Ford Mustang race teams sit out Mid-Ohio race in protest of SCCA rules [w/video]

The Ford Mustang Boss 302S race car dominated the inaugural season of the GTS class in the SCCA World Challenge, with Paul Brown of the Tiger Racing team winning five races and capturing the driver's championship. That wasn't necessarily a surprise, though, as the class was developed in part for the turn-key race car. This season, Ford's pony car hasn't had nearly as much success, however, with a Mustang driver not standing atop the podium since the first race and the highest ranking team currently sitting 6th in the standings.

The frustration of the Mustang teams came to a head this past weekend at Mid-Ohio when their quickest car finished in 10th place in Saturday's race. To compound their problems, seven of the Mustang race cars had overheating issues, a problem that the teams say is due to the small air restrictors mandated for the Mustang by the SCCA. Tiger Racing experienced two engine failures, while another driver experienced temperatures so high in the cabin that the rubber soles of his shoes melted.

In protest, each of the Mustang teams decided to sit out Sunday's race, parking their cars in pit lane after the initial formation lap. "The Mustang owners and drivers collectively and unanimously feel that the SCCA's method of creating parity is not working and leaves the Mustang with a significant handicap in many areas, and an advantage in NO area," said the teams in a collective statement released yesterday. "The Boss Mustang teams held meetings with series officials throughout the Mid-Ohio event in an attempt to regain some level of competitiveness, but those discussions proved fruitless. The teams collectively felt that their voices were not being heard and staged a protest to bring more attention to this matter."

Scroll down to read the official announcement or watch Justin Bell, driver of the Tiger Racing Mustang Boss 302S, talk about the protest.