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Ford Racing Mustang Challenge Returns to Lime Rock Park Tooele, UT-- (27 May 2010) - The Ford Racing Mustang Challenge 2010 championship battle will ratchet up a notch in intensity as the drivers and teams return to race action on two legendary ...

Edited: May 28, 2010, 4:29 AM

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Ford Racing Mustang Challenge Returns to Lime Rock Park

Tooele, UT-- (27 May 2010) - The Ford Racing Mustang Challenge 2010 championship battle will ratchet up a notch in intensity as the drivers and teams return to race action on two legendary tracks on back to back weekends with a return visit to Lime Rock Park this weekend ahead of a debut race appearance at Watkins Glen International June 5-6.

Lime Rock Park, nestled in the picturesque Northwest Corner of Connecticut, has long been the site of Mustang racing glory, from the halcyon days of Trans-Am competition in the sixties with names like Parnelli Jones and Sam Posey in the mix through to more modern times with names like Tommy Kendal charging to Lime Rock's hillside victory circle.

The ultra-quick 1.53-mile natural terrain road circuit set the stage for a very close race when the Mustang Challenge first visited the trck in 2008, as 2010 Rolex 24 At Daytona winner Terry Borcheller emerged as the winner.

Borcheller's renewed focus on the Daytona Prototypes means that the weekend, which will see the Mustang Challenge race held on Saturday with the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series race taking place on Monday, will have a new winner adding their name to the list of those who have driven a Mustang to victory at the track. With three wins in the first three races, it would be an oversight to not finger championship leader Jason von Kluge as the favorite for Saturday's 45-minute race. But before he can grow his lead in the points, he is going to have to learn the track, as the visit to Lime Rock Park visit will be his first as a driver.

"I've never raced at Lime Rock Park so it is going to be a little bit of a learning curve," offered von Kluge, who will also target another pole position in qualifying on Friday. "I was there working as a mechanic for Rehagan Racing a couple of times, so I know it is not that big of a track and I'm hoping to pick it up quickly. If we can do that, I really hope to keep doing what I've been doing and go for another win. I think its going to be a fun, quick weekend and we'll see what happens, I'm really looking forward to it."

For von Kluge to keep his remarkable streak of wins in place, he's going to have to fend off charges from a flock of racers on his tail. The 2008 race saw championship contenders Tony Buffomante and Dan Aweida part of some intense dicing on the 1.53-mile circuit. Buffomante is looking for a little bit of racing justice after a flawless run at the front in the VIR race ended just shy when a small mechanical issue slowed his pace in the closing laps.

Also not to be discounted at the drop of the green flag will be racers George Winkler and Pratt Cole. Winkler's day ended before he wanted it to in 2008 so the Homestead podium finisher will look to change that this weekend. And even though he was not part of the 2008 race, Mustang Challenge fans have come to expect stout performances from Pratt Cole as he chases a maiden win in the category. Brad Adam's breakthrough drive at VIR will also surely see the New Orleans racer bringing momentum to go with his frequent smile to the track.

The holiday weekend event schedule is a condensed one, as the field will take to the track on Friday for two practice sessions before setting the grid in qualifying at 3:35 PM. Drivers will get one more chance at changes for their Mustang FR500S machines in a morning warm up session, with the Hurst Pace Car taking the field to the green at 1:30 PM for 45 minutes of sprint racing.

-source: frmc

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