Mustangs galloped with Track Guys at Sebring International Raceway
By Steve Turner
Photos by Steve Turner and courtesy of VMP Tuning
Over the last 14 years, Track Guys hosted a performance-driving event at Sebring International Raceway. Some years it was affiliated with the SVTOA or a Ford aftermarket company, but no matter what sponsors were involved, there were always a lot of high-performance Fords in attendance, and this year was no different. In fact, at the event held on the last weekend in May, there was everything from vintage rides to the latest 2015 Mustangs lapping the historic, 3.7-mile course.
Vapor Silver to the front! While the Track Guys events are open to all makes and models, the Sebring event is steeped in Ford tradition. This year it once again brought a parade of ponies out of their stables to run on the historic road course, including a healthy crowd of Boss 302s and GT500s.
“Track Guys events are not wheel-to-wheel racing events. Track Guys events are performance driving education events where you learn at your own pace, with plenty of classroom sessions and seat time out on the track to help you ‘get it right.’ You’ll even have the chance to go for some at-speed rides with our instructors,†says the company. “Track Guys events are open to drivers of all skill and experience levels. From pure first-timer to experience veteran, Track Guys programs provide a safe, fun and educational driving environment for everyone. Beginning and Novice level drivers get their own classroom sessions and in-car instructors, while Intermediate and Advanced drivers are in run groups with others of similar experience.â€
VMP Tuning was a sponsor of this year’s event, and the entire team was out in force. VMP’s NMRA Coyote Modified racer Rebecca Starkey took a break from the 1,320 to carve up some corners at Sebring in this 700-horsepower, VMP TVS-boosted Boss 302. Meanwhile, Justin Starkey managed to score some track time in the various VMP machines in between tuning cars on a portable Dynojet.
At Sebring the cars were divided into four run groups based on driver skill. The Track Guys team kept the program running on a tight schedule, so every group got plenty of track time, and the drivers were able to learn have a lot of fun. We had a blast seeing and hearing all the awesome Ford performance hardware zooming by our cameras.
For those that gained confidence in the first day of the school, there was a new offering at this year’s event, the Steeda Hot Lap Challenge. Drivers were able to sign up for one of three classes—Stock, Modified, and Race—and have their lap times recorded by a transponder. As the event wound down on Sunday, Track Guys awarded trophies to the four quickest vehicles in each class.
Another big sponsor of the event was Steeda Autosports. The company sponsored the Hot Lap Challenge, which let drivers try to run quick the quickest lap of the registered cars in the Stock, Modified, and Race classes. The Track Guys team timed the cars using transponders and awarded five trophies in each class. The company also had a veritable late-model Mustang performance history lesson on display in the paddock. From its storied 1993 Cobra R racer to the latest 2015 Mustangs, Steeda has a little something for everyone—and they all saw track time!
If you’ve always dreamed of running on a road course, but were held back by inexperience, these events are the best way to get on track and improve yours skills. Track Guys runs six events across the country, so if this kind of thing sounds like fun to you, be sure to hit up the Track Guys site and see if there’s one coming to your area.
Ben Launerts, the main man at the South Florida ’Stangs car club, was on hand in his Aluminator-swapped 2001 Mustang GT. He was having a great time on the track, and was even giving ride-alongs so a few lucky passengers could experience Sebring at speed.For a moment your author flashed back to the St. Pete Gran Prix after seeing this Rehagen Racing Grand Am Mustang ripping around the track.A longtime Fox Mustang supporter, Mike Albano also owns a classic Saleen Mustang. At this year’s Track Guys event, Mike was really curious if his lighter Fox could run with the high-powered modern hardware. From what we could tell, Mike and his Fox held their own out there, and it was fun seeing a clean Fox out on the big track.Bullitt Mustangs—both the 2001 and 2008 varieties—were always fun on the road course. This S197 example must have been even more fun, as its breathing was enhanced by one of Ford Performance Racing Parts’ composite Three-Valve intake manifolds.In between sessions, Justin Starkey of VMP Tuning put his tuning acumen and portable Dynojet to good use. He tuned up this Boss 302S clone, owned by Track Guys’ Director of Safety, Jonathan Blevins, to deliver 450 rear-wheel horsepower.Seeing this Tangerine Scream Focus ST zipping around the track made us want to take Project Silver Lining out for a little romp, but somebody has to hold the camera.These days we take for granted just how big a step up the Boss 302 was for the S197 platform. At the time it was arguably the best Mustang ever built, and it definitely send the venerable platform out on a high note. The Laguna Seca was the most sharply tuned and rarest of the breed, and it was great seeing one doing its thing where it belongs—on the racetrack.We did stop clicking the shutter long enough to take a parade lap in the passenger seat of BJ McCarty’s 2015 EcoBoost Mustang. The VMP Tuning Business Manager had just completed a series of mods, which you will read about here in the near future. He had a great time testing the car’s new Levels Performance intercooler on the track.
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