[Don]

AutoWeek.com
11-9-09

" Ford FR9 engines get thumbs-up "

" Engine-builder Doug Yates found no major issues when he examined the new Ford FR9 engines that Matt Kenseth and David Ragan used in last weekend's 500-mile race at Talladega Superspeedway. The AMP Energy 500 was the first on-track test of the engine that Ford Racing has spent more than a year planning, designing and building.

Brian Wolfe, head of Ford's motorsports programs, said on Sunday at TMS that Yates was “very, very happy” with what he found.

“I spoke with him the day after the race and he said he was tickled pink, that everything looked perfect,” Wolfe said. “He's very critical, but [in this case], he was very, very happy with what he saw. Really, he was ecstatic.”

Wolfe is not sure when the FR9 will run again.

“Maybe this year,” he said coyly. “But I put it back in Doug's hands. From my perspective, from the marketing perspective of making a big splash, it might not be such a big deal to run it at Phoenix or Homestead. But we'll do whatever he thinks we need to do to get more critical data leading into next year. We want a strong schedule with that engine next year.” "