Drive A 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 On A Track

Ford recently opened a new Ford Performance Racing School at the Charlotte Motor Speedway located in Concord, North Carolina. The first program being offered there is the GT500 Track Attack. Similar to other programs offered to customers by Ford Performance, GT500 owners will be given the experience of a lifetime and learn from professional driving instructors. Read about Ford Performance Racing school for other brands here.

Learning to Drive the Street-Legal Shelby GT500
According to Ford, training will begin in the classroom but end on one of America’s best road courses and its first four-wide drag strip. Ford Performance Racing instructors will showcase the handling and capability of the GT500. In a controlled environment, owners will experience cornering, braking and ideal launch techniques with a focus on the dynamics of the Shelby GT500.

This is sure to be a thrilling driving experience. It’s also a good thing for Ford to provide such training considering the performance ability of the GT500. That’s a lot of power and performance and learning how to handle it and control can go a long way for safety too.

According to Dave Pericak, Ford director of enterprise product line management, “With its supercar-level powertrain, the all-new Shelby GT500 takes Mustang to a performance level once reserved only for exotics. We’ve set a new standard among American performance cars with our most powerful street-legal V8 to date, plus the quickest-shifting transmission ever in a Mustang for all-out precision and speed,” he said. “The GT500 Track Attack is absolutely essential in helping owners understand how to get the most out of their cars. This promises to be an exciting experience – one that owners will never forget.”

What Is Included in the GT500 Track Attack?
Ford will cover costs of the driving school in its entirety, although owners will be responsible for their own travel and hotel accommodations. There is a second day option that is also not included. That optional second of on-track instruction will be conducted in Ford Mustang GTs equipped with upgraded Ford Performance suspensions and brakes, according to Ford. During the GT500 Track Attack owners will get to enjoy the first-class facilities at the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

According to the Track Attack website, “From first-class classrooms and infield meeting facilities to the road course and Roval to the zMax 4-wide drag strip there is no other complex in the country better suited to showcasing the many talents of the GT500, the pinnacle of any pony car ever engineered by Ford Performance.”

Dan McKeever, president of Ford Performance Racing School said, “We are looking forward to the first season of GT500 Track Attack, especially as this will be among the first programs conducted at our new facility in Concord. Shelby GT500 is an exceptional car and delivers an exhilarating driving experience.” He went on to say, “Our school is the perfect venue to demonstrate just what it can do, both on the track and on the strip. Our professional instructors can help anyone take their driving expertise to the next level, whether they are beginners or experienced drivers.”

Ford says options for owners to bring guests are being considered, but are not yet finalized.

For more information on this exceptional experience visit www.gt500trackattack.com.
The Ford Performance Racing School was founded in 2006 and has featured owner value perks for other vehicles including Mustang, Fiesta ST, F-150 Raptor, Edge ST and Explorer ST. The school employs championship-winning drivers.

See you in my next story where I am discussing if GM may sub-brand the Chevrolet Corvette just like Ford did Mustant with Mach-E and why carmakers do it.

Jimmy Dinsmore has been an automotive journalist for more than a decade and been a writer since the high school. His Driver’s Side column features new car reviews and runs in several newspapers throughout the country. In addition to being a nationally syndicated automotive columnist, Jimmy has been published in a compilation book about children growing up with disabilities, where he shared his own very personal experience. He is also co-author of the book “Mustang by Design” and “Ford Trucks: A Unique Look at the Technical History of America’s Most Popular Truck”. Also, Jimmy works in the social media marketing world for a Canadian automotive training aid manufacturing company. Follow Jimmy on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.