Horse Sense: Jeff Scofield races in the Sunbelt Series, the All American Challenge Series (AACS), and the Triple Crown Mini-Series. He was AACS and Mini-Series champion for 2004 and 2005. Of course, Jeff races a Ford, and he hopes to move up to the ARCA series in 2006 or 2007.
By profession, Jeff Scofield owns Earthscapes Complete Landscape in Thonotosassa, Florida, but don't think of it as a bunch of guys just riding around on Gravelys. In addition to lawn maintenance, Earthscapes also offers irrigation-system installation and repairs, fertilization, complete landscaping and design plans for existing and new construction, outdoor tile, tree trimming, pressure washing, fence staining, and even landscape lighting. All these are slow, deliberate, meticulous tasks that can't be rushed. That takes up most of Jeff's life during week.
But his life takes a fast turn on the weekends as he climbs into a late-model, short-track race car with close to 700 hp on tap. Yes, it's a Ford, and it's all about high-rpm power. So what does a guy like Jeff drive on the street? You're looking at it.
Jeff's street whip is this '05 Roush, and for those who think we feature only chrome-clad, tire-shine-wearing trailer queens, Jeff drives his Roush hard. But with more than 500 hp ready to run like Jessica Simpson away from Nick Lachey, who can blame him?
Jeff purchased a new Mustang because he simply liked the body style. He's a musclecar fanatic and liked the old-school look of the S197 platform, but he couldn't start out with just a "regular" Mustang-he raced out of the gate with a Mineral Gray Roush Stage 1. The standard Roush horsepower and looks weren't nearly enough to keep Jeff content, so he took measures to alleviate the problem.
Jeff added a Vortech Engineering High Output Supercharging System, which boasts an S-Trim supercharger and aftercooler. Wanting more, he added a Zex 75-125hp adjustable wet nitrous kit. Still more was needed, so a Snow Performance Boost Cooler water/methanol injection kit was installed. With reliability in mind, the car was conservatively tuned, and final numbers come in at 524 hp to the rear wheels using the blower and water/methanol injection. Jeff knows the number could be a lot higher, but that would come at the expense of a window'd short-block. For that reason, he usually reserves the nitrous for show duty and to let the competition know this Roush isn't just another pretty face.
Speaking of pretty faces, Jeff saw fit to leave the exterior the way Roush built it. But to bring the car's handling more in line with Jeff's needs, it received Steeda Autosports springs. Several items from BMR Fabrication, such as new upper and lower control arms and a Panhard rod, make it stick in the twisties.
But here's Jeff's dilemma. Even though the Mustang is fast, handles extremely well, and hits all the appropriate performance buttons, the Roush doesn't compare to his race car. Even his Big Dog chopper, with 145 hp to the monstrous rear tire, doesn't compare to the exhilaration of the race car-that's the problem Jeff had as we finished this story. He's bored with the car. With that statement, we looked at him like he had a third eye in his forehead. How could anyone get bored with a car like Jeff's Roush? It's unfathomable to the everyday Mustang owner, but to someone who throws a 700hp stock car into the turns at triple-digit speeds, you can understand his restlessness.
Either that or his wife, Jana, is really on to something about Jeff having adult ADD.
Hold that thought-as we finished this story, Jeff handed us the keys so we could have the car in the 5.0&SF subscription booth at the NMRA Bradenton opener. Seeing the car leave his driveway under power reignited his love for it, and further upgrades are planned. Stay tuned.
BMR Fabrication first alerted us to Jeff Scofield's '05 Roush, and when we learned it wore Niche wheels, we feared the car would have a ghetto-fabulous personality. But we were pleasantly surprised by Jeff's rolling stock. For the tire and wheel package, Coast to Coast Wheels in Tampa set him up with Niche F18 20x9 examples up front and 20x10.5 out back, wrapped in Continental treads. After first seeing the F18s on Jeff's Roush, we started seeing them on other S197 Mustangs. Other than the wheels, the exterior is as delivered from Roush. Steeda Autosports springs lower the car's center of gravity, while BMR Fabrication upper and lower control arms and Panhard rod keep the Roush planted to the ground. And if you think the car is a garage or trailer queen, we've seen Jeff driving it on several occasions, and he's not one for babying it around town.