Dean Martin dominates the World Challenge GTS class at the Detroit Grand Prix for the second year in a row
By SID297
Photos by StacyStangz
It’s not every day that you are embedded with a team racing for a win on an international stage—much less two wins—but that was just the opportunity that SVTP was recently given by Rehagen Racing‘s Dean Martin. You might know Dean from his former job as SVT chassis engineer during the Gen II Lightning, 2000 Cobra R, and Terminator eras. Essentially, Dean was the SVT pilot who tested and tuned the suspensions of the nastiest Fords of the time.
Rehagen Racing had to build this car—from a “show car†no less—after a wreck at the last race at Barber Motorsports Park.
Currently Dean spends his time building, tuning, and racing Mustangs in the Pirelli World Challenge GTS class. This time last year he decided to try his hand at the series for the first time at the Belle Isle Grand Prix in Detroit, Michigan. He put together his car in about a week and went on to win the second race of the weekend.
Other than communications equipment and a couple driver comfort modifications (a drink cup and a cool-shirt system) the interior of Dean’s race car is in as-delivered Boss 302S form.
This year Dean is running the full World Challenge schedule, and he currently holds two victories in the Grand Am series this season. This weekend the Rehagen team returned to where it all started—Belle Isle.
You have no doubt seen me espouse my fondness of the Motor City, and this race solidified its place among my favorite travel destinations even further. This year Chevrolet sponsored the Grand Prix, and I have to say that this event has led me to believe that GM really knows how to put my tax dollars to work (I kid.). The event was highly organized; professionally run by a friendly and helpful staff; and supremely fun.
Back in the pits, Dean’s team spent a few practice sessions dialing in its hastily built number 50 Picture Cars East Boss 302S Mustang. I say it was hastily build because Dean was caught up in a four-Ford wreck on the starting line at Barber Motorsports Park during the preceding race.
These Pirelli slicks seem to hold up to abuse fairly well. Due to the 18-inch wheels the Mustangs run they are not able to fit the 2013-2014 GT500 15-inch brakes.
His new steed started life as a caged Boss 302S body from Ford Racing. From there the Picture Cars East team added a Boss R transmission, an ATL fuel cell, BBS wheels, Pirelli tires, a Cortex Watts-link suspension, Dynamic suspension dampers, Eibach springs, a Tiger Racing hood, 15-inch Brembo front brakes, and Performance Friction rear brakes. But the mod list doesn’t stop there. The car also boasts the following custom parts available from Rehagen Racing: a carbon fiber splitter; custom exhaust; and differential, transmission, and oil coolers.
The engine is essentially a stock Boss 302 RoadRunner 5.0-liter V8. In fact, in order to make the playing field more level for lower-powered or heavier cars, such as the Kia Optimas and Chevrolet Camaros, the Mustangs are mandated to use a 60mm intake restrictor. That’s a 25-percent reduction from the Boss’s 80mm throttle body. Still, it’s surprising how stock these race cars seem.
I’m not saying Dean dominated the GTS class in Belle Isle because of this SVTP decal, but it certainly didn’t hurt.
If you had an interest in building one of these cars in your garage, you could do so with the help of a few racing parts vendors like as Rehagen Racing. Conversely, you could buy a Boss 302S from Ford Racing and be about 90 percent of the way to a full-blown race car. However, Dean told us that anyone can build a car like his, but the real secret is in the setup.
Dean and the Picture Cars East team started off the weekend by scoring the pole position for the weekend’s first race. In the Saturday race from the starting line to the checkered flag Dean never gave up the lead during the full 50-minute session. This put the Rehagen crew on top of the podium and put a Detroit-made Shinola watch on his wrist.
Watching Dean drive will make any Mustang fan want to take their car and hit the track. Luckily there are lots of great organizations out there to help you do so.
For Dean and his team, the Sunday race seemed like Groundhog’s Day. Once again Dean started from the pole, led every lap, won the race, and received another Shinola watch.
For the second time in the weekend Dean Martin found himself atop the podium in his hometown.
While the Rehagen crew makes winning look easy, I’m here to tell you than countless hours and sleepless nights are the norm for a team competing and this level. Moreover, everyone we met that laid hands on the Picture Cars East Mustang was great. In particular, I have to give a shout-out to Dean’s wife Amy. She makes sure that everything runs smoothly with the team has what it needs to put the Boss in victory lane.
I can’t wait to make it out to my next Pirelli World Challenge race. If there happens to be one near you I highly suggest you make a weekend of it. You’ll get to meet the teams, see some awesome cars, and hopefully see a Mustang take home the win like I did.
I’d call this a no-frills interior.
SVTP decals make everything faster.
Before the race the drivers get a grid call and line up all the cars in the paddock area. This is a great opportunity for fans to check out all the various types of cars running in World Challenge.
One of the most exciting parts of a Pirelli World Challenge race is the standing start. Forty two cars started in Detroit.
Belle Isle, which was a Detroit City park, is an absolutely beautiful place to hold a race.
Since the state takeover of the park Belle Isle has seen a tremendous amount of improvement. This is the historic Conservatory, which opened in 1904.
This is not the way Jack Roush Jr. wanted to end the race.
Watching Dean drive will make any Mustang fan want to take their car and hit the track. Luckily there are lots of great organizations out there to help you do so.
