Ford Racing will run its two factory Mustang GT3s in a Ford Sweepstakes livery at the Motul Petit Le Mans on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta in Braselton, Georgia. The paint scheme honors “Sweepstakes,” the car Henry Ford drove to an upset win in 1901, and marks 125 years of Ford racing, IMSA reported.
The No. 64 and No. 65 Mustangs will carry the Ford Sweepstakes livery in the GTD Pro class during the 10-hour race, which closes the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship season.
The 1901 race behind the Ford Sweepstakes livery
On Oct. 10, 1901, Henry Ford raced Sweepstakes over 10 miles at Grosse Pointe, Michigan, and beat Alexander Winton, a leading carmaker and racer of the day who was the heavy favorite, according to IMSA and Sportscar365. Motor1 reported that the two-seater could reach roughly 60 mph.
The win drew investor interest that helped Ford launch Ford Motor Company, which was incorporated in June 1903. That timeline is why Ford Racing’s history predates the automaker itself by two years.
“In 30 years I’ve never done anything that exciting,” Ford heritage brand manager and archivist Ted Ryan said of the project, according to IMSA. He called the 1901 race “so critical to what became Ford Motor Company.”
What the tribute paint scheme looks like
The Ford Sweepstakes livery drops the Mustang’s usual blue and white. Motor1 described burgundy and gold graphics over a black base, with the original Ford Motor Company logo in gold and “Racing Since 1901” lettering on the hood. The cars also reference the company’s 1903 founding, and “H. Ford” appears on the B-pillar, per IMSA.
The Ford Sweepstakes livery extends to the drivers, too. Their firesuits are styled after the three-piece suit Henry Ford wore when he raced in 1901.
After dark, the Mustang’s “Glow Pony” fender logo gets an upgrade. Ford is lighting the entire pony for the first time on a factory Mustang GT3, with a black-and-gold American flag inside the emblem to mark the nation’s 250th anniversary, Motor1 and Sportscar365 reported.
“‘Sweepstakes’ might be a crazy idea to celebrate 125,” Scott Bartlett, Ford Racing’s manager of on-road racing, told IMSA. “It’s the easiest way to celebrate the heritage and the history.”
Drivers and championship stakes
According to Sportscar365, Dennis Olsen, Ben Barker and Mike Rockenfeller will share the No. 64, while Christopher Mies, Frédéric Vervisch and Seb Priaulx drive the No. 65. The No. 64 recently earned its first class win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
Ford enters the finale 68 points back in the GTD Pro manufacturers’ championship, IMSA reported. Whatever happens in the Ford Sweepstakes livery on Saturday, Motor1 noted that Ford has already committed to keeping the same GTD Pro lineup for 2027.
For more automotive history, revisit our looks at the Ford Mustang’s seven generations and the Chevy SS at the 2013 Daytona 500, or browse more stories in Special Interests.
Reporting from IMSA, Motor1 and Sportscar365 contributed to this story.
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