Daytona prototype breaks speed record

Colin Braun wasn't even alive when, 26 years ago, a man named Bill Elliot stormed around Daytona in a Ford Thunderbird and went 201.364mph. That was a record for a single lap speed around the legendary track, and stood for 26 years... until now.

That's because Colin Braun - the 25-year-old Colin Braun - strapped himself inside Riley Technologies' Daytona Prototype racer, powered by Ford's EcoBoost race engine, and set a new single lap speed record of 222.971mph during a special record run.

Clearly, they didn't waste the opportunity, because while they were there, Braun and the Michael Shank Racing team set two more records: 10 miles from a standing start at a 201.018mph average speed, and 10km from a standing start at a 202.438mph average speed.

"Our first run was 209, and it was edgy to drive at that speed," Braun casually notes. "I can only imagine how edgy it was for Bill Elliot doing those speeds in his Thunderbird stock car."

At this point, your mind is probably wandering to Ford's 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine we drove in the Formula Ford racer; no sir, the one inside this racing prototype is a twin-turbocharged 3.5-litre V6 prepared by Ford Racing's partner Roush Yates Engines. Continental also prepared a special tyre (it was lighter with less rolling resistance) with a special harder compound too.

The car and the new twin-turbo V6 EcoBoost engine will compete in next year's Tudor United SportsCar Championship, starting at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January. With this speed record under their belts, these boys might be a little bit confident...