5.0&SF: Previously Ford Racing, or SVO as the case may have been, has been either quick or slow to respond to a new Mustang coming out. We're apparently getting a freshened Mustang in 2010. Will Ford Racing be right there with some parts for that car immediately?
BW: Absolutely. Let me add that we're also going to have a new Focus debuting in 2010, rumor has it. If the rumors are right on that, you can be assured that we're going to have some really cool parts for those cars when they launch as well.
5.0&SF: We went to a WRC rally, Rally Mexico, and after seeing the sport up close, we came away really impressed. The younger generation of enthusiasts, primed by video games, is perhaps more attuned to rallying. Do you see anything like that?
BW: A couple of things. Ford will be ready when the fans and the promoters are ready. With the X Games, which appeals to that sort of base, some promoters may try stadium stuff like motocross, which came from open trails. I think with the right promoter, we would want to definitely play in that area. I'm not saying I could, but I would definitely want to!
5.0&SF: Does Ford Racing work closely with mainstream engineering or do you design most of your parts from scratch?
BW: It's a combination of both. Obviously most of the guys here, the engineers, came out of mainstream. They all have contacts back there. When I had Calibration Controls, I used to interface quite often with Jamie Allison on software calibration items, how to certify, and so on. At Ford Racing, we reach out to all the smart guys at Ford Model, and most of them are pretty receptive to giving us a hand.
5.0&SF: In California, everything has to be smog legal. It's quite a deal to make sure your parts are smog legal. Could we see more of that from Ford Racing, more kits and programs along those lines?
BW: Yeah. Again, I think we are focusing on items that can get an Executive Order [from the California Air Resources Board-Ed.], because then it's 50-state good to go. That's definitely an area where we want to be.
In fact, I received some feedback while at the National Mustang Racers Association race at Atco this last weekend. "You are doing too much of that. Could you do more for the off-road?" "When we get it that way, it costs more than some of your competitors' parts. We like your parts better, but can't afford the extra money because we can't use the calibration because we're using it off road." So, we'll definitely continue to make emission-legal product with Executive Orders, but I may also ask the guys what it would cost if we did a few more off-road parts as well.
5.0&SF: Is Ford Racing interested in a new Trans Am series?
BW: I think from a Ford Racing perspective, we'll try to latch on to what's going on at Ford Model at that time, and if a Trans Am series would come back, whether SCCA or American Le Mans GT2 would be a place for those types of cars to play. I think the rules have to solidify a little bit.
5.0&SF: Is being head of Ford Racing a career capper for you or is there more after this?
BW: I've got to tell you one thing that Jim Farley was insistent upon. He said, 'We don't want this guy to retire out of here. He's got a career back in Powertrain." So my goal is to be here and try and move the needle forward and make progress, but I'd love to get back to Powertrain, maybe in four to five years.
I think that four to five years time is really good because you get to see things, the end product of those things you started. If those are good, you know what works and you can use that to make yourself stronger. Even more importantly, you can definitely learn from your mistakes and make yourself stronger from those that don't work, so that's my plan.