The original Cobra Jet Mustang debuted in 1968 as a Super Stock drag racer, so it’s only fitting that Ford is bringing back the name for a drag racing version of Ford Racing’s FR500 Mustang. The Mustang FR500CJ, known simply as the Cobra Jet, was unveiled on November 4 at the 2008 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. The Cobra Jet is the drag racing equivalent of the Mustang FR500S, allowing those interested in NHRA sportsman drag racing the opportunity to get involved with an affordable vehicle that can compete right off the truck and run in the 10-second range. "The Cobra Jet is the newest offspring of the Ford Racing lineup of race cars," said Jamie Allison, manager of the Ford Racing Performance Group. "All along the way, we worked with Brian Wolfe (recently named director of Ford Racing), who, at the time, oversaw worldwide calibrations. He was a big supporter of Ford Racing, both professionally and personally. He had always kind of asked us about our plans to do a drag race car and the time had just come early this year to take all of the lessons we learned, all the processes, all of the relationships that we have inside with the plant and with the team to put together a sportsman-destined drag race Mustang. Clearly, what we did in 1968 is the impetus for it, and we felt that it was time to bring back the Cobra Jet." "We are talking about designing and building competition-ready race cars," added Jamie. "These are not just the simple parts that we sometimes create. This is a full-fledged, ready-to-race vehicle. There is a lot of engineering that goes into the preparation, development, testing, and release of these cars. There’s a full team of engineers from Ford Racing who have been involved on the engineering side of the Ford Racing Mustangs, led by Andy Slankard. On the Cobra Jet, that group was personally directed and overseen by Brian Wolfe because of his personal drag racing background. So he’s been hands-on involved in the very specifications of the 40th anniversary Cobra Jet. " The Mustang FR500CJ joins the FR500S, the FR500C, and the FR500GT in Ford Racing’s stable of competition Mustangs. Competitors looking for more information on how to get behind the wheel of their own Cobra Jet Mustang should visit www.fordracingparts.com.
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