Ford Ranger Raptor is Back to Tatts Finke Desert Race to Reclaim Championship Title

Brad and Byam Lovell are back to defend their win in the Production 4WD class at Australia's most challenging off-road competition

Ford Performance is gearing up to defend its class title at the 2024 Tatts Finke Desert Race in Alice Springs next month. Off-road racing legend Brad Lovell will once again be behind the wheel of the Ranger Raptor that triumphed in the 2023 Finke Desert Race and the 2022 SCORE-International Baja 1000, this time with his son Byam as co-driver.

The duo clinched victory in the Production 4WD class last year with an impressive overall time of 5 hours, 56 minutes, and 30 seconds, setting a new class record on the Apatula to Alice Springs leg. The Ford Performance team in Australia has also implemented several upgrades to the race truck in preparation for the upcoming event.

“The Ranger Raptor is Ford Performance’s global off-road racing platform, and we are proud to return to the vehicle’s spiritual homeland of the Aussie Outback to defend our 2023 victory,” says Mark Rushbrook, Global Director, Ford Performance Motorsports.

“While the team has been hard at work improving the Ranger Raptor for the 2024 event, our race truck still retains the same engine, transmission, and suspension components that roll off the showroom floor.”

“The Finke Desert Race is truly unique, with a challenging combination of high speeds and seriously massive whoops,” he says. “I’m looking forward to facing off against a stronger field of competitors this year and showing what the Ranger Raptor is capable of.”

Despite being newcomers at Finke last year, the Lovell's are back for 2024 now more experienced and with a burning ambition to keep their class title.

“The Finke Desert Race is truly unique, with a challenging combination of high speeds and seriously massive whoops,” he says. “I’m looking forward to facing off against a stronger field of competitors this year and showing what the Ranger Raptor is capable of.”

Walkinshaw Performance, the sister organization of the top Ford Supercars team Walkinshaw Andretti United, will once again offer vehicle servicing, event management, and logistical support to Ford Performance. They will also receive engineering assistance from Huseman Engineering, a US-based off-road specialist.

At the Finke race in 2023, the Ranger Raptor was equipped with a setup akin to Baja, but this year's adjustments are geared towards boosting performance at the faster Australian event. The changes include reducing weight and fine-tuning suspension calibrations to maximize speed and agility.

“We have an exciting challenge ahead of us for Finke in 2024. Last year we came close to securing the overall class record and this year we return against a strong set of new competitors,” said Justin Capicchiano, Ford Performance and Special Vehicles Engineering Manager, Australia.

“Finke has an average speed nearly 35km/h faster than Baja, and by retuning the suspension and cutting weight, the Ranger Raptor will be the perfect weapon for Brad and Byam to defend their title.”

Covering a staggering 460 kilometers between Alice Springs and Aputula (Finke), the Finke Desert Race is renowned as Australia's toughest off-road endurance event, taking place over the weekend of June 7-10.

Nick Cavanaugh | @Car_Sick_Nick | All Roads Lead to The Motor City