The electrified passion at Ford is unrivaled, and it shows in the entire Mustang line-up, television commercials, print ads, and in the attitude of the engineering and PR team. The "Mustang for everyone" mentality is spot on.
Being handed the keys to your new V-6, 5.0L GT, or fire-breathing GT500 gives you the perfect tool to gallop on windy roads, a certified circuit, or to terminate the competition from stoplight to stoplight. But when it comes to faultless handling, the Boss 302 is the primo Pony.
From the rowdy 444hp Boss mill to the race-inspired seats and suspension, the Boss has the sounds, stamina, and style that's suited to contemporary or retro fans.
Being the Boss has it's privileges, and '12-'13 Boss owners are offered a complimentary admission into an intense one-day driving experience: The Ford Racing Track Attack driving program. It's designed to safely teach you the capabilities and limits of the Boss 302.
Owners have up to one year after purchase to attend this unique program at the challenging Miller Motorsports Park road course in Tooele, Utah (just 30 minutes from Salt Lake City). The facility is a true beauty with the majestic scenery of Mustangs and mountains--it is truly breathtaking.
Before progressing to solo...
Before progressing to solo hot laps, students participate in a lead-and-follow exercise. This helped us to learn the corners and the racing line.
To better understand the program, we spent two days at MMP--the first in the Track Attack program, the second driving the FR500S racer as a part of the optional two-day driving school.
"The design of the [Track Attack] program was a collaboration between Ford and Miller Motorsports Park," said Mickey Matus, Ford Racing marketing communication manager. "The program is exclusive to '12 and '13 Boss 302 owners, however, the owners can bring a guest, who for a fee, can participate in all elements of the program--both on and off the track. And obviously the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School is available for any, and all, fans of fast driving," he added. MMP offers a variety of options, from a basic beginner's class, to the four-day race licensing course.
Each class is limited to just...
Each class is limited to just 16 students, which makes for ample one-on-one coaching.
Upon our arrival, we attended the welcome reception in the Larry H. Miller Total Performance Auto Museum. The museum houses what can best be described as a collection of Ford's storied performance history, which is represented with historic machines, amazing artwork, and loads of memorabilia. We indulged in a buffet dinner and a private tour of those awe-inspiring Ford racing cars.
This included the '66 LeMans-winning Ford GT Mark II, the '67 Sebring-winning GT-40, a rare '70 Boss 302, over 20 Shelby Cobra, and even a rare Dragonsnake. There was a Thunderbolt, a Dan Gurney-driven Trans Am Cougar, and one of six Shelby Daytonas. Did I forget to mention the row of ‘65-'66 GT-350 Mustangs?
"Boss owners are now part of this glorious history," said Matus, "Entering the classroom the next day, they transition from yesterday to today, where they learn the unique features and attributes of the Boss--all in a fun, exciting, controlled, high-speed driving experience. While the fundamentals of the classroom and on-track instruction are common with those taught in the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School, they are amplified with the Boss 302."
We stopped at certain points...
We stopped at certain points to get a different perspective of the critical corners. Rather than teaching you to drive from cone to cone (as some schools do) the Miller instructors teach you to read the track and then find the best racing line.
Our first day was spent on...
Our first day was spent on the technical East course, which is 2.2 miles in length.
The front straightaway had...
The front straightaway had braking markers, which helped us consistently find the proper braking point.
Ponies in the stable!
Lead instructor James Burke...
Lead instructor James Burke explained the best way to execute a corner. In addition to multiple classroom sessions, where we went through on-track drills to practice heel-toe braking and we drove the school's skid-control car.
The Larry H. Miller Ford Total...
The Larry H. Miller Ford Total Performance Museum is a sight to behold. While we did spot a new Boss 302 (not shown), the bulk of the collection is made up of historical Fords from the '60s. My favorites included this Shelby Daytona and the '70 Boss 302 racer. There are dozens of Shelby Cobras, GT-350s, Dragonsnakes, a gaggle of GT-40s--including the '66 LeMans winner--and oh-so much more.
The Larry H. Miller Ford Total...
The Larry H. Miller Ford Total Performance Museum is a sight to behold. While we did spot a new Boss 302 (not shown), the bulk of the collection is made up of historical Fords from the '60s. My favorites included this Shelby Daytona and the '70 Boss 302 racer. There are dozens of Shelby Cobras, GT-350s, Dragonsnakes, a gaggle of GT-40s—including the '66 LeMans winner--and oh-so much more.