Blast down the quarter mile in the first two generations of Ford's
legendary pony car across all drag racing classes in Quarter-Mile
Mustangs: The History of Ford's Pony Car at the Drag Strip
19641/2-1978!
Since first becoming a mass-market success in mid-1964, the Ford Mustang
has made millions of passes down the quarter mile on sanctioned drag
strips. With styling flared toward the youth, aftermarket parts
manufacturers saw an enormous opportunity to produce go-fast components
to aid in propelling Ford's pony car down the 1320. The success of these
cars was immediate.
In the hands of successful and seasoned pros, such as Gas Ronda, Bill
Lawton, and Dick Brannan, Ford unleashed the devastatingly potent 1965
A/FX Mustang fastback, which was built by Blue Oval stalwarts Holman &
Moody with the 427 SOHC (Cammer) engine that brought forth havoc on
mother Mopar.
From those very first factory drag cars through the fabled 19681/2 Cobra
Jets, drag racing historian Doug Boyce highlights the many successes of
pioneers, such as "Dyno" Don Nicholson, Les Ritchey, Phil Bonner, Hubert
Platt, and Al Joniec. However, it's not just all doorslammers. As A/FX
transitioned into Funny Car, a whole new chapter in Mustang drag racing
was written with Mickey Thompson taking the reins and steering Mustangs
to success throughout the late 1960s and early 1970s.
The muscle car-era Mustangs joined the Mustang II and soldiered on the
best they could as ever-changing rules hampered Ford's new pony body,
with drivers Bob Glidden and Nicholson trying to squeeze every bit of
performance out of the diminutive pony.
Quarter-Mile Mustangs: The History of Ford's Pony Car at the Drag Strip
19641/2-1978 brings forth the most in-depth coverage of these cars at
the drag strip. Don't get caught sleeping at the light!
