The Fastest Mustang on the Planet.

Ford Motor Company has based the S197 Mustang around tradition, from styling to trimlines, and the Hajek Motorsports Mustang is no difference. In 1968 a Mustang Mach 1 hit the Bonneville Salt Flats, piloted by Mickey Thompson, and the new performance trimline from Ford helped Thompson to set 295 speed and endurance records.  Some 40 years later, another Mustang headed to Bonneville, this time piloted by Mickey’s son, Danny Thompson, and once again the legendary pony stood tall, hitting an official top speed of 252.78 mph.

Unlike the 1968 record, performed in a modified street trimline, the 2008 record was set in a car that started as a not-for-street-use FR500C.  The car was then fitted with a handful of items from the Ford GT Supercar, starting with the engine block and cylinder heads, and the heavily modified engine makes over 1000 horsepower with the help of a roots style supercharger, but unlike the original attempt in 1968, this Mustang is fueled by E85.

Like his father’s Mustang in 1968, the FR500C was painted metallic blue, with gold trim along the sides, even though the gold steel wheels found on the ’69 Mach 1 have been removed in favor of a set of more typical closed-front wheels, ideal for high speed aerodynamics.  Only minor external modifications have been made to this Mustang to achieve this speed record, showing off the aerodynamic qualities of the S197 body, and the tuned 5.4L engine, built predominantly with Ford Racing parts does a great job of showcasing the work of the Ford engine development team.  Danny Thompson’s 252.78 mph run serves as a great tribute to the work of his father some 40 years earlier, and record-setters like Mickey Thompson, who did so in a Mustang, helped to lift the Mustang to the head of its class.

Since the introduction of the S197 chassis, Ford has worked to offer a race-built Mustang for all sorts of racing, from drag racing to road racing, and although some modifications were needed, the FR500C has proven to be a worthy salt flat vehicle, giving Mustang enthusiasts one more option in the Motorsports world.