I know, I know. Cue the jokes on Mustangs crashing. Actually, such quips might be tough with this video since there are neither crowds nor car shows in the vicinity. And to give this driver some credit, the safety mantra of take it to the track was heeded. At least the Mustang's short life was brought to an end in the relative security of a drag strip.
I say relative because that retaining fence didn't put up much of a fight. Watching the crash, it's unclear how the out-of-control antics begin, but it's all too clear how it ends. Not only does the blue 2024 Mustang GT hit the wall, it launches clean over. As a result, this Ford is well and truly wrecked, as seen in the original TikTok video of the incident posted by Alt.Is350.
@atl.is Vid credits to my boy Sav (I dont know your tiktok) #fyp #mustang #mustanggt #s650 #wrecked #crowdkiller ♬ original sound - Atl Is350
Walking up to the driver's side of the 'Stang as it sits on the rollback, the damage doesn't look too bad. Sure, the lower fascia is gone, and that front wheel is at a janky angle. But those are repairable bits that generally don't require a significant effort to mend. The walkaround, however, is heartbreaking. The passenger side rear is essentially wiped out, and the impact was enough to shatter the rear window. It's hard to tell if there's any critical damage to the unibody, but in any case, this isn't a quick fix – if it's a fix at all.
As for the driver, neither the TikTok clip nor the commentary provided by StangMode in the YouTube video at the top of the article offers insight. The airbags obviously deployed, but the interior looks otherwise unaffected by the g forces. Combined with a lack of emergency vehicles at the scene, it's safe to assume the driver was just fine.
Perusing comments on the two videos featured here, there are more than a few people asking how someone could lose control of a car with "only" 480 horsepower at a drag strip. Speaking as someone who's raced numerous vehicles at multiple drag strips, including Mustangs I've owned with more and less power than a new S650, allow me to answer that question with a rhetorical what?
StangMode makes some good points in his commentary on the crash, and I follow that up with my own Mustang racing experience in a 1995 Mustang GT with less than half the power of a new steed. It doesn't take gobs of power to spin street tires, folks. That's especially true if the tires are old, cold, or if they have debris in the tread. Imagine my surprise when I had to countersteer my 240-hp Mustang on a prepped track after the 1-2 shift. I didn't do any burnout before the run because hey, it's 240 hp. What's going to happen? I was prepared for wheelspin in first gear, but the wiggle in second caught me off guard. Lesson learned.
Whatever the cause behind this crash, at least this driver was at the track trying to enjoy the Mustang in its natural habitat. And I certainly hope everything works out in the end.
