Mustang Shelby GT500

Make
Ford
Segment
Coupe

The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C8 is both highly tuneable and apparently very safe too, but how does a stock one do on the half-mile? Speed Phenom is a Youtube channel whose owner has a Mustang Shelby GT500 Track Pack that is also stock, and while racing at a private airstrip, he came across a C8 and decided to take it on in a drag race. The race with the Corvette only starts at 15:20, but the rest of the video is worth a watch too as he compares top speeds with and without the Track Pack's aero at maximum downforce.

Besides the comparative races between the Camaro and the Mustang, there's also some drama to be seen in the unfortunate loss of an Audi R8's right rear wheel while at high speed. Fortunately, both occupants made it out of the wreck with no serious injuries.

But back to the Track Pack-equipped GT500. The driver claims that he could feel a difference in how the Stang accelerates with the wing in its lowest setting, the hood's vents closed up, and the front canards removed. But is that enough to win races, or will the GT500 prove too powerful for an unprepared surface?

As you can see from the first two races against a stunning Camaro ZL1, also with an automatic transmission, traction is a big issue for the 760-horsepower Mustang. Despite this, he manages to beat the modified, 700-hp ZL1 twice in a row, but interestingly, the far less powerful Corvette, with its 490-odd horsepower can't be overtaken. A bad launch contributes to the advantage for the C8, but once that Stang hooks, the gap between the two cars closes fast. Not fast enough for the win, but still, remarkably quickly. This just goes to show that power isn't everything and that driver error and old rubber can be your worst enemies in a race.