Ford Motor Company has created a three-round international customer-racing championship for the Mustang Dark Horse R, bringing together events in the United States, Belgium and Australia during 2027.
Ford Racing announced the Mustang Challenge Global Invitational Championship on 14 October 2026. It will use selected rounds from the manufacturer's existing one-make programmes while maintaining a points table separate from those full-season series.
Daytona, Spa and Mount Panorama form the calendar
The championship will begin at Daytona International Speedway during the Roar Before the 24 weekend, where Mustang Challenge North America is scheduled to open its season.
Its second round will be the Mustang Challenge Spa Invitational, held in support of the 24 Hours of Spa. Ford said the Spa event will award points for the new global championship but not for its regular regional one-make series, so competitors unable to travel to Belgium will not lose ground in those domestic competitions.
The finale will run at Mount Panorama as part of the Mustang Cup Australia season-ending event. Together, the three meetings give Ford a customer-racing format spanning three continents without replacing Mustang Challenge North America, Mustang Cup USA or Mustang Cup Australia.
A standalone route for Dark Horse R customers
Drivers will be able to enter the invitational championship on its own or combine it with a full-season campaign in one of Ford's regional series. Every round will use the Mustang Dark Horse R.
That structure creates an international competition for existing and prospective car owners while keeping the established series commercially and competitively distinct. It also gives Ford Racing a common platform through which to connect its one-make operations in North America, Europe and Australia.
Ford described its earlier invitational races at Le Mans in 2025 and the planned Spa event as the basis for the new championship. The announcement converts that event concept into a scored series rather than adding another full regional calendar.
Further operational details remain outstanding. Ford has not yet published entry limits, sporting regulations, prize arrangements, logistics packages, budgets or a complete date schedule for the three rounds. The announcement also does not identify participating teams or drivers.
The verified development is therefore the creation and outline of the 2027 championship. Participation terms and commercial conditions should be assessed when Ford releases the remaining regulations.
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