Full disclosure: I’m posting this here for you all, but I’m not. I’ll explain. You’re Ford nuts, so I’m sure you’ve had some sort of experience with an EcoBoost-powered vehicle. Many of you probably own at least one. I’m sharing news of this year’s EcoBoost Challenge for you…to share with your friends and family members who haven’t driven a Blue Oval with an EcoBoost under its hood.
Tell them they can get behind the wheel of “some of Ford’s most anticipated new models, including the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang and all-new 2015 Ford F-150 [with a 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6] – the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever. Also on hand will be the all-new 2015 Ford Edge, new 2015 Expedition, plus Escape, Fusion Hybrid and Transit Connect Wagon.”
While at the EcoBoost Challenge, participants can test the speed of their reflexes in the Fiesta and Focus STs in the ST Reaction Time Challenge, test the F-150 and Edge against their competitors, and discover the Mustang EcoBoost’s “elevated performance and handling.” They’ll also get the chance to experience Ford’s park assist technologies and go through a “ShiftPhobia” manual transmission bootcamp, among other things.
On top of all of that, they can also potentially win an EcoBoost-powered 2015 Ford Edge to drive home.
Let your family and friends know they can register at ecoboostdrive.com. The upcoming dates and times of the 2015 EcoBoost Challenge are below:
•Dallas: AT&T Stadium, March 21
•Washington, D.C.: FedEx Field, March 28
•Houston: NRG Park, April 18
•Louisville, Kentucky: Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium, April 25
•Phoenix: WestWorld, May 2
•Concord, North Carolina: Charlotte Motor Speedway, May 2
•Seattle: Emerald Downs, May 9
•Chicago: Arlington Park, May 9
•Cincinnati: Forest Fair Village Mall, May 30
•Pittsburgh: Pittsburgh International Race Complex, May 30
•Orlando, Florida: Orange County Convention Center, June 6
•Philadelphia: Wells Fargo Center, June 6
•San Francisco: Oakland Alameda Coliseum, June 13
•Rochester, New York: Monroe Community College, June 13
•Minneapolis: Mall of America, June 20
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
