Close, but no cigar.  Sounds negative at first, but when you look at the opportunities seized, the Roush racers in the #59 Ford Mustang did quite well in the KONI Challenge season finale at Virginia International Raceway.  The team of three drivers (Jack Roush, Jr., Dean Martin, and Ryan Phinny) piloted the pony to a very successful finish, less than a quarter second shy of sweet victory.  After six grueling hours on the track, the Roush team held up strongly against the competition, with methodic position gains and overcoming chafed tires near the end.  Near the finish and after an ugly caution was lifted, Martin was forced to give up the lead to Rehagen Racing teammate Matt Plumb, who was just out with fresh rubber on his #60 Mustang.  Martin still kept with Plumb down to the finish and closed out the second closest finish in KONI Challenge history, a mere 0.208 seconds behind.  There is much more to the exciting event in store, so keep reading the full story in the official Press Release from Roush.

A collection of the crew from Saleen Inc. has combined their efforts and formed a new organization titled TechCo. The focus of TechCo is to provide advanced, cutting-edge performance parts in the aftermarket arena. One of the inaugural products they have designed and produced is a twin-screw supercharger made specifically for the 4.6L V8 found in the Ford Mustang. The company also has blower units for Dodge's HEMI applications, as well as the LS engines found in the C5 and C6 Chevrolet Corvettes. First deliveries of their products are expected to begin shipping this month, so if you are anxious to order, keep reading to find out more about their offerings in the Press Release.

The latest unmasking image of the 2010 Mustang from Ford is a quick frontline shot showing the side view mirror and the front fender. From what we can see, the rumors about some edges being smoothed seem to hold their weight based upon this sample. The 2010 hood appears to slope down toward the headlight bezel more than the present S197 Mustang and the front fender rolls to mate with the hood line in one smooth transition; a contrast from the current flare found on today's Mustang. The official debut at the LA Auto Show is just over a month and a half away, so Ford is making sure to let the cat out of the bag as slow as they can to ramp up the suspense. Until then...

Just over a month ago, we told you about a new video contest from Ford regarding a moviemaking contest about the Mustang. The partnership event, conducted by Ford and filmaka.com, compiled a collection of about 400 scripts and narrowed the mass to 22 which were produced into short films. Now the true test comes for the remaining 10 finalists: the Mustang enthusiast community vote. That's right--you get to help make the final call to determine who the grand prize winner is.

We were recently invited to join Cooper Tires and Roush Performance at an unveiling event for a new high-performance tire (the RS3) that Cooper has developed exclusively for Roush Performance.  A nice dinner kicked off the event Monday (9/29/08) evening, track time took up all day Tuesday, and travel home closed it up on Wednesday.  We all tore up the 1.88-mile course at Gingerman Raceway in a Stage3 Roush Mustang to get a first hand feel of the results.  You've got to see the pictures!

Update 10/1:  We are back.  Click below to see full event coverage with pics!

The next signature nameplate Ford Mustang in the Saleen saga is one of the strongest S197 Extremes yet.  Meet the 2009 Saleen Dark Horse Extreme Edition.  With over 600 horses and 600 ft-lbs of torque at disposal, this Dark Horse Saleen is a strong, new descendent of the 25th Anniversary Sterling Signature Edition as well as the Dan Gurney Edition.  A mere twenty five of the Dark Horse Saleens will be produced, so we’re sure the line is long and the accessibility remains short; however, we brought you some good eye candy from Saleen to keep you appeased.  Take a look at the photos and get all the official details in the Press Release from Saleen.

This week's 2010 Ford Mustang teaser image features some sexy leather seating inside the pony car's cabin.  Even though it is a darkened shot, we can see full well just how must bolster and padding the updated stitched seats will offer.  Also, we get a deeper look at the somewhat heightened center console, separating pilot from co-pilot.  These recent interior shots are great, Ford, but what we really want to see is the underhood shot, given all the rumors flying about a possible 5.0 liter engine in the next Mustang!  We have a good bet that the "money shot" will be one of the last ones we'll see before the official debut at the LA Auto Show.

The word out on the street regarding the next Ford Mustang engine lineup is that the 5.0 liter is set to return very soon.  Dubbed the "Coyote", this speculated engine is a TiVCT 32v motor, producing 400 hp / 375 tq, is an aluminum block, has a 11:1 compression ratio, and the top end is capped at 7,000 RPM.  Some sources say that this new powerplant will replace the current 3v 4.6 liter found in the 2005 - 2009 Mustang.  Rumblings also indicate that this motor will be crafted at Ford’s Essex Engine Plant in Windsor, Ontario.  The only jagged edge on this dreamy cloud is the strong compression ratio: many Mustang fans of contemporary times love to run boost on their stock components.  If the Coyote comes to fruition, we could expect to see more bottles of giggle gas at the track and less whining...from the Mustang at least.

One of the first questions asked of many Mustang owners is “What mods does it have?” and it’s almost always followed by “Let’s see ‘em!”. Normally, this involves getting into the car, pulling the hood latch release lever, and stepping out front to lift the hood. Well…that was the process...until now. Hillbank Motorsports, a leading Mustang performance parts provider, has released the GM1-ST1—a “glass” hood of sorts. This slick new product allows S197 (2005 – 2009) Ford Mustang maniacs the ability to exhibit their underhood treasures without touching the latch. The setup replaces the stock hood and provides a slick OEM fit. Check out more in the official Press Release!

Anyone who has ever delved into the tuning world of late-model Mustangs knows full well the importance and extent of impact the mass air flow meter (MAF) has. The information processed by the MAF is commonly observed and adjusted.  Now, it's made even easier with a newly-released product from Abaco Performance, LLC. The DBXTM is the world's first digital mass air meter and allows for a wide range of canned and custom tuning options. Check out more of the detail in the official Press Release from Abaco Performance.

Today's photo of the 2010 Mustang gives us the best view yet of the updated dash and steering wheel. With more style and raking when compared to the current S197 Mustang, the updated dash on the 2010 fits in line with what we have seen in recent times and certainly lives up to expectations of getting a refreshed retro-grade look. Take a good look--we'll post more as we count down to the LA Auto Show.

It had to happen sometime. Motorheads in rival camps were sure to pit two of their finest against each other in a head to head challenge. The Shelby Super Snake GT500 and a GS Motorsports-tuned Dodge Challenger have been put to the test at the track, courtesy of Torque.tv. The track: Willow Springs Raceway. The driver: Samuel "The Crazy Swede" Hubinette. The result: watch and for yourself!