by American Giants on the Track: Mustang GTD vs. Corvette ZR1
These two American monsters are true beasts on the track. The gray-and-yellow Mustang GTD belongs to Vaughn Gittin Jr., while McFarland’s Corvette ZR1 was tuned to 1180 horsepower at the wheels.
The pony car and the Corvette have been ribbing each other for decades, but the past year turned the rivalry into open war. The arrival of the unstoppable Mustang GTD, along with the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 and ZR1X twins, lit the fuse. Besides their duel at the Nürburgring, these cars have competed on tracks across the USA, where owners sought to prove that their car is the best.
Duel at Ten Tenths Motor Club
The latest video comes from popular YouTuber Cleetus McFarland, who owns a tuned Corvette ZR1. He pitted his car against the Ford Mustang GTD, driven by drift legend Vaughn Gittin Jr. Although Gittin has significantly more racing experience than McFarland, the Mustang GTD has a considerable power advantage over the C8 Corvette ZR1.
Tuners have finally unlocked the Corvette ZR1 and Z06, which GM had locked.
McFarland’s ZR1 is not a standard example. Earlier this year, his ZR1 became the first to have its ECU unlocked by HP Tuners. Thanks to upgraded exhaust pipes, race fuel, and tuning, the car produces an incredible 1180 hp and 1094 lb-ft (1483 Nm) of torque at the rear wheels. For comparison, the 5.2-liter supercharged V8 in the Mustang GTD has 815 hp and 664 lb-ft (900 Nm), and these are crank figures, not at the wheels.
Tight Track with Short Straights
The two monsters of American performance competed at Ten Tenths Motor Club in North Carolina. This is a tight and relatively short track, which is not an ideal place for the ZR1 to fully unleash its potential. The situation is leveled by the fact that both cars are on Michelin Cup 2 R tires.
After several fast laps, Gittin managed a time of 1:24.3 in his gray-and-yellow Mustang GTD. Then McFarland got into his ZR1 and posted a best lap time of 1:23.8, half a second faster than the GTD. While the GTD may have an advantage in braking and cornering, the ZR1 is noticeably faster on the straights.
This duel demonstrates how different approaches to building supercars can yield impressive results. The Mustang GTD, with its emphasis on handling and the experience of a professional driver, nearly caught the much more powerful Corvette ZR1. The half-second difference on a short track suggests that on longer circuits with faster straights, the ZR1 could have an even greater advantage. At the same time, Gittin’s skill allowed the GTD to compensate for the lack of power in the corners, making this battle not only technical but also human. This is a perfect example of how engineering solutions and a driver’s skills can shift the balance of power on the track.
