There is no event quite like the Carlisle Ford Nationals. Held annually in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, it is one of the largest all-Ford events in the world, bringing together three days of car show culture, drifting, autocross, burnouts, celebrity appearances, and special displays that cover everything the Blue Oval has ever built. RTR Vehicles has been a part of this event for years, and every time we come back, it only gets better.
The Display
RTR joined the Ford Motor Company team in the famous Manufacturers Midway, and we showed up with a lineup worth stopping for. On the RTR Vehicles side, we had a Bronco RTR ROVR in Mystichrome, a Bronco RTR in Competition Orange from our paint to sample program, a Mustang RTR Spec 3 in Oxford White, a Ford Mustang RTR in shadow black with Hyper Lime accents, and Vaughn Gittin Jr's Mustang RTR Spec 5, with the Competition Orange Bronco RTR and white Spec 3 in Oxford White coming courtesy of our friends at Fred Beans Ford.
Right next door, the Ford display featured an Orange Fury Metallic Ford Mustang RTR as the centerpiece, alongside a Ford Mustang RTR and Ford Bronco RTR both in Avalanche Gray front and center of the full display.
Two displays, one unified statement about what the RTR lineup looks like in 2026.
The Owner Turnout
One of our favorite things about the Carlisle Ford Nationals is the community that shows up alongside us, and this year was the best yet.
RTR owners came from all over, bringing everything from the very first Mustang RTR convertible ever built and our first Mustang RTR Spec 5 to the latest production vehicles including a pair of Mustang RTR Spec 3s in Mystichrome.
It was the largest showing of RTR owner vehicles at Carlisle we have ever seen, and we are genuinely proud of that. This event is as much about the people who drive our vehicles as it is about the ones we build.
Ben Hobson and the Ford Youth Initiative
One of the standout moments of the weekend had nothing to do with lap times or horsepower. Ben Hobson sat down with the Ford Youth Initiative and shared his story of how he got into drifting, from the beginning all the way to where he stands today as a Formula Drift competitor. The kids were locked in from start to finish, and more than a few came back afterward for extra photos and to keep the conversation going. That is the kind of impact that goes well beyond the event.
Drift Demos, Ride Alongs, and the Main Stage
Ben Hobson and his 1000-plus horsepower Mustang RTR Spec 5-D were the heartbeat of the RTR activation all weekend long. Drift demo sessions ran across both days with show-goers signing up for ride alongs in the Spec 5-D, and Saturday nearly doubled the ride along count from Friday, giving even more fans their first taste of what a drift car actually feels like from the passenger seat.
Between sessions, Ben hosted autograph signings where fans brought everything from intake manifolds to the latest Jada 1:24 Diecast Mustang RTR Spec 5-FD to get signed.
RTR also hit the Carlisle main stage multiple times across the weekend, with Ben and Jordan Wheeler from RTR Vehicles giving the crowd the full rundown on the Ford Mustang RTR and Ford Bronco RTR. Equal parts education and entertainment, exactly how it should be.
Sending It to the Finish
As Saturday wound down, a few sprinkles of rain rolled in but did nothing to slow the momentum. Ben kicked off the Rolling Burnout and Donut Contest presented by RTR Vehicles and set the bar high right out of the gate. In the end, Alex Kleinhenz and his Cobra Jet took home the top spot. Well earned, Alex.
See You Next Year
Every year the Carlisle Ford Nationals reminds us why this event continues to be on our calendar. The cars are incredible, the show is world class, and the community of RTR owners and enthusiasts that fills those classes makes every moment worth it. We will be back, and we cannot wait to see what next year brings.
