Watch Two Modified Shelby GT500s Drag Race

We've seen plenty of quarter-mile and half-mile showdowns over the years, and we'll be sharing some of our own exciting races soon. This video is a bit different than others in that it's not a mishmash of cars competing for bragging rights. This time around the Mustang definitely wins. The real question here is, which one?

That's a legitimate question too, because these 2020 Shelby GT500s are far more alike than different. They aren't stock either – each car is tweaked under the hood to develop no less than 1,000 horsepower, and both GT500s are running drag slicks to help get that power to the ground. Not everything is equal though, as the silver Shelby uses smaller 18-inch wheels at the back. Conversely, the green GT500 has its seats removed for a minor weight reduction. All in all, the ingredients suggest this should be a very close race.

However, quarter-mile stats from pre-race solo passes suggest otherwise. The green GT500 blasted down the strip to a 9.9-second run at 148 mph, with a 1.7-second 60-foot time leaving the tree. Drag racers familiar with timeslip data will instantly see that 60-foot time as being a bit weak, suggesting the Shelby isn't getting the best launch. That's confirmed by looking at the solo timeslip for the silver 'Stang, which ran the quarter in 9.5 seconds at a slightly slower trap speed, but a much stronger 1.5-second 60-foot time. At these speeds, even a 0.4-second difference translates to an easy win.

That brings us to the side-by-side race. We have two Shelby GT500s, both with 1,000 hp, and here's where it gets really interesting. This time around, both cars have traction issues with each posting identical 1.8-second 60-foot times. The reaction time for both drivers was nearly identical, and at the other end of the track, both cars finished with a 9.9-second run. The difference in this race is just hundredths of a second which definitely makes it a photo finish, but yes, one car claimed victory.