Spoiler alert: The Shelby wins.
There’s no denying that now is a very good time for fans of epic horsepower and extreme performance. A bevy of Detroit-fueled muscle cars easily eclipse 700 horsepower, and the Dodge Challenger Super Stock exceeds 800 hp straight from the factory. This video isn’t about Dodge however – it’s a Ford battle where power exceeds 900 hp. Better buckle up for this one.
All things being factory stock, the Mustang Shelby GT350 stands no chance against the Shelby GT500. Approximately 240 hp separates them, and in a straight-line dash the GT500’s supercharged V8 is a straight-up monster. However, the 2017 GT350 featured in this StangMode video is far from stock. It’s a Hennessey-tuned version with a Whipple supercharger and a host of other mods, and it was further modified by the current owner because it was still "too slow" with Hennessey's touch alone. It’s now dialed in for drag racing and is estimated to have over 900 hp at the wheels. Yikes.
As such, it should dominate a stock GT500 but again, we aren’t dealing with stock vehicles. The green GT500 in this video is a work-in-progress that has upgraded cams, an engine tune, and is estimated to have over 800 hp. In other words, this Shelby-versus-Shelby drag race should really be something.
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That holds especially true since this isn’t a normal drag racing venue. The action takes place at Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania, a tri-oval NASCAR track with a front straight that’s nearly three-quarters of a mile long. A recent roll-race event was held there, with cars exiting turn three and accelerating to 60 mph before punching it for a blast down the straight. This time it’s not about starting-line traction, but pure horsepower.
The Shelby In Action:
With the GT350 holding a power advantage, you’d expect it to be the winning car. We won’t spoil the outcome, but we will say this. The Shelbys line up twice and each race is extremely close, with both cars passing 150 mph at the finish line. You can watch the entire 13-minute video for the backstory on each car, or you can jump to the 5:45 mark to see the racing action.