In a joint effort between Michael Shank Racing, Ford Racing and Continental Tire, the 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona championship team with Colin Braun behind the wheel will aim to set a new track record at the ‘World Center of Speed” Wednesday (Oct. 9) by eclipsing the 210.364 mph lap laid down Feb. 9, 1987, by NASCAR champion Bill Elliott, who pushed his Ford Thunderbird to the top of the speed charts in qualifying for the Daytona 500.(Ford Racing) AND Michael Shank will provide a Daytona Prototype race car, and Ford will bring its six-cylinder power plant it says is similar to EcoBoost engines in its street vehicles. Ford is renting the track for the record-breaking attempt, and Shank predicts his car will top out around 220 mph with 25-year-old Colin Braun at the wheel. The speed session is scheduled to start in the morning and will be closed to the public and the media. Weather permitting, Shank expects Elliotts record to be toppled by noon.( Daytona Beach News Journal )
