2018 Mustang GT Trounces Several Mopars, Snaps Rear Axle

Tuned Mustang runs consistent 11.20s in the quarter mile, beating stronger vehicles that can’t get off of the line.

The video above comes from the StangMode YouTube channel and it features the 2018 Ford Mustang GT named “Black Mamba” taking on a handful of supercharged Mopars at Atco Raceway. The purple-wrapped pony car is able to out-launch all of the competitors, even a few with four-wheel-drive, allowing the Ford with far less power to pile up the wins. We also get some bonus footage of the 2018 GT beating up on a Corvette Stingray.

Unfortunately, the video ends with the unique Mustang GT launching hard with the TransBrake, but the forces prove to be too much, snapping at least one of the axles when the driver releases the brake.

Trackhawk #1

Aside from the Corvette at the beginning of the video, the first racing action takes place between the 2018 Mustang GT and a stock Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT Trackhawk. The Jeep packs a supercharged Hemi with 707 horsepower and 650 lb-ft of torque along with all-wheel-drive, but it weighs about 5,400 pounds without the driver.

The Mustang has a drag pack tire setup, an E85 tune and weight reduction that brings it down to just 3,650 pounds. There may be other upgrades, but it seems likely that the Jeep is making far more power.

Even with the all-wheel-drive, the Ford gets away from the starting line better. The Jeep keeps somewhat close at first, but as the two head down-track, the Mustang ends up beating the Grand Cherokee by a comfortable gap. On the top end, the pony car runs an 11.24 at 124 miles per hour while the Jeep runs an 11.46 at 118.32.

Bring on the Hellcat

Next, the 2018 Ford Mustang GT takes on a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. The big sedan is stock with the exception of drag radials, but they don’t help enough. After both cars get the tires good and hot, they stage and wait for the green lights to drop, at which point the Mustang jumps out to a big lead. The Dodge can’t get traction, leading it to run a balmy 11.50 at 127 miles per hour to the Mustang’s 11.21 at 122.

The traction troubles allowed the Ford to get the early lead and the weight difference prevented the Charger from closing before the finish line.

Livernois Trackhawk

The third and fourth races of the video take place against another Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk that has been tuned by Livernois Motorsports to deliver 1,000 horsepower at the crankshaft and 840 horsepower at the wheels. In other words, this Jeep is making roughly twice the wheel horsepower and it has all-wheel-drive, but even before the race, the Trackhawk driver is complaining of traction issues.

When the two line up, those concerns prove to be valid, as the 1,000-horsepower Jeep runs slower than the stock Trackhawk while the Mustang runs an 11.256 at 122 miles per hour. The Jeep driver explains that he spun hard on the launch, forcing him to lift, so he wants another shot.

On the second run, the Jeep gets the grip that it needs to use all of that power, running a 10.42 at 133 miles per hour while the Mustang runs its worse pass of the video with an 11.366.

Break Time

Finally, the 2018 Ford Mustang GT heads to the starting line to make a run with the TransBrake. After letting the car in the other lane drive away, we hear the engine of Black Mamba roar before the driver let’er rip. Unfortunately, that sudden blast of power is too much for the stock axles, so the engine revs free as the wheels are effectively separated from the rest of the drivetrain.

Crank up your speakers and enjoy.

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Patrick Rall

"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.

"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.

"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.

"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.

"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.

"Being based on Detroit," says Rall, "I never miss the North American International Auto Show, the Woodward Dream Cruise and Roadkill Nights, along with spending plenty of time raising hell on Detroit's Woodward Avenue with the best muscle car crowd in the world.

Rall can be contacted at QuickMirada@Yahoo.com

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