JOLIET, IL – There are certain experiences you come across in the Mustang hobby that stay with you forever. Even after years of attending headline Ford events with the Mustang Club of America and our own Show-Me Mustang club serving greater St. Louis, we can now say one of them has soared to the top of our list – the GT500 Track Tour. We are Karen and Mitch Mitchell, and if you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to attend one of these signature Ford Performance events, wonder no more. Perhaps most impressive was how the Ford team was able to deliver this wide-range immersion in the capability of the new Shelby GT500 Mustang so completely – even in the midst of a global pandemic.

We attended the 2020 North American Shelby GT500 Track Tour when it made a stop at the Autobahn Country Club in Joliet, Illinois, on July 9, 2020. The facility showcases impressive car condos/garages surrounding an awesome road course and grounds. When you add Ford Motor Company, Ford Performance, Shelby American, Team Shelby and of course, the star -- the all-new 2020 Shelby GT500 -- you truly have a dream event. By invitation only, a group of us was invited for some track time with special displays and presentations (all while the upmost safety precautions were followed during the pandemic) to experience the world’s most powerful production Mustang. We felt both honored and privileged for this experience – and it did not disappoint.

From Ford-branded face masks and Shelby hand sanitizer to special equipment/car safety steps and social distancing, we felt the team did everything possible to keep participants safe. Add in the Team Shelby swag bags and engaging overview presentations by Ford’s Jim Owens and Shelby’s Gary Patterson, along with other key introductions, and it left no doubt that attendees were witnessing first-hand what a great partnership Ford has with Shelby. The opportunity to gain deep knowledge about this new GT500 was limitless, as representatives from Recaro and Tremec were even on-hand sharing their development stories on the seats and transmission, respectively, on the car. No aspect was missed to give you the full overview on the ultimate factory Shelby Mustang, from concept to reality.

Unfortunately, Covid had the local drag strip closed, so the straight-line run portion of the event couldn’t happen, but demonstrations and presentations still did. Seeing launch control set at 3,200 rpm and 1,700 rpm to take this powerhouse from hook up, full run and then braking was impressive. The Tremec engineer provided a detailed explanation of how power gets to the ground, and we walked away with new appreciation of the technological advances happening in our favorite Ford products.

Our group then moved to the road course and got outfitted in helmets, Hans Devices, and had a seat check. Basically, we were then unleashed in packs onto the track with a lead Shelby driver. The tighter the group could hang, the faster you got to go. Throwing the GT500 around the tight turns, hitting the straightway and opening it up -- then experiencing the big Brembo brakes was so amazing! Honestly, days later we are still smiling and reliving the moments.

I’ve been on a lot of tracks, from doing parade laps, race ride-alongs with Mitch as well as with a couple of our friends who track their Shelby GT350R – even a pro ride-along at 140 mph in the pre-production 2019 Bullitt. But actually getting to be behind the wheel and pushing this phenomenal new Shelby GT500 on a road course was exhilarating! The 2020 Shelby GT500 performed on every level to the top of any category thrown at it. In our book, the world’s most powerful production Mustang earns every accolade bestowed on it.

After we had shared a few pictures from the event with a car friend, their response probably summed it up the best: “Looks like this was the Grand Prize to something that you would sign up for.” Thank you to everyone who worked so hard, especially amid this pandemic, to make this event happen and to make sure that every participant felt safe and protected. And thanks for treating all of us like car royalty. The North American 2020 Shelby GT500 Track Tour is proof positive that Ford knows how to host an enthusiast car experience like no other!

For our money, the stability, performance capabilities and technology of this new Shelby GT500 are, to say the least, a marvel. And the Track Tour was an experience we will never forget – it was the pinnacle moment in our car-culture and Mustang club lifestyle!

PHOTOS COURTESY FORD PERFORMANCE & / KAREN & MITCH MITCHELL