2019 Cobra Jet program in jeopardy ?

[Riccardi Racing]

Originally Posted by Jesse Kershaw

I'm glad to see the concern over the program and thought I would share some of my thoughts as I'm in the unique position of being the only Cobra Jet program manager to delivery every single turn-key car to date, despite having been gone from Ford for more than 2 years.

It was important to me while I was there for the car to be a value but also be profitable for the company. My belief is that if it's not profitable then changes in management structure would make it easy to dismiss. When things get tough unprofitable programs get cut.

When Ford Racing became Ford Performance the groups changed drastically and became more fractured. What was SVT vehicles became FP Vehicles and the pro racing engineering portion of Ford Racing moved over there and reported up the mainstream engineering structure. THis brought enormous resources to race operations and you see the results especially in NASCAR.

The marketing for FP vehicles and pro racing marketing split off and reports up the mainstream marketing channel.

This left FP parts an orphan reporting up yet a different channel into a group called vehicle personalization with an entirely new management structure within the Ford Customer Service Division (FCSD).

instead of 2 "smokestacks" of SVT and Ford Racing, Ford Performance was now a single name but actually 3 smokestacks with different objectives and goals.

This was not a good thing for the parts program, and Cobra Jet that was developed within in. The first Cobra Jet released under this new structure was the 2016 model. For my part my influence over the program greatly diminished in this new group and in the new structure the engineering team was given largely free reign. The timing and costs doubled, and that's me being nice. Compared to prior model years for the amount of investment the 2016 should have been earth shattering. It was a battle to try and push the engineers to finish the car with the content racers wanted. I firmly believe had I not been there the 2016 model would have been far worse (I have specific examples) and would have been released even later than it was. I believe for the most I did the right things for the program at the expense of my "friendliness" with the engineering team because unfortunately that was the only way to get results.

In late 2016 we did convince Dave Pericak to weigh in on the Cobra Jet program and we had several meetings with him on the 2018 Cobra Jet. The parts program was technically "dotted line" to Dave so while we didn't report to him directly he was a director and had say over Ford Performance content as the overall keeper of the brand. Brian Wolfe even came back for the meetings to help navigate getting the CJ program back on track both with customer content and profitability for the company. Overwhelmingly Pericak sided with the content decisions I was championing but he was knee deep in Ford GT and despite several meetings it was clear that Pericak wanted to do the right thing but didn't have the time to oversee the program and it was unlikely things would change for the better without his aircover.

For my part around this time in fall 2016 I had decided to move on from Ford. One of the final straws to my decision was related to these CJ meetings where our business manager pulled me aside before walking in and threatened to fire me if I "embarrassed" him. He was telling me to lie to Pericak to save him and his cronies embarrassment over the poor financial performance and questionable decisions around the 2016 model. This was the second time he had made such threats and I'm ashamed to admit that while I didn't technically lie for him I was less forthcoming with my answers and lied by omission by not speaking up when I otherwise would have. For me this was the beginning of the end because I could no longer effectively and honestly do my job. (this business manager suddenly and mysteriously "retired" last year without a going away party/luncheon, etc.)

I left Ford in February 2017 and the 2018 CJ had already missed several deadlines and targets but had a 99% complete product description and intent deck. A test car was slated to be out by summer and real cars delivered to the 2018 WInternationals. I had coordinated with the Ford California region and the Mustang marketing manager to make a big deal out of the whole thing. Obviously that did not happen.

The 2019 CJ is drastically different than the product attributes agreed to in 2016. Some things like the new WHipple weren't in existence at the time, others are just different, and IMO worse. I am hesitant to criticize the car details because I want people to love their purchase and even if I know it could have been better I don't want to poison someone who loves their car.

Some of the things I saw after the Ford Performance restructuring that contributed to the group's dysfunction were in violation of the Ford code of ethics. If there was an investigation around such things it could be ongoing and witnesses to an investigation that are no longer with the company would be asked not to discuss it, employees cannot discuss it without jeopardizing their jobs.

I don;'t speak for Ford and I do wish the company and the racers the best but it's hard for me to imagine the program improving without a drastic change in how it's being a approached within the company. As of right now I do not believe a single 2019 CJ has been delivered. (the Skillman and Turk cars were delivered as semi-rollers and a pile of parts I am told). I know I have been criticized for not always "playing nice" within Ford but I stand by what I did because that's what it took to get things done. The new CJ is at least a year late, $25k more expensive, durability unknown, and after 3 years of development there's no way it's profitable. They missed the 50th anniversary model year completely, for comparison in 2008 we didn't start development until spring 2008 and still delivered cars before the end of the year so we could legitimately say it was a true 2008 model. The Showdown engine combo is strong right now largely thanks to Whipple but if there isn't someone constantly working with NHRA I question how long that will last. And with restructuring at Ford this is not the right time to have turmoil and money loss on a program, the CJ program hasn't brought in money for 3 years, and simultaneously had the longest and presumably most expensive development in it's history. IMO the best thing that could happen to the CJ program, and the best way to save it, would be if it is moved out of FP Parts and into the pro race operations group under Mark Rushbrook. I have no confidence in the team currently overseeing it, but for the customers and the program I'd be happy if they prove me wrong.

Jessie I have known you for many years thru Ford Racing and you were the one anyone could go to for an answer or advise because of your knowledge and you would always steer the people right. It's a sin what has happened over there since you left. There is no loyalty to the dealer's that made them who they are. We have been there since the start basically and now they go and terminated all contracts with Ford Racing Dealers inside a Ford Franchise's and are making us buy from our motor craft suppliers now at a higher price but the Independent Ford Racing Dealers can continue to purchase direct at a cheaper price! WTF we sell their cars, stock their Ford Parts, fix their Ford vehicles but they screw us by making us pay more then an outside dealer. Very sad that over 30 year's of selling and representing Ford Racing we wont be anymore.Hopefully they dont ask the dealers they screwed over to come back when they start sinking further then they already are because they are burning those bridges.