Mustangs Outrun Hurricane Dorian and Head to the Mountains

With Hurricane Dorian forcing the early cancellation of Mustang Week 2019, hundreds of vacationing Mustang enthusiasts scrambled for higher ground. About 500 or so of those Mustangs found their way to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. With the area already being known for its car events and epic driving roads, it was a natural place for the Ponies to stretch their legs. As the Mustangs rolled into town, it did not take long for impromptu events to be set up all around the area, creating quite the unofficial event in the Tennessee Mountains!

The Tail Of The Dragon

Any red-blooded car enthusiast can’t take a trip into the mountains of Tennessee without a trip down the legendary Tail of the Dragon. With 318 curves in 11 miles, US Highway 129 provides a thrill ride for cars and motorcycles alike. The road is no walk in the park though, and the legendary “Dragon” claims several lives on average each year, making it one of the most dangerous roads in America. There is even a “Tree of Shame” located at the Deals Gap Motorcycle Resort at the beginning of the “Dragon”, full of motorcycle and car parts from various crashes and mistakes made on the road. As the Mustangs headed into the infamous curves, the guys from Mustang Lifestyle were there to capture it all for their YouTube channel. Check out all 318 curves and more below!

English Mountain Dragway

The gang at English Mountain Dragway opened their doors to those fleeing the hurricane on Wednesday. English Mountain Dragway is an eighth-mile track located just up Interstate 40 in Newport, Tennessee. Nestled in the Tennessee hillside, English Mountain is the perfect spot to have some low-key racing fun. The track has an amazing old school feel to it, and the crew there make even the most novice racer feel right at home. Plus, the track surface was prepped well enough to handle all the Ford horsepower the Mustangs could throw at it. Check out all the dragstrip shenanigans!

Down Under At Quaker Steak & Lube

Maybe one of the most iconic stops for Mustang fans in Pigeon Forge and Sevier County is the #PITS Wall. Located in the parking lot “down under” behind Quaker Steak and Lube, the wall features unique graffiti and the logo from PITS (Ponies in the Smokies). People from around the country have taken to social media posting their Mustangs (and even family haulers) while on vacation in the mountains. The parking lot itself makes for an awesome cruise-in location with its “underground” feel, thanks to the shade of the bridge that runs overhead. The environment made the perfect scene for Long Tube Headers to host their Friday night get together in Tennessee.

It did not take long for the parking lot to be at full capacity with over 300 Mustangs in attendance, and seemingly that many more cruising around looking for at least half of a parking spot to stop in. With adult beverages for sale thanks to Quaker Steak and Lube, and several vendors on-hand talking to participants and showing off their products, the party lasted well into the night. But don’t take our word for it, check out the video action below!

Other Nightlife

With Dave and Busters on Wednesday and Hard Rock Cafe on Thursday, the action was literally nonstop from the moment the first Mustang rolled into town early in the week until the weekend was over! On top of all the Mustang events, there was also another huge local show in town – The Shades of the Past Hot Rod Roundup. The event filled strip with stunning hot-rods 1972 and older, and gave the Mustang owners a taste of Rod Run life in Pigeon Forge, and plenty of cool cars to check out. The strip provided an appetizer of the Sevier County/Pigeon Forge car scene to all the Mustang owners displaced by Hurricane Dorian.

Steve Spangler and his white and blue GT350 became a popular target for fellow Mustang enthusiasts to follow throughout the weekend. His famous, or maybe infamous depending on who you ask, red mirrors make his Shelby easy to spot in the crowd. That's a good thing, because Steve runs the group Mustangs, Drives, and Events which plans drives along some of the area's best roads. If you are in the area and looking for some driving fun, be sure to look them up on Facebook!

The last time we saw this car in Tennessee, it was taking home one of the top awards at Ponies in the Smokies last March. At the time, the car had just been finished and spent the weekend indoors. However now, forced north by Hurricane Dorian, John Coates had his stunning SN95 out terrorizing the streets, and was having a great time just getting out and driving it. John did tell us he was taking it a little easier as the week went on though. Apparently the Pigeon Forge Police thought his car might be just a little loud! Oops!

The cool thing about Shades of the Past and the twice-a-year Pigeon Forge Rod Run is all of the "parking lot car shows". Every spot street-side from one end of the strip to the other is filled with hot-rods. With all the Mustangs in town, in was nice to see a strong showing of Blue Oval in the traditional sea of Chevrolets!

Check out our gallery below for all the photos we captured in Tennessee!

Photo gallery

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About the author

Jeff Southard

Growing up with a dad who loved Corvettes, I was destined to be a gearhead from day one. Beyond that, my dad owned an auto parts business for over 25 years. There, I learned the automotive basics as a child, then began my professional career working there after high school. From Corvettes and Superbirds to Hemis and Cobra Jets, my dad has owned a little of everything over the years, so I've had my chance to get some quality seat time behind the wheel of some rare, unique, and sometimes, just odd automobiles. I have owned my share of toys, including over 20 Mustangs. I guess to make a long story short, if you look up "car crazy" you will probably find my photo listed pretty close to it!
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