In 1962 at a little racetrack known as Watkins Glen, Ford driver Dan Gurney drove out onto the field in a car that marketing executives settled on calling the Mustang. Nobody knew then that a legendary brand had just been born. Even though the car that Ford eventually sold as the Mustang had little to do with the concept, it was still an important date for both the brand, and and the track. 

That is why the International Motor Racing Research Center, located at the Watkins Glen track in New York, has selected a 2013 Boss 302 Mustang to be the prize for their annual car raffle. Autoweek reports that just 1,962 tickets will be sold to commemorate that special year.

Who could have predicted the effect that a small, mid-engine, four-cylinder concept called the Mustang 1 would have? Certainly nobody at Ford. The company had gone to great lengths to select the Mustang name for their latest concept car, discarding other ideas that included Cougar, Bronco, and Colt, yet they had no intention of producing the car.

Yet the reaction was so overwhelming that Ford eventually utilized the name on the car we all know and love today. The IMRRC, a privately-funded effort to collect professional and amateur racing documentation from around the world. Tickets for the raffle will cost $60 for one or $100 for two, and all of the money will allow the IMRRC to keep on pushing forward with its mission.

With 2012 being the 50th anniversary of the unveiling of the Mustang brand, it was a no brainer to select the Boss 302 as the raffle prize. With so few tickets in circulation, your odds are surprisingly good, and the cause is one near to the hearts of many gearheads. You can buy tickets by calling 607-535-9044 or filling out a form on their website.