Koni Challenge: Mustang Takes Championship Again!

For the second consecutive year, the Ford Mustang FR500C swept the triple crown of the Grand Am KONI Challenge, winning team, driver and manufacturers' championships. Ken Wilden claimed the driver and Wilden and his teammate Dean Martin captured the team title for Rehagen Racing number 59 Mustang with a sixth place finish at the season-ending Bosch Engineering Octoberfest at Virginia International Raceway. The championship was the first for Wilden and the Rehagen Racing team.

"We took over the points lead by the second race," said Ken Wilden. "Our performance has been solid and consistent. The Mustang has been a phenomenal car. It feels good to win the championship. It's been 13 years since my last championship, and it's been a while since I've been in a car that I could say I could win one in."

Bret Seafuse and James Gue drove their JBS Motorsports number 37 Mustang to victory at VIR and in doing so jumped Ford to the top of the manufacturers' standings, edging BMW by four points (348-344) to help Ford capture back-to-back manufacturers' titles. Ford Mustangs dominated the 2009 KONI Challenge, winning five races and finishing on the podium in eight of the eleven races.

Billy Johnson and Jack Roush Jr’s team Horsepower Ranch finished 4th with their number 61 Roush-Valvoline Mustang in the points race for 2009, pulling out some heroics in the late season. They won the race at Miller Motorsports Park and held onto a close lead through much of the season finale at VIR.

Of the top five points leaders for 2009 in the Grand Am KONI Challenge, three were Mustangs and the other two were BMW. Much hubbub was made that the Chevy Camaro and Dodge Challenger joined the battle in the final race of the series but both cars didn’t finish the race!

Championship Points For 2009

1 - Rehagen Racing Mustang #59
2 - JBS Motorsports Mustang #37
3 - Turner Motorsport BMW M3
4 - Horsepower Ranch Mustang #61
5 - Turner Motorsport BMW M3

Now that is a race car. That thing you posted in your other thread is an abomination to the car we all love. Ford does not need NASCAR to sell Mustangs.