whos tracking their R?

[AshelbyR]

Wondering how many folks are taking their R's to the track vs making them garage queens?
I'm planning on it once I get wrapped/Quartz (not sure will help with rocks)and roll cage in. I saw a black R with black stripes and then magnetic with black stripes that looked like it had already seen track time. Wondering if those were anyone from here?

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[Bossing]

No R for me (yet) but for sure most R owners are tucking them away as garage ornaments and will never ever see the track or rain or even a rally. A few here have tracked theirs (and extra kudos to them) so I'm sure they will post sooner or later.

And IMHO tracking these cars is what it's meant to be used for. It doesn't mean you will flog it every single weekend... but on occasion, there's nothing wrong with doing it at all. I know some will disagree but hey there's more fun in actually driving it than just letting it sit for pics or window dressing. My opinion... btw I'ved tracked my 350 a few times (6 total events to date) and it still looks great.

My point is you can still track a car like an R and protect it well (e.g. PPF as you're planning and even temporary masking further helps). Here's one proof of a friend's R who's clearly having real fun on the track with his... this is a rare one too. No A/C... base R. Well maintained and PPF on his... so it does help.

 

[tdzee]

I am planning on having my base 17R stored at the track, along with my other toys. As stated above, it is what they were built for.

Would have done that with my base 16R, but someone decided they wanted it MUCH more than I did.

 

[AshelbyR]

No R for me (yet) but for sure most R owners are tucking them away as garage ornaments and will never ever see the track or rain or even a rally. A few here have tracked theirs (and extra kudos to them) so I'm sure they will post sooner or later.

And IMHO tracking these cars is what it's meant to be used for. It doesn't mean you will flog it every single weekend... but on occasion, there's nothing wrong with doing it at all. I know some will disagree but hey there's more fun in actually driving it than just letting it sit for pics or window dressing. My opinion... btw I'ved tracked my 350 a few times (6 total events to date) and it still looks great.

My point is you can still track a car like an R and protect it well (e.g. PPF as you're planning and even temporary masking further helps). Here's one proof of a friend's R who's clearly having real fun on the track with his... this is a rare one too. No A/C... base R. Well maintained and PPF on his... so it does help.

Thanks for the reply. I drove it yesterday around town late in the day and was so bored. It needs to run!! I guess I feel like the crazy one taking it but I was with my friend at VIR who tracks his 2016 GT3 so that really made me feel better
The few good corners I've been able to take with this car have hooked up so well I can't imagine how fun this is going to be on the track. Having mostly German cars except for the wife's Infiniti qx 80 (boring) it feels great to be in a car that has life to it.

 

[AshelbyR]

I am planning on having my base 17R stored at the track, along with my other toys. As stated above, it is what they were built for.

Would have done that with my base 16R, but someone decided they wanted it MUCH more than I did.

Trust me if I could find the guy who wanted to pay my dealer $50,000 over sticker to have my car now I wouldn't blink. It was optioned as he wanted and wanted it bad as well.

 

[AshelbyR]

I noticed the rear quarter panels likes to take rock hits. Doors?

 

[SVTDSM]

I ordered mine specifically for track use. I'll still drive it on the street, and take it to shows/events, but it'll primarily be used for the track.

 

[Bossing]

I noticed the rear quarter panels likes to take rock hits. Doors?

Usually at the lower sill/rocker panel area which is actually mostly from your F tires... and then in the front area of the wheels by the lower quarter panel. A lot of this also depends if you're continuously trailing directly behind other cars lap after lap especially at higher speeds and if you're following them off line (because the surface outside of the driving/racing lines are typically ladened with more track debris/rubber).

Thanks for the reply. I drove it yesterday around town late in the day and was so bored. It needs to run!! I guess I feel like the crazy one taking it but I was with my friend at VIR who tracks his 2016 GT3 so that really made me feel better
The few good corners I've been able to take with this car have hooked up so well I can't imagine how fun this is going to be on the track. Having mostly German cars except for the wife's Infiniti qx 80 (boring) it feels great to be in a car that has life to it.

