With all the talk about the 2012 Boss Mustang being "track ready" (2 keys and all) I had the question as to what is needed to bring your car to the track?

I have gone to the drag strip and this does not require anything but a car and a pulse but I assume that road track racing requires more. I tried to Google this but there is not a lot out there to find. From what I can tell some tracks require you to take a training session. I also assume you need proper clothing of some sort, at least a helmet, maybe more.

But what does the car need to be a road track car? I would assume that it needs at least a roll bar, maybe fire control or safety switches? All these things would not make the Boss "Track Legal" as it comes from the factory.

So I guess my main question is "is the Boss really track legal or is this just gimmicky advertising to get the average un-informed consumer to buy? I know you can take it to the drags (as long as you do not exceed 11.5) but it is not set up as a drag car (too heavy, too many options, incorrect tires, no roll bar/cage, etc).

TED

"The Mustang Boss 302 is already a beast of a car, with 444 horsepower. In TracKey mode, it becomes a track-ready racecar, with higher low-end torque and two-stage launch control. “From an engine management standpoint, we’ve done just about everything possible to give TracKey users a full racecar experience,” said Jeff Seaman, the Mustang’s powertrain engineer, in a statement. “It’s not for use on the street – for example, the deceleration is set up to preserve the brakes, and the throttle response is very aggressive. A skilled driver on a closed course will really appreciate the benefits.”

 

Equipment required is like any other racing, depends on the class you will run your car in.

 

Based on how you asked the question I would generally just agree with Ltngdrvr.

What most people who "track their cars" do are "club track days"... this is not wheel-to-wheel racing, its really just lapping. There are strict requirements on how/when you can pass and such. In this case, most clubs just require a SNELL helmet and a simple tech inspection (seat belts, car free of lose items, decent rubber, proof of recent brake fluid / brake pad maintenance).

For wheel-to-wheel its much more stringent, you need roll bars and 5-point harness likely, you probably also have displacement requirements, certain amount of stock parts, etc. And that all depends on the type of racing you are doing and your class. Thats a whole other question entirely. And you would almost never race a daily driver in this manner, you would have a track car, and it would probably be sponsored.

When Ford says track ready, they mean you could go to a club track day and actually smoke the guys running the course in Miata's.

 

Assuming you want to run the car hard on "track days", but otherwise keep the car street legal, check out the following. These are the mods Stinger1982 has done to his car to prep it for the track. His car is a good example, as he works for Rehagen Racing, and they know how to set up the car.

Conversely, I asked him, and this is what he felt the Boss would need:
- Remove the rear brake dust shields
- Add the FRPP brake cooling kit
- Change the brake fluid
- Track brake pads
- Dedicated set of track wheels and tires

 

This is the same you would have to do in order to prep your non-Boss car for the track.

Where are you located? There are many regional NASA groups that run structured HPDE track days for street cars. That would be a great organization to get started with for track driving. http://www.nasaproracing.com/

 

It's the difference between me and these guys, all running our street cars on the track:



And these guys, racing for (a small amount of) money:






You can take your four cylinder Camry to the track, but it won't survive long being driven hard. Some prep for the track for any of these cars is good, even the Boss, just depends on how far you want to go, and if you want to compete it depends on the rules for the class you're in.

 

what makes the Boss a better vehicle for the track as opposed to the GT are things like improved cooling (radiator and ducting, oil cooler, brake ducts, rear end girdle), durability (oil pan baffling, upgraded clutch and rear end) as well as the stiffer suspension and more HP. The only thing req'd for a track day for most cars is a helmet. How the car performs while on track (and for how long) is what the Boss is about.

 

To take the Boss to American Iron Extreme levels would be relatively simple, the brake stuff above, tires, and some safety equipment (full roll cage, fire extinguishers, maybe fuel tank?) and some further lightening. Might not be fully competitive, but much less would need to be done. Just a question if you want to take a brand new limited edition pricey car like that and turn it into a paint swapper. Be better off buying one of the used FR500S or C cars, which are truly race cars from the start.

 

Thanks for the information guys, great stuff. I just have not done this kind of racing before and was curious what was needed. Sounds like if you just want to do it for a hobby than almost nothing.

Don't think you will ever see my GT at the road track but I do plan to find out what it does at the drags. I'm in Olympia Wa and Seattle or Bremerton is the closest for me but I prefer to go down to Portland. Every Friday and Saturday night they have nothing but Test and Tune and it very good and fairly cheap fun. The track is also very well lit and the pit area all paved; very nice. I just like to race against myself and improve when I can. The car I'm using now is a 1987 T-bird with a Cadillac 500 engine. I'm doing high 11's right now NA. I also have nitrous but have not used it but a couple of times, was down to 11.45 in one run and expect to do better next year. If I did take the GT it would be my first time at the track with a manual.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoZO6v3v-2g

Finally got the T-bird where you can see a little air under both front tires.

Would be fun to try the road course but I think I would be the slowest person there and the one to past.

TED

 

I recommend getting a feel for road course work by autocrossing. While the car set-up and techniques vary because the speeds are lower, you'll get a feel for sensations of braking, steering, and accelerating at higher limits than you can safely do on the street. Others have given great answers here, but I would consider a car 'track ready' with sticky tires, upgraded brake pads, and a way to keep the brakes as cool as possible. The type of track event I would drive is NOT one where I would be wheel-to-wheel and be using up brakes and tires every weekend. So, in essence, my track-ready car would be used for the occasional weekend runs. I want my track-ready car to be street legal too.