This video, which eerily reminds us of the video at the entrance to Biff's Casino in Back to the Future 2, tells of the history and future plans for Jack Roush's favorite car, the Mustang.

By the time the 2010 Mustang hits showroom floors, ROUSH Performance expects to have a total of 35 performance aftermarket parts available; from their ROUSHcharger supercharger system that helps awaken the stock Mustang GT's output to a nightmarish 445 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque; full exhaust systems; brake upgrades; suspension systems and lower springs; larger wheel and tire packages; and interior/exterior accessories including a light bar for the convertible models.

After our own ROUSH Mustang Blackjack review last year, we're sure this one will attract a lot of unwanted attention.

Press Release:

ROUSH® Performance has always been a leader in the high-performance parts industry, but never before in the history of the company have they been this far ahead on developing parts for a new model car.

Starting in early March, ROUSH® will have 35 different parts available for the new 2010 Ford Mustang, right around the same time that initial deliveries of the vehicle begin showing up on the Ford dealer lots.

"I am very proud of how quickly our engineering teams have been able to develop these new products for the 2010 Mustang," said Jack Roush. "Ford has created a beautiful new car, and with the addition of the ROUSH® parts an owner can have a vehicle that performs just as nice as it looks. Its simply amazing to think that a customer can buy a ROUSH part for his new car the same time it is being driven off the transporter at the dealer lot."

Among the initial parts that will be offered by ROUSH®, are:

* Suspension Packages
* Brake Kits
* Resonator Exhaust & Tips
* Lowering Springs
* Interior Accessories – floor mats, sill plates, pedals and more
* Wheel / Wheel & Tire Packages
* Convertible Light Bar

The famous 445 horsepower, 400 lb.-ft. of torque ROUSHcharger® is expected to be available just a couple of weeks later in mid-March. As before, installation of this supercharger will not void any Ford factory warranty on the new Mustang. For those who really want to make their new pony gallop with the maximum horsepower, a non-calibrated version of the R2300 ROUSHcharger® will also be on the shelf around this same time.

For customers looking to enhance the exterior styling, the ROUSH® body kits and other painted components will be available for purchase in mid-April.

The ROUSH® high-performance parts program has been one of the highlights for the company. Even in the face of a challenging economy, the sales of ROUSH® parts still grew and had a record year. It is anticipated that the early availability of the 2010 Mustang parts will provide another boost to the program this year.

[via Roush, wcf]

According to Roush,"Cooper is a perfect fit to be our supplier on the ROUSH Stage 1, 2 and 3 and the P51B Ford Mustangs. Their engineering and technical capabilities and continued commitment to designing and developing a tire for our Mustangs was unwavering." Marketing spin aside, the Mustang tuner ended up with a better tire for the Stage 3 and P-51B that stops shorter, is supposed to be significantly better in the rain (Cooper says the tire stops from 60 mph 18 feet shorter in the wet compared to the KD - a huge improvement), and a better vehicle offering as a result. Cooper, for its part, finally gets to be an Original Equipment manufacturer, the first step towards getting Cooper Tires under new Camrys and Civics in the showroom — a highly profitable enterprise, to say the least. Press release follows.

Cooper Tire Named the “Official Tire of ROUSH Performance”

The new extreme max performance Cooper Zeon RS3 debuts on ROUSH Stage 3 Mustangs
FINDLAY, OHIO, OCTOBER 1, 2008 – COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY (NYSE: CTB) and ROUSH Performance have teamed up to provide you with a Mustang that is far from ordinary. Now the world’s hottest car comes fully equipped with Cooper ultra-high performance tires. As the “Official Tire of ROUSH Performance,” Cooper will supply ultra-high performance tires for Stage 1, 2 and 3, and other limited edition vehicles such as the P51B ROUSH-customized Mustangs that are now available at select Ford dealerships nationwide.

“The ROUSH name is an icon in American motorsports and vehicle modifications, synonymous with superb quality and unparalleled performance,” said Roy Armes, Chairman, President and CEO for Cooper Tire. “At Cooper, we want to work with companies like ROUSH who have a tremendous passion for cars and driving. This association gives us a platform to showcase our products on one of the fastest and best handling vehicles available today, and an opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities and state-of-the-art technology engineered into our high performance products.”

The ROUSH partnership gave Cooper the opportunity to design and develop a new extreme max performance tire to match the power of the Stage 3 Mustang and other ROUSH platforms. As a result of more than a year of collaboration, intense development and testing, Cooper engineers developed the new RS3 to match up to one of the highest performing cars in the industry - the Roush Stage 3 Mustang. Now performance enthusiasts have a tire that combines the rich heritage of Cooper’s motorsports technology and innovative engineering with the quality and performance that’s in every Cooper tire and ROUSH Mustang. 

