Open Tracking my 2011 Fusion Sport

[97CasperCobra]

While the Cobra is still awaiting a resolution on the engine, I decided to pick up a fully loaded 2011 Ford Fusion Sport about a year ago. I absolutely love this car, bone stock the ride was great, power was great and luxury features are amazing.

In the past year I've added the Steeda Sport springs and strut tower brace. I have signed up for an open track event at Texas World Speedway at the end of the month...a 15 turn, 2.9 mile road course. This weekend I will be installing a Steeda race rear sway bar & endlinks, Hawk HPS pads with Brembo solid rotors, Speedbleeders and StopTech 600F brake fluid. Even have some Nitto NT01s on order.

Not wanting to get a harness just yet, I've ordered some CG Lock seat belt add-ons, hopefully they will keep me planted.

Just curious to see who else races a sedan and what else I could do to help this car out on the track, yet not start gutting and cutting the car up. Looking forward to see how it does!!!

 

[Sirl]

I recently bought a 2012 Fusion SEL as my DD.
I'm an outside rep. so, I got the 4 cyl. But every other bell and whistle.

I absolutely love the car!! Seats are terrific, sound system is great!!

I would just track the car as is and not dump any more money into it, until you reach the limits, and know what the car needs. At this point, your just throwing money at it.

Enjoy,

 

[wheelhopper]

^I agree.

Just enjoy the Fusion for what it can do for the car it is, so don't ruin the car with extreme mods. Stick with your Cobra.

I enjoyed running my Fiesta ST...once. I doubt I'll do it again but I just had to see how it would do.

 

[97CasperCobra]

At this point the Fusion is just something to enjoy and get back on track until I get the Cobra back up and running. I've installed bolt-ons only, stuff which I can easily sell if I need to given the demand for parts on the Fusion Forums. Tires will be mounted on my stock '97 Cobra rims which I can reuse once I get the Cobra on the road.

 

[dmichaels]

Sounds not too far off from when I tracked my old Audi S4 - was a sedan but handled well and had plenty of power to have fun.

Just manage the understeer and it'll be fun. Any car on the track is a blast in my opinion. I agree with making a few key upgrades to keep things safe (braking mods...) and fun (suspension mods). Fighting massive brake dive and ever present understeer can get frustrating, so I don't blame you a bit for doing some suspension modifications!

 

[97CasperCobra]

Here are a few videos from the event:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_QhT_MCpczw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdu2jG3-zb0

Mods:
Steeda Strut Tower Brace
Steeda Springs
Steeda Race Rear Sway Bar
Hawk HPS pads (front & rear)
Brembo blank rotors
Stoptech 600 brake fluid
Nitto NT01s on 1997 Cobra rims
CG Lock added in both front seats

Car is FWD. I left the car in Drive for the first two runs on Saturday, then decided to put it in manual. I stayed in 3rd for most of the track, only shifting to 4th on the front and back straights. Front straight I got up to 120mph.

Weak point of the car.....BRAKES. I'm looking into braided brake lines and fabricating some type of brake ducts.

 

[Sirl]

How about some pics of the car??
I'd like to see a Fusion with Cobra wheels!! LoL

Glad you had fun. Mine is a 4 cylinder.. Wouldn't be much fun.

 

[97CasperCobra]

How about some pics of the car??
I'd like to see a Fusion with Cobra wheels!! LoL

The day I bought it


After Steeda Springs


At the track with '97 Cobra rims

 

[wheelhopper]

^ Oh man, that is ugly, you must have got those rims for free. Get some '98 or '99 Cobra rims for that car.

 

[97CasperCobra]

^ Oh man, that is ugly, you must have got those rims for free. Get some '98 or '99 Cobra rims for that car.

Rims were off my '97 Cobra, so yes, they are free. They are track rims, they do the job.