This tamper-proof seal contains an RF-ID chip that lets race officials know that this engine is indeed the one that is supposed to be in the car and that it has not been altered.
Scott Pruett was racing in his EcoBoost-powered Daytona Prototype.
This BMW looked beefy with its impressive wide-body kit.
The 3.5-liter EcoBoost was well represented.
BMX riders were part of small stunt show.
It was always easy to spot the Dat Dog/Yo! MTV Raps Mustang.
The CTS-Vs were easily the fastest cars in their class.
GTS is one of the few classes where you can see production pony cars mix it up on the track.
The late Paul Walker’s Always Evolving Racing fielded a couple of GTS Mustangs.
I may be biased, but I think the 5.0-liter Mustangs were the best-sounding cars on the track.
This Lamborghini has seen better days.
Everyone loves a flat-blue Ferrari.
One of the things that makes Pirelli World Challenge so special is the public access to the drivers and teams.
It may look like Dean Martin brought plenty of backup cars, but this one is actually a copy of his race car that he built for a customer.
One of the more tedious tasks of a race team is the loading and unloading of the trailer that must be done every day.
This Moon Pie decal is a remnant of one of Dean’s former sponsorships.
The pits are open to the public, so feel free to check out the cars and ask questions.
Tires win races, and a World Challenge teams go through quite a few sets over a weekend.
Dean says there’s a good market for used tires.
Belle Isle is in the middle of the Detroit River, between Detroit and Windsor.
It’s always a treat to see Indy Cars in action. They move with such celerity that the mind of an average motorist simply can’t fathom it.
I have to give a shout-out the Fuzzy’s race team. They were kind enough to let us watch the World Challenge race from their pit box.
Wheels up!
Speaking of “wheels-up,†there’s plenty of three- and even two-wheel action in the GTS class.
The lightweight and heat-extracting Tiger Racing hood is a popular modification for the Mustangs running in World Challenge.
To me, this Viper looks more like a chipmunk than a deadly snake.
Watson Racing’s rising star Alec Udell is exceptionally skilled, and has every teenage boy’s dream job of driving a race car.
Tony Buffomante kept this Chevy where it belongs, behind a Mustang.
World Challenge is an interesting series because it puts three different classes on the track at one time. This can get interesting when the leaders start racing among slower traffic.
To say that Dean takes this turn hard is an understatement, he throws the car in hard enough to significantly lift the front tire.
The KIAs running in the GTS class are front-wheel-drive turbo fours. They make up for their power deficit to the V8 cars by being some 400 pounds lighter than their competitors. That comes in especially handy later in the race as the heavier cars use up tires at a much faster rate than the Koreans.
Alec likes getting air too.
You would probably be surprised by the amount of off-the-shelf aftermarket parts that see track duty in World Challenge.
Blown rear tire? No problem, I think he can finish the race on the rim.
Racing at this level is not an inexpensive endeavor.
Especially when you have to build a new car for the next race.
It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to look under the skin of an Aston Martin GT car.
This is what victory looks like.
The Ferrari is a more balanced car overall than the more powerful Caddys.
Why should drag racers be the only ones who get to go wheels up?
The Camaros seemed to have a tough time all weekend.
Alec Udell pulls through the corner.
Mark Wilkins had a solid weekend in his factory backed KIA.
There’s one Nissan in the GTS class. Also, the Always Evolving cars seem to like two-wheeling.
I’m betting a Fox Mustang would have enough chassis flex to be able to keep this wheel on the ground.
Alec Udell was caught up in a wreck in Race #2.
Jack Roush Jr. includes a feature called the “Distractor Face†on his car. You can submit your face to be the distractor at Roush’s website.
This was not the best day for Watson Racing. Udell was able to finish out the race with most of the car’s front bits still attached.
Jack Roush Jr. was not quite so fortunate. This one’s going to take a bit of work if it’s ever going to see the track again (which is doubtful).
This is what it looks like to totally dominate both races of the weekend. Dean poled both race, lead every lap, and took both checkered flags.
Reggae artist Shabby provided the musical entertainment during the race weekend.
The Rehagen Racing crew went over the car after two hard-fought victories.
In case the safety workers forget where the front tow hook is located the Rehagen team installed this arrow to help them out.
Think your stock intake tube is a restriction; try adding this 60mm restrictor plate to it. This is what World Challenge forces the Mustangs to run in order to make it competitive with the other cars in the class.
The Traxxas Stadium Truck Series ran a few races over the weekend. These trucks are an amazing spectacle to see.
These EcoBoost-powered Daytona Prototype cars great pieces of engineering. Our own Editor Turner went for a ride in one of these a few weeks ago. I’m jealous.
It’s surprising how many production components are still used on the engine. Racing really improves the consumer vehicles.
This BMW sets the new standard for ultra-wide-body kits.
You don’t typically get this type of access at a NASCAR race. Team Fuzzy’s were supremely hospitable all weekend.
Awesome shots! It’s a shame a trans-am style series like this isn’t any more popular than it is!
I had a great time there. We’re going to try to make it to the Mid-Ohio race in Aug.
Looks like a great event! Love that kind of racing!
Dean can drive! Dominating his class that weekend was a heck of an accomplishment. Keep it up!