Welllllllll.......maybe. Thanks for keeping my spirits up guys. But I'm still pissed.

 

And rightfully so, but I sure you'll forget all about it when you take your first lap around your favorite track. Keep the faith.

 

Oh gee thanks for that tidbit Ford. My son's Focus "drives just fine" without it too.

 

I agree with your point and it did occur to me as well. However, I am already planning on doing that with the Watts link. It's going to sit in my garage until I get at least one track day so I can do a comparo. The way it's looking with TracKey I'll get that comparo plus another with TracKey. The only issue with that is after the first track day there will probably be a half dozen other parts I'll want to upgrade

 

I have it on the contract and have read or 1 or 2 others who did that. This is going to have as many threads as getting the cars. Round two if you like, and again if they just release some basic info on it, it would go a long way. Something like - track key is still being revised after test results at the LS track or it is being delayed due to state emission requirements. Anything just to let us know, they hyped the S#!* out of it so it is not like they can't get the word out there.

 

"Oh gee thanks for that tidbit Ford. My son's Focus "drives just fine" without it too."

Yeah, I was about ready to spit fire at that point. Obviously I'm looking to track the car after breaking it in and everyone's initial understanding was that the "red key" would be available with the car. Forgot to mention the dude also confirmed the price would be between three and four hundred $$$. No big deal but...where have I seen a price stated via Ford? Nowhere.

 

The price was said to be $302.

 

Yeah, I've heard that too, but Ford should lay down specifics for all the hype they're churning. Are you NC too?

 

Ford: how about an extra 100 rpm for each month we have to wait?

 

*sigh

 

I got my track key so.....

 

It's a regular key, just like the silver/black one

 

This is confusing

 

The red key is just a normal key until it gets reflashed to become the trackey. Trackey availability has been said to be sometime this summer. So the wait begins!

 

How do know that? I assumed this but no one was able to answer it for sure.

 

http://www.fordracingparts.com/trackey/default.asp

cliff notes version of what the site says...

"The optional TracKey Powertrain Control Module software is available only to owners of the 2012 Boss 302 and is installed exclusively by an authorized Ford dealer after vehicle purchase."

and

"Available Summer 2011 - Pending California Air Resource Board (CARB) approval."

 

My understanding is the PCM has dual paths. i.e. It holds two tunes instead of just one like most PCMs/ECUs. The keys are coded to activate their respective tunes. Either key will activate the "street" tune until your dealer either downloads or unlocks the TracKey tune. Ford hasn't commented specifically on that part of it other than "requires dealer activation". Once both tunes are active in the PCM, the Red Key activates the TracKey tune and the black one the "street" tune.

 

SIT TIGHT ! DON’T WORRY
YOUR LOCAL FORD DEALER, WILL BE ABLE TO PROGRAM THE KEY.

 

Just not right away if you already have your car. Thankfully mine is a 2nd quarter allocation, so hopefully by the time I get my car, the TracKey will be available!

 

..now it's the only key I'll use.