[ariZona28]

Mustang...LOL! Been doing some HPDE so I went in a different direction and grabbed a C5 Z06 that was previous tracked. If and when I need a change the '18 SS 1LE will be high on my list. My Z/28 will remain my unmolested therapy machine.

[NashZL1]

I have a 22 ZL1 and a 20 GT500. Have not taken the Mustang to the track, but have been to Corvette Museum track twice and Nashvile Superspeedway once with the Camaro. It is an incredible car on both street and track. The Mustang drives llike a bigger car, it's heavier, taller, and does not quite feel as buttoned down as the Camaro the few chances I've had to get aggressive on the street. Looking forward to going to a track day soon. The 760 hp in the GT500 is pretty incredible though combined with the 7 speed dual clutch, which shifts lightning fast.

[clyde]

For autocross, I don't know if I've ever driven two different stock/street class cars that were so well matched in class than the 1LE and Mach 1. The most amazing thing to me is that they get there in such different ways without having any apparent element of course dependency.

I'm looking forward to taking some runs in a Dark Horse at some point, but there's no way I could make the pricing work in my head to the point I would buy one over what will shortly be an "only available used" 1LE.

[wakespeak]

Glad Ford is building the Dark Horse for sure. However I would like to hear more about the S650 chassis and track reliability. On the former, from what I am hearing the chassis is still more of a gen5 Camaro in comparison, ie not as well balanced as a gen6. On the latter, I had a buddy with a GT350 and everything broke on that car. Engine, trans, diff, even the alternator. Yes he drove it on the track often.

[VR Baron]

My long answer. No

[m6-lt1]

Originally Posted by NG329

In my opinion:

GT350R > Z28
SS 1LE = GT350R
SS 1LE > Mach 1 (road course)
ZLE > GT350R, SS 1LE, Mach 1 (Dark Horse TBD)
GT500 > ZLE

The SS 1le is most definitely NOT = to the GT350R. If you said the non R I would agree. There are also two versions of the gt350, pre 2019 and 2019+. The non R 2019+ is also definitely faster than the SS 1LE. It got quite a bit of upgrades suspension and tire wise for the 2019 model year.

Also the SS 1le being greater than the Mach 1 on a road course is debatable as well. In fact I have yet to see a 1le be faster than a Mach 1 (actually maybe it is around Leguna Seca). The 1le and Mach 1 I would say are equal to each other as they are within a hair of each other around most tracks.

[NG329]

Originally Posted by m6-lt1

The SS 1le is most definitely NOT = to the GT350R. If you said the non R I would agree. There are also two versions of the gt350, pre 2019 and 2019+. The non R 2019+ is also definitely faster than the SS 1LE. It got quite a bit of upgrades suspension and tire wise for the 2019 model year.

Also the SS 1le being greater than the Mach 1 on a road course is debatable as well. In fact I have yet to see a 1le be faster than a Mach 1 (actually maybe it is around Leguna Seca). The 1le and Mach 1 I would say are equal to each other as they are within a hair of each other around most tracks.

I respect your opinion....

I based mine on the fact that the SS-1LE holds considerably faster laptimes here in the Northeast over the Mustang platform.

Since the OP said for 'guys that race' I was assuming he wasn't talking about stock cars. To your point, I would also take a stock GT350R over a stock SS-1LE but if I were going racing I'm going with the Alpha platform.

[Jus Cruisin]

My idea of a "track car" is obviously much different than most on this site. I don't need or want new if I was going to track something again.

[joelster]

Originally Posted by NG329

I respect your opinion....

I based mine on the fact that the SS-1LE holds considerably faster laptimes here in the Northeast over the Mustang platform.

Since the OP said for 'guys that race' I was assuming he wasn't talking about stock cars. To your point, I would also take a stock GT350R over a stock SS-1LE but if I were going racing I'm going with the Alpha platform.

I was talking about stock-ish cars that get tracked. I race autocross. The popular class would be F-Street where the Mach 1 and SS 1LE play. Only changes are 1 sway bar, front or rear, whatever tw200 you want, and a K+N air filter. There's a few other things you can do but basically the car must be 98% stock.

Strano won the F-Street National Championship in his Mach 1. He's ridiculously fast and would likely have done well in an SS 1LE too. My friend has a Mach 1 and went from a GT350 to it, and said both cars are good. He said there's things that each can do that the other can't do.

[ariZona28]

Originally Posted by Jus Cruisin

My idea of a "track car" is obviously much different than most on this site. I don't need or want new if I was going to track something again.

NICE!

[Lewisracing]

For actual road course racing? Absolutely not. In my personal experience, the alpha platform outperforms even some of the best(NOT all) German platforms on track. It is an absolute weapon. Some simple mods, and add lightness, this platform has insane potential for actual racing. The mustang platform is great, but I don't think the performance ceiling potential is there compared to the alpha platform.

[NG329]

Originally Posted by joelster

I was talking about stock-ish cars that get tracked. I race autocross. The popular class would be F-Street where the Mach 1 and SS 1LE play. Only changes are 1 sway bar, front or rear, whatever tw200 you want, and a K+N air filter. There's a few other things you can do but basically the car must be 98% stock.

Strano won the F-Street National Championship in his Mach 1. He's ridiculously fast and would likely have done well in an SS 1LE too. My friend has a Mach 1 and went from a GT350 to it, and said both cars are good. He said there's things that each can do that the other can't do.

Yeah, I think it's splitting hairs between the two cars... which is why I put them equal to one another. GT350R with the edge in straight line and SS-1LE with the edge in cornering. Depending on the circumstances I think it could go either way.

[RamAir02]

Not a chance I'd consider a Mustang for the road course over a 6th gen. Numb steering, worse chassis, slower lap times.

Pass for me.

Edit: Forgot another reason -- the much hated Getrag in all manual Mustangs except the DH

[RamAir02]

Originally Posted by Jus Cruisin

My idea of a "track car" is obviously much different than most on this site. I don't need or want new if I was going to track something again.

Beauty! 66-67 Nova?

Love the car, but I get the sense this thread is about road courses That Nova is at home on the dragstrip tho!