This New Twin-Turbo GT500 Is Already Turning Heads

Louisiana racer Charles Weckesser recently took delivery of a sleek new Mustang GT500 from noted builder Wizard Race Cars that’s been turning heads on the internet ahead of its on-track debut. Weckesser built the 2019 model GT500 because his previous car had reached the point where the speed outpaced safety, and he didn’t want to cut that car up. Instead, he invested in a platform that could handle whatever came next.

Based in the New Orleans area, Weckesser is no stranger to drag racing, having spent years competing in True Street and 8.50-style classes with his more factory-style Mustang. That car runs consistent mid-eights at nearly 3,800 pounds, but as his plans expanded to include events like TX2K, FL2K, and other outlaw-style classes, the limitations became obvious. “It really started as a safety decision. I wasn’t trying to go run crazy numbers, I just wanted something built the right way that I could grow into,” Weckesser explains.

The initial thought was to put a cage and a 4-link in the existing car, but at the advice of his buddies, Weckesser purchased a separate S550 Mustang shell and committed to a ground-up build with Jason Wood and his team at Wizard instead of cutting that car up. The project centered on a full double-frame-rail chassis that retains factory floorboards, firewall, and front strut tower layout while converting the rear of the car into a full four-link configuration. It sports a Schoneck front end, doors, and deck lid. The car is all business, designed for 275 radial competition and the variety of rule sets common at major no-time and outlaw events.

At the heart of the build is a methanol-fed, twin-turbo FFRE Coyote engine. The aluminum Predator-based block retains factory 302-cubic-inch displacement but is sleeved and fitted with upgraded rotating assembly components. Massaged GT350 heads, upgraded valvetrain, and twin 81mm Bullseye turbos complete the combination. On the dyno, the engine produced 2,145 horsepower at 35 pounds of boost before testing was intentionally halted. “We stopped right there,” Weckesser says. “I don’t need to see how far it’ll go on the dyno. I want the car to live.”

The GT500 rides on Weld wheels with TBM brakes and Menscer shocks and struts at all four corners and a Merillat rearend equipped with a Strange Engineering billet center section. A Turbo 400 transmission, built by Performance Transmissions, handles power transfer, while an M&M shifter controls gear changes.

Wiring, plumbing, and tuning were handled by Dave Deramus, who also performed final assembly and tuning of the Holley EFI management system. The car is set up primarily for eighth-mile racing as Weckesser adapts to a performance level he admits is new. “I’ve never been this fast. I don’t want to just jump in and go try to run sixes in the quarter-mile right out of the gate. I want to get comfortable in it first.”

Visually, the Mustang stands apart from current trends. Finished in factory Velocity Blue, the GT500 features polished stainless turbo piping, a polished aluminum intake, and an intentionally bright engine bay. Inside, carbon tubs and panels are blended with retained factory plastics, carpet, and headliner, along with a replica dash, to preserve some of the look of a factory Mustang interior. 

Initial track testing is planned, and a spring debut is expected. Weckesser is aiming to compete largely in no-time, 1/8-mile events around his home, including Gulfport Dragway and No Problem Raceway, and further out to TX2K, FL2K, and other outlaw-style races.