You Better Win: The History of Ford Racing

In 2005, drifting in America belonged to Japanese drivers in Japanese cars. Then a 24-year-old IT guy from Maryland showed up at Irwindale in a Ford Mustang he’d paid over sticker for, and beat the best drifters in the world at their own game.

In the series finale, James Pumphrey, Vin Anatra and Zach Redpath tell the story of Vaughn Gittin Jr. and how the Mustang became America’s drift car: from Ford backing Vaughn as a factory driver to the launch of RTR, Chelsea DeNofa’s championship, and James “the Machine” Deane’s run to a record fourth and fifth Formula Drift title behind the wheel of a Mustang RTR.

Twenty years later, that drift DNA is in Ford showrooms. Vaughn and Chelsea helped develop the Drift Brake now offered on the Mustang, the Mustang RTR is on sale, co-engineered by Ford and RTR, and the Bronco RTR arrives early next year. https://youtu.be/g3Y4IIPVoc4?si=zfTIn7U1mDUi7mey

What is You Better Win: The History of Ford Racing?

On paper, racing makes no sense. Grown men pouring their money, their relationships, and occasionally their lives into going around in circles slightly faster than the next guy. Ford has been doing it for over 100 years, on basically every surface on Earth.

You Better Win is an 8-part series on the history of Ford Racing, hosted by James Pumphrey (Speeed/Donut Media), Vin Anatra (Hoonigan), and Zach Redpath (Speeed). Le Mans, NASCAR, the Baja desert, rally stages, drag strips, drifting, and more. We dug through Ford's archives for the long shots, the dumb bets, and the obsessive dudes who built it all, and retold them the way they deserve. This was a fun one. We hope you enjoy! (leave us a review!)

Produced by Speeed in partnership with Ford Racing.