 “Cooper is a perfect fit to be our supplier on the ROUSH Stage 1, 2 and 3 and the P51B Ford Mustangs,” said Jack Roush, Chairman of ROUSH Enterprises and CEO & Co-Owner of Roush Fenway Racing. “Their engineering and technical capabilities and continued commitment to designing and developing a tire for our Mustangs was unwavering. Cooper’s ultra-high performance tires were the only tires that met the standards and cutting-edge styling of the ROUSH brand and is unmatched in performance.”

The anxiously-awaited, race-inspired RS3 was given its premiere at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven, Mich., where a number of automotive journalists and high performance experts were given a firsthand look and feel of the performance of the RS3. Designed to provide superior performance, the RS3 features a unique tread pattern, profile and construction. Featuring cutting edge R-Tech technology, this tire delivers maximum dry traction, unrivaled grip with split-second steering response, and a unique footprint that is engineered to deliver consistent handling performance at high G-forces.

ROUSH Performance will place Cooper Zeon 2XS tires in two sizes, the 275/40ZR18 and 255/35ZR20, on both Stage 1 cosmetic-only modified Mustangs and on the Stage 2 vehicles which include an upgraded suspension package for improved handling. The Cooper Zeon RS3 is available in 275/40ZR18 on Stage 3 and P51B Mustangs.

 “This partnership with ROUSH Performance allows Cooper to tie into an original equipment platform,” said Armes. “With all the high-level experience in racing and advanced product development that ROUSH Performance has to offer, the marriage between Cooper and the ROUSH-modified Mustangs results in a statement without ever turning the key.”

The new Cooper Zeon RS3 – scientifically designed, engineered and road proven to leave your ROUSH Performance Mustang beyond speechless. 

Cooper Tire.  Don’t Give Up A Thing. 

About Roush Performance

Based in Livonia, Mich., “The Art of Performance Engineering” takes place at ROUSH Performance. To get a look behind the scenes at what goes on at ROUSH and how the vehicles are designed, manufactured and produced logon to www.ROUSHtv.com. In addition to the array of Ford Mustang and F-150 styling, handling and performance upgrades, a complete line of performance parts and crate engines are offered. For more information see your local ROUSH dealer, visit www.ROUSHperformance.com or telephone toll-free (800) 59-ROUSH. 

About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company 
Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is a global company that specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of passenger car and light truck tires and subsidiaries that specialize in medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. With headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire has manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies located in 10 countries around the world.  For more information, visit Cooper Tire's web site at www.coopertire.com.

Pushrod engines can do insane things. Despite all the changes that have made "stock cars" kind of a tongue-in-cheek joke, the iron block/aluminum head powerplants hail straight from the Eisenhower era. At 358 cubic inches, these 12:1 compression V8s still suck mixture from a Holley 830 and spin at just under 10,000 RPM. Doug Yates explained to us that NASCAR engines actually see higher piston speeds than F1 engines due to their longer stroke. He also noted that pushrod deflection actually helps fling the valvetrain open; we figure the valves can use all the help they can get, considering they have an inch of lift. All this brings us to our next point.

You shouldn't break your motor. Remember that pushrod engine that's doing all that insane stuff? Yeah, well, you gotta wring it within an inch of its life during qualifying but you can't break it: You only get one engine per weekend. That says a lot about the engineers, but it says a lot about the guys who screw these things together too.

They let KIDS drive these things. We met with Colin Braun (pronounced "Brown," but still ironic since he's got a few years before facial hair will appear), the current rookie of the year in the Craftsman Truck series. This 19-year-old is better mannered than the combined Jalopnik staff, and he explained how his Roush-Fenway race truck completely changes character during the course of a race due to tire wear, brake wear, suspension loosening, and fuel usage, requiring the driver to constantly adapt to a different-feeling vehicle.

"Scrap tire" means different things to different people. Seeing a stack of grooved tires outside the Wood Brothers' trailer, we asked if they were rain tires. Len Wood explained to us that the technical term was "scrap tire." Teams are only allowed a certain number of sets of tires per weekend (it varies by track), and those tires have to be turned-in to officials at the end of the event. To keep a few sets around for shows, testing and such, teams are allowed to groove the tires, thus making them unsuitable for high-speed runs. The result is a scrap tire, not to be confused with the mosquito nursery you have behind your garage.

Two tenths on a big oval is a huge improvement. NASCAR regulations combined with 50 years of development work on the same basic designs have conspired to make competitive breakthroughs nonexistent. What that means is that a change resulting in a repeatable one- to two-tenths per-lap gain is considered huge. Vehicle engineers are seeking microscopic improvements now, literally shaving hundredths in the search for a winning edge.

We assumed that there was more to stock car racing than we gave it credit for. So were we surprised by the level of precision and engineering that goes in to one of these pushrod, live-axle beasts, whether it's a Craftsman-series truck, Busch car, or Cup car? Yes. Are we gonna be hootin' and a hollerin' at race time every Sunday? Not so much.
(Photo Credit: funnyhub.com)