Lifted, Old-School Ford Truck Drags Mustang GT, Someone Was Sleeping at the Start Line

There is a lot of good and bad news for the American pony and muscle car niche. For example, Ford Mustang sales were up by 2.2%, while Chevy Camaro deliveries jumped almost 26%. However, the difference between them was pretty steep – 48,605 units for the 'Stang and a little over 31k for the 'Maro. In between them, last year's winner – Dodge's Challenger – dropped a whopping 18% even though it was riddled with special 'Last Call' editions alongside the Dodge Charger sedan.

Unfortunately, the Mustang will be left to carry the banner alone this year – both the Chevy Camaro and the Dodge Challenger and Charger duet ended production in December 2023, with only one of them slated to return a little while later. However, it's not all roses and daffodils for the Mustang, either. That's because the original purveyor of the pony car segment is sometimes beaten at its own sporty game.

More precisely, the Mustang sometimes surprises everyone and badly loses to a pickup truck or two. There is no need to take our word for granted, as you always should expect the unexpected at the local quarter-mile dragstrip. For example, the videographer behind the Drag Racing and Car Stuff channel on YouTube loves Bradenton Motorsports Park and Orlando Speed World Dragway but is now back with feisty action from zMAX Dragway and the Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park. More precisely, this quick little compilation centers around pickup trucks, racing muscle cars, and even an exotic – a green Lambo!

First of all, at Indianapolis, a crimson S550 Ford Mustang GT took its chances against a white Ram pickup truck. It turned out to be a diesel menace that didn't give it any breathing space and soundly beat it on the 1/8th mile. Next up, we move to zMAX for the first skirmish between a Chevrolet SS (actually a captive export of the Holden Commodore VF sedan) and a feisty-looking single-cab truck.

Again, this was not exactly the most auspicious time for muscle cars, although the Chevy SS put up a great fight in the 10.08s versus 10.61s skirmish. Now, you had better pay maximum attention from the 0:47 mark because that's the cherry on top of the pickup truck versus the muscle cars cake. Still, at zMAX, we are presented with the odd looks of a heavily-lifted, vintage F-Series pickup truck looking entirely pristine and ready for some adventures in the woods.

Alas, the massive burnout – met with high cheers from the audience – leaves no doubt: we're dealing with a bonkers sleeper here. Shod in yellow-wall Goodyear rubber at the rear axle, this Ford truck looked totally prepared to fight just about anything – including the blue S550 Ford Mustang GT sitting next to it. Well, it was not much of a fight but rather a demolition derby.

As such, the massive F-Series left the (supposedly) nimbler Mustang GT driver's jaw on the floor and everyone else's as it darted to the finish line like a supercar instead of the heavy pickup truck. There could be only one victor in the end, given the 10.34s versus 13.44s passes! And if you want revenge for sports and muscle cars, there's none to be had during the final skirmishes of the feature where a Lambo and Corvette also get humiliated…