You're not crazy at all. You're doing it right... you will enjoy its capabilities which cannot be replicated on the street, period, no matter what anyone says. Actually I see more Porsche guys track their just as desirable but much more expensive and more limited production GTx (x = 2/3/3RS/4) cars than GT350 owners do... so don't feel stupid.

Plus you're actually opposite of that... as opposed to just having yours in a bubble for bragging rights or just collecting dust like a knickknack.

 

[Dig-It]

Another R for the track here. I'd go more often, but this damn j-o-b keeps getting in the way!

 

[Toodles]

Me.

 

[garagelogic]

Tracked mine twice since January and have right at 9800 total miles on the car to-date. No garage queen here. Personally, I think it's a shame to make any modern performance car a garage queen.

 

[SVTDSM]

Tracked mine twice since January and have right at 9800 total miles on the car to-date. No garage queen here. Personally, I think it's a shame to make any modern performance car a garage queen.

Have you been going to NCM? Any lap times? Let me know next time you book a track day, it'd be cool to have two 350's out there.

 

[BmacIL]

Personally, I get angry thinking about people who buy these and don't drive them much, let alone track them. The car is special, exciting and yes, relatively rare, but it's not a P1 or Pagani Huayra or LaFerrari guys. C'mon now. I'd still drive and track those if I were lucky enough to own one.

It's a Mustang, a darn special and amazing one, but a Mustang all the same. It was built to be driven....HARD.

 

[ohtobbad]

I track mine, work gets in the way and limited to how many days I have run.
So far two, with another one next week and one more in October if weather holds.
I have already bought 2nd set of fronts and just got a full set of 4 tires.
I will need to change all four after next track sessions.
9000km/ 5500 miles so far and still months left. that said it has been an exceptional summer
here, I hope in continues, this car is amazing, not driving it should be a crime.

 

[PP0001]

Personally, I get angry thinking about people who buy these and don't drive them much, let alone track them. The car is special, exciting and yes, relatively rare, but it's not a P1 or Pagani Huayra or LaFerrari guys. C'mon now. I'd still drive and track those if I were lucky enough to own one.

It's a Mustang, a darn special and amazing one, but a Mustang all the same. It was built to be driven....HARD.

It is really interesting to hear some of you that actually get angry thinking about people who don't track their R models.

Did you ever consider than maybe some of us have been there and done that therefore just enjoying these R models on the street might be enjoyment enough for some of us older Mustang enthusiasts?

It was pretty much 47 years ago this month that I was already drag racing my '67 Mercury Cougar along with my cousin's '69 GTO Judge. I suggest that many of you were not even thought of back in the late 60's.

Once the 80's came I then bought an '83 Mustang GT and immediately tore out the stock suspension and replaced it with the best Rancho Suspension Kit that I could buy at the time after which time I went auto crossing for a number of years. Stock Camaro's and Corvette's did not pose much of a challenge with this Rancho setup.

Later on in the '80's I bought a brand new '86 Dodge Omni GLH and also raced an '87 Mustang LX 5.0 notchback at the same time. Yokohama tires on the GLH and was sponsored by Goodyear with shaved tires for the Mustang. I made a lot of great new friends and learned a lot from some of the senior drivers in our car club.

Unfortunately during the late 80's I developed an inner ear condition that really had a terrible effect on the way I felt after a number of hot laps after which time I told myself that even though I loved the competition and the excitement of these great cars that the side effects of feeling ill was not worth the price of admission.

Do I wish that I could be on the track regularly with my R models along with many of you youngsters and even older enthusiasts, absolutely but aside from putting in a few laps in here and there it just isn't going to happen.

Next time you see some of us older enthusiasts out driving our R models on the street keep in mind that maybe some of us were tracking our cars before some of you were even born and that in most cases most would like to be out there with you!

Before you judge some of us older enthusiasts ( and even younger enthusiasts) as to how why we only drive our R models on the street I suggest that you might ask a few questions before you make judgment.

Lastly, it is great to hear so many Mustang enthusiasts actually exploring the capabilities of these great cars on the track where they need to be and not on the street as many did back in my day.

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