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Ford is building a race-ready 2008 Mustang FR500S on the line with the standard Mustang. The car is intended to be an affordable product for club racers. (Photo courtesy of Ford Motor Company)

LAS VEGAS — Following in the footsteps of several competitors, Ford Racing is offering the race-ready 2008 Mustang FR500S as an affordable factory-built entry for would-be club racers. The FR500S debuted this week at the 2007 SEMA Show.

The car, which retails for $75,000, will also be the centerpiece next year of a new Mustang spec series, the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup. The FR500S joins its FR500C and FR500GT siblings in the Mustang racing stable.

The FR500S is built on the Mustang production line in Flat Rock, Michigan. Its 4.6-liter V8 comes from Ford’s Romeo engine plant. Interior work on the SEMA show vehicle was performed at Watson Engineering in Taylor, Michigan, while Roush Industries did the engine dyno work.

What this means to you: The price of weekend racing continues to get more affordable.