Baja 1000 Ford Raptor: Up Close & Personal

By Jerry Perez - January 17, 2017

There’s More than Meets the Eye — Inside and Out — to the Ford F-150 Raptor, which Is Stealing the Spotlight at NAIAS

We previously informed you that the Foutz Motorsports 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor from the Baja 100 was headed to Detroit. As a result, we made sure to get up close and personal during the press-only days at the 2017 North American International Auto Show.

This one-of-a-kind Raptor may look heavily modified from the outside, partly due to the many decals. But to everyone’s surprise, it actually remains mostly stock! Most modifications were performed for safety reasons. We were able to photograph the truck from up close, and notice all the small details that are usually lost in large scale photo shoots.

Wether it’s the sheer size of the Fox shocks in all four corners, or the spare tire setup in the bed, it’s all enormous. The biggest modification you’ll see is the race-ready roll cage. It’s designed to protect the three (yes, three) occupants in case of a roll over. There’s a plethora of fire extinguishers, filters, and wiring inside the cabin. A heavy-duty professional gps system is fixated on the passenger side, where other controls are also within his/her reach.

In the truck bed you’ll find a full-size spare, a pneumatic jack lifting system to make repairs on the go, and other tools. The Raptor is also outfitted with a central reinforced fuel cell for added safety, instead of the stock gasoline tank. Massive LED light bars adorn the Raptor in the front and in the back, which are used for driving, as well as working on the truck during night stages of the race.

The best part? You can actually buy this race conversion kit for your 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor. Foutz Motorsports did not release the price of such kit, but we can’t imagine it’s cheap. Perhaps, if you need to ask, you probably can’t afford it!