Mustang Challenge heads to Sebring International Raceway to kick off the 2026 season. Racing as part of the action-packed 12 Hours of Sebring weekend, this will be the second time Mustang Dark Horse R race cars have competed on the 3.74-mile road course this year. Mustang Cup USA - the entry point for the Ford Racing Pyramid - started its season at Sebring earlier in March.
Heading into its third season, Mustang Challenge has expanded its prize pool to further reward Dark Horse Legends competitors. In each race this season, drivers who finish on the Dark Horse Legends podium – reserved for drivers 40 years old and older – will receive prize money. Additionally, the Dark Horse Legends champion will receive a year’s lease of a Mustang Dark Horse or a Raptor for the street.
As the spirit of America, the Ford Mustang is the world’s best selling sports car and one of the planet’s most popular race cars. With Mustang-based race cars competing in international sports car competition (GT3 and GT4), NASCAR, NHRA, Formula Drift, in Supercars, at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb and in its own bespoke regional one-make series – Mustang Cup and Mustang Challenge – the platform has an unprecedented global reach. This weekend, 46 Mustang race cars are scheduled to race across all disciplines.
THE SCHEDULE
Wednesday March 18
8:55 a.m. – 9:25 a.m.: Practice 1
1:25 p.m. – 1:55 p.m..: Practice 2
4:05 p.m. – 4:20 p.m.: Qualifying
Thursday March 19
1:05 p.m. – 1:50 p.m.: Race 1
Friday March 20
10:20 a.m. – 11:05 a.m.: Race 2
*Times EDT
Ford Mustang Dark Horse R
The Mustang® Dark Horse™ R race car features a naturally aspirated 5.0L V8 engine, borrowed from the 2025 Mustang Dark Horse coupe. It’s combined with track-focused upgrades — including the following — for a more hard-core, pedal-to-the-metal performance:
- Borla® Racing Exhaust System
- RECARO® FIA racing seat
- Brembo™ Front and Rear Brake Package
- New 18" Forged Wheels paired with a Michelin slick race tire
- New GT4 Rear Camber Arms
SEASON CALENDAR
- MARCH 18 - 20 | SEBRING INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
- MAY 1 - 3 | WEATHERTECH RACEWAY LAGUNA SECA
- JUNE 5 - 7 | MID-OHIO SPORTS CAR COURSE
- JUNE 25 - 27 | WATKINS GLEN INTERNATIONAL
- AUGUST 21 - 23 | VIRGINIA INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY
- SEPTEMBER 4 - 6 | CIRCUIT OF THE AMERICAS
