Mustang Week Transformed zMAX Dragway Into A Ford Playground

Steve Turner
August 29, 2026

Mustang Week, presented by Monster Energy and Roush Performance, went big Friday as the Mustang Week All-Ford Cruise-In, presented by Roush Performance, took over zMAX Dragway in Concord. Hundreds of Fords filled the facility while a huge group of vendors and a full slate of performance activities kept the grounds revved up until Mother Nature had other ideas and rain cut a fun-filled day short.

The cruise-in gave attendees plenty to see, with everything from bolt-on drivers to heavily modified restomods packed into the venue. The day wasn’t just about a static display, though. Roll racing moved through qualifying into eliminations. Starting from a controlled 40-mph roll, the racers dueled for top-speed supremacy.

One of the most impressive Mustangs we’ve seen thus far at Mustang Week is Gary Patterson’s 2017 Shelby GT350. If that description doesn’t add up to the photo, that’s because Patterson, a retired engineer, completely customized his ride to blend elements of the 2010 Mustang, the 2012 Boss 302, and the 1967 Mustang to create his Sanja ’Stang.

Away from the strip, the action continued with drifting, drift ride-alongs, autocross, and the Dyno Challenge at the VMP Performance Booth, presented by Tuner School. That variety made it possible to see different kinds of Ford performance throughout the day. 

Meanwhile, the robust vendor midway framing the cruise-in rides offered enthusiasts looking to spend time between runs. With more than 50 vendors on hand, the cruise-in provided plenty of opportunities to check out new parts, talk shop, and see what companies are bringing to the Ford aftermarket.

Our friends at House of Boost brought out a new project collaboration with Crossley Customs to the show. The Boss 302-inspired F-150 (right) combines those signature Boss stripes with a performance suspension and a tuned Coyote breathing through a Boss 302 intake. Another attendee brought out a matching Boss 302 Mustang, so they struck this pose for our camera.

Today is the final day of Mustang Week, which means it’s time for the Mustang Week Official Car Show, presented by Roush Performance, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at zMax. The judged show brings Mustangs of all generations together, with drifting, ride-alongs, drag racing, autocross, the burnout contest, and the Dyno Challenge surrounding the show field before the Awards Ceremony and the action-packed Mustang Week Mayhem close out the week.

Mustang Week All-Ford Cruise-In, presented by Roush Performance
Kyle Wocel of Franklin, North Carolina, brought out his “Frankenstang,” which blends the classic S197 GT500 style with the more modern S550 GT350 aesthetic. It’s not something we would have imagined working, but it definitely sets his 2005 Mustang apart from other GTs of the era.
Adjacent to the massive cruise-in, clouds of tire smoke filled the air as drifters in the Mustang Week Drifting & Exhibitions, Presented by JEGS, demonstrated their car-control prowess and tire-shredding proclivities. RTR’s Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Ben Hobson were the headliners, but several other drifters were tearing it up and offering ride-alongs so fans could experience what it’s like to get slideways while supporting the grassroots competitors.
Over on the drag strip, Mustang Week Drag Racing, Presented by SPE Motorsports, kicked off with qualifying and early rounds of eliminations in the Top Dog, Outlaw, and Street roll racing categories, where drivers start at 40 mph and race to the end of the quarter-mile. Sadly, a rainstorm cut the action short before completion of the eliminations, but that action resumed this morning.
Top-speed sprints and tire-shredding weren’t the only automotive action at the Mustang Week All-Ford Cruise-In, presented by Roush Performance. Cone-carving enthusiasts competed in the Mustang Week Autocross, presented by General Tire, run by the Wheelhouse Racing school. (Photo Credit: Scott Parker)