News page for the Chrome Pony


Performance: It's In The Blood by CP Staff When I interviewed Jack Roush, Jr. last year in the baking heat of a heartland summer, we talked about the return of Roush Racing to NMRA drag racing competition in Joliet, IL. The family business was branching out and Jack, the dutiful son, was there to support it. When I next saw him, at the Waterford Hills track in Michigan, it was plainly evident that he was having a far better time, tossing prototype Roush Mustangs around the small, but tricky, road course. That he should pursue an interest in road racing, even at a time when it isn't particularly coincident with his father's direction, should come as no huge surprise. After all, he is his father's son.
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The upcoming KONI Challenge race, at Miami-Homestead Speedway this weekend, will signal Jack's return to the sedan racing series that he first began with last year. To further his learning, Roush spent two days last week at Firebird International Raceway with Mike McGovern, head instructor at the Bob Bondurant School of High Performance Driving. "I learned a lot about road racing in a short amount of time," Roush explained. "It was sort of like cramming for an exam. The two main things we focused on was looking through the corner and learning more about vehicle dynamics, such as how to adjust the behavior of the car through a turn with throttle and brake as handling devices. I am really excited to put these new skills to use at Homestead." This is not the only tutoring session that Roush has had to help prepare him for a road racing career. Last October he spent a day at Virginia International Raceway with Boris Said, often considered one of the finest road racers ever to turn a steering wheel. Jack Jr. is scheduled to complete the rest of the KONI Challenge series with co-driver Dean Martin in the No. 59 ROUSH Performance Mustang. Roush missed the first event of the season at Daytona International Speedway as he awaited the birth of a daughter. In 1984, his father entered competition in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) and International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) road racing series and a legend was born. In the first year, Jack Sr. won the manufacturer's title for Lincoln-Mercury. Since then, Roush Racing has claimed 24 national championships and titles in the two series, including 12 manufacturer’s championships. Roush has also earned 10 consecutive 24 Hours of Daytona sedan class championships. The No. 59 Rehagen Ford Mustang, based out of Westland, MI, carries sponsorship from ROUSH Performance, ROUSH Brakes, RacerBargains.com and Piloti. Last season this was the highest-finishing Mustang in the series. According to Roush Performance Motorsports Manager, John Clark, the relationship has been fruitful. "We are certainly planning on continuing a relationship with Rehagen and have been impressed with what they are able to accomplish with their limited resources," Clark told us. The KONI Challenge series is the first time that Jack Jr. has become serious about pursuing a career in a professional category. With the Rehagen team relationship developing nicely, he'll get the help he needs to build on that. "Dean is an excellent driver, a good tutor for Jack, and as he gains more experience in the full-body vehicles the team will get even more competitive," Clark noted. The competition begins on Friday, April 13 with two practice sessions, followed by qualifying on the following day. The race gets the green flag at 1:45 p.m. on Sunday, April 15 and is scheduled to run for 400 kilometers (109-laps). While this event will not be televised, complete results and live timing and scoring can be found online at www.grand-am.com
CP