Focus to enter ARC?

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Sharper Focus

James Stanford
23jul04

THE Ford Focus is about to be given a sporting chance. Ford is busy working on a plan to enter a hot Focus in the Australian Rally Championship and has already lined up a star driver

The Blue Oval says it is yet to decide if it will enter the ARC, but it has not ruled out a rally program that could start as early as next season. "If we are going to do it, I would prefer to be in it sooner than later," Ford Australia motorsport manager Stephen Kruk says.
"We have harboured a desire to go rallying with Focus for several years."

In fact, the Focus rally plan was originally developed by the late Howard Marsden, who knew the value of a rally program for a new vehicle.

The plan was put on hold while Ford concentrated on improving its performance in the V8 Supercar series, and V8s remain its priority, but with a new Focus due early next year it is poised to join the rally ranks.

"We'd like to be involved, but we are looking at a program and examining the resources we'd need to commit," Kruk says.






It is believed the Focus race car would be developed in-house by a team that includes Steve Hoinville, who helped prepare and race an XR6 Turbo in the Targa Tasmania.

Rally ace Michael Guest, who is favourite for the Ford seat, even did the official reconnaissance for the Tasmanian round of the championship last month in a Ford Territory company car and will also do so at the Adelaide round that starts on July 31.

The recce is usually reserved only for competitors so the co-driver can prepare race notes, but is also used by outfits that are preparing to enter the event a following year.

Guest is doing the homework runs with Possum Bourne's former co-driver, Mark Stacey.

The former World Rally Championship racer confirmed he did the Tasmanian recce in a borrowed Territory, but he made no comment about the Ford rally plan.

"I am looking at doing a program next year, so Mark Stacey and I did the recce and will do it again at South Australia," Guest says.

Poor Focus sales have prompted Ford to consider ways to boost its profile, including running either a two-wheel-drive or a four-wheel-drive Focus in the championship.

Australian Rally Commission chairman Garry Connelly says the championship is ready for another manufacturer.

"If Ford decided to come in, they would be warmly welcomed," Connelly says.

"The championship is now probably the second most important championship in the country behind V8 Supercars."

Herald Sun