It sure didn't take long for '05 Mustang owners to start boasting about the quickest and fastest pass at the NMRA-Columbus event held over Labor Day Weekend. Internet message boards have been booming with bragging, accom-panied by videos and pictures of '05 Mustang performances. The aftermarket parts busi-ness has been turned upside down as com-panies are trying to keep up with the great demand for '05-up parts.
With Ford's latest ponycar a smashing success, it was only a matter of time before one of the Mustang sanctioning bodies jumped into the Mustang Shootout scene.
In 2005, the officials from the California-based NMRA organization hustled together a Mustang Shootout with an open invitation for anyone to attend. Instantly Nitto Tire Company jumped on board as the title spon-sor, and MM&FF got behind the shootout as the presenting sponsor.
The NMRA folks offered a wide array of classes to fit a variety of modifications. As usual, when rules are printed, there are always differences of opinions on what should and should not be allowed. We felt the rules should cater to more street-oriented Stangs and spell out strict restrictions. Perhaps the most controversial rule was the stock-style transmission and required Three-Valve modular engine, which had some crying "foul" and claiming bias. A full interior was required to keep gutted race cars out of the mix.
Nine competitors--from a bone-stock V-6 to a twin-turbo GT--showed up to strut their stuff.
Overall WinnerBest ET/MPH: 10.50 at 132.50 MPH
Car Owner: JPC Racing
Driver: Justin Burcham
Justin Burcham has been associated with Mustang performance for quite a few years. He parked his Real Street ride this season to concentrate on developing new parts and going fast in JPC Racing's five-speed '05 GT. Just before this race, his engine kicked the rods out on the ground thanks to a little too much boost and nitrous. Its replacement is not a radical race-only piece, but rather a warmed-over short-block with a stock induction system. Think of it as a fortified bottom end for strength. The stock heads and intake get stuffed with boost via a ProCharger D1SC blower, and a little kick in the ass comes from a small shot of nitrous from Zex.
Burcham took the overall title as the quickest '05 Mustang and was the only competitor running on full-blown slicks. He told us the nitrous was not utilized during the shootout, but that when he does hit the sauce, the mph jumps from 132 to 138 and the e.t. drops to the 10.20s. He was making a run for the 9s as this story hit the printers.