker said. “For $160,000, you’re in a car that can be basically at GT4 pace without the GT4 cost and headaches.

“The wheels and tires were the biggest ones. That alone is about a second and a half a lap from the weight reduction, which is about ten pounds on each corner, so you have 40 pounds less of rotating mass.

“The car will accelerate better, brake better and then you have more sidewall, so the tire is more compliant. The whole carcass is softer.

“The same aspect goes for braking. You can be a little more rough on the brakes. The tire can take it. Overall, the tire is more drivable.

“What surprises me is that as you run the tires more and more, you keep figuring out some more setup stuff and ways to make it faster, and the speed this weekend [at Sebring] is about two seconds faster than what I thought we would be.”

The 21-year-old driver also commented on the increased top speed of the Dark Horse Rs and its more useable gearing as a result of changes to the car’s final drive ratio from the production 3.73-to-1 to a more race-focused and Le Mans-capable 3.55-to-1 ratio.

The gearing change was largely inspired by the series’ invitational round at Circuit de la Sarthe in June.

“We got about eight miles per hour more at the top of fifth gear,” Noaker said. “So that will basically solve the gearing problems at all of the tracks we go to.

“[At] Le Mans, we’ll still be getting up into sixth, but it’s solved everywhere else. Sixth gear you’re going to use either way at Le Mans.

“That will definitely help you with the raceability and not making it to the end of a straight and running out of gear and not be able to pass a guy.”

Noaker also feels both he and Ford Performance have benefitted from a pre-season testing program in which Robert Noaker Racing assisted the Blue Oval with the on-track testing and development of the new technical components.

“In total, from the last race last year in October, we have personally done six tests before this race [in Sebring], I think that comes out to every two and half weeks. It was just testing new stuff and seeing what worked and what didn’t,” he said.

“The testing has definitely helped us a little bit. Not a whole lot because a lot of the stuff still was carried over from last year.

“But being able to see on the back end of how stuff works and having the support on the program and being able to help them on their program overall helps everyone.”