Twenty minutes after the finish...
Twenty minutes after the finish it was still a mob scene around the Raptor R as film crews scrambled and spectators checked out the new Ford truck. Leaning on the front fender with sunglasses is Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief engineer and the technical boss of the Raptor program.
Ford SVT no more introduced the exciting F-150 Raptor Pre-Runner-style production truck than an R version of the Raptor finished third in class in one of the most grueling Baja 1000s in memory.
The remarkable feat was orchestrated by Ford Racing and Ford SVT working with Foutz Motorsports. It apparently marks the first time a pre-production Ford truck has tackled Baja, and is a welcome spot of factory involvement not seen since the halcyon Rough Riders program of the 1990s.
The single Raptor R served many roles in its Baja debut. At its most basic, it was the ultimate engineering development drive for the F-150 SVT Raptor going on-sale this summer. The R is a lightly modified version of the production Raptor, differing mainly in the substitution of sophisticated racing shocks and springs, plus the necessary safety gear and off-road racing modifications such as a deleted windshield, roll cage, gutted spaces for accommodating full-size spare tires, and enough lighting for a night ball game.
The Raptor R's transmission, axles and brakes are stock Ford SVT. So is the stock production F-150 frame, although it benefits from the rollcage reinforcement. The engine is a "specially calibrated" 500 hp version of the upcoming 6.2-liter V-8 F-150 engine, but is considered essentially stock by Ford insiders.
Many of the R-specific parts were not only designed for Baja, but also for the Ford Racing catalog. In this respect, those Ford Racing parts are definitely Baja-proven, and the 1000 served as their development drive.
The Raptor R competed in Class 8, for moderately modified full-size pickups; its improvements were quite limited by Class 8 standards, making its third place finish more remarkable. Only minor difficulties were encountered, such as a flat tire and a broken leaf spring eye (in an aftermarket spring, as Ford was quick to point out). All Raptor parts, including the new engine, ran without issue.
Finally, rumors circulating at the race have Ford SVT producing a limited production run of Raptor R's for sale as finished trucks for those wanting to compete or just desiring the ultimate factory off-road truck. These sound like the usual trial balloons Ford likes to send out to gauge reaction, so if you're interested in one of maybe 50 Raptor R's, definitely give Ford SVT a shout. They won't be cheap--think close to $100,000--but they will be Baja-proven.
 Wanting a third seat for SVT...  Wanting a third seat for SVT engineers, press, and occasionally a riding mechanic in addition to the usual driver and navigating co-driver pair, the Raptor R sports an extra seat and harness in the center rear of its SuperCab. |  Dusty, sure, but this was...  Dusty, sure, but this was a freeway-easy section at the Ojos Negros crossover. Visibility is a major issue in desert racing, as is keeping grit out of anything important. The 2008 Baja 1000 was one of the roughest ever, covering the treacherous La Rumorosa cliff descent with its narrow, rock-strewn grade offering turns so narrow they must be three-pointed and free-fall drop offs measuring hundreds of feet. Also on tap were truck-swallowing silt beds, deep beach sand, flat-out dry lake runs, rock gardens, numbing 3-foot tall whoop sections, thousands of feet of elevation changes and clandestine Mexican-made booby-traps "jumps" designed to crash trucks for the local's amusement. |  It's no empty slogan when...  It's no empty slogan when its wearing genuine Baja California dirt. |
 Race-prepped, but very much...  Race-prepped, but very much representative of a truck you can buy in a Ford showroom, the Raptor R's dash shows its production lineage. |  Desert racing trucks use only...  Desert racing trucks use only the fenders where the cargo box used to be. The area is filled with spare tires, a fuel cell, jack, spare parts and refueling apparatus. |  Ford SVT Vehicle Development...  Ford SVT Vehicle Development Engineer and long-time friend to this magazine Gene Martindale was one of five Raptor R drivers. Steve Olliges, an original Rough Rider, was the driver of record, along with Randy Merritt, Greg Foutz, Bud Brutsman and Martindale. |
 Although the Class 8 scoring...  Although the Class 8 scoring could have been done with a one-handed watch, it's always important to have a flashy finish. After thousands of turns, the Raptor R gets sideways in the final corner. |  |  |