This marked our fourth consecutive year at Ponies in the Smokies, and each year the energy continues to grow. Seeing the strong presence of Mustang RTR owners and enthusiasts throughout the event is something we never take for granted. Ponies in the Smokies has become more than just the start of the season. It's our official green flag for the year ahead.
Day One: Ben Hobson Puts Smiles on Faces at Newport Speedway
Kicking off the event for RTR, Ben Hobson rolled his brand new liveried 2026 Mustang RTR Spec 5-D off the trailer to put on a show for the people at Newport Speedway. Giving over 30 ridealongs and going through multiple sets of tires, we’d say he quite accomplished that goal. Ben also was able to run tandems with other higher-level drift drivers to give the fans a small taste of competition level drifting for door-to-door action.
Also on display at the track, Ben displayed his personal Mustang RTR Spec 3 and we brought out the Bronco RTR ROVR in Peacock Blue, as well as Vaughn Gittin Jr’s RTR Equipped Bronco Raptor. RTR owners joined in on the action creating an impromptu display of RTR vehicles at the track.
Day Two: RTR Owners Cruise at Tail of the Dragon
Heading into day two, we set our alarms early and met over two dozen RTR owners and enthusiasts in the morning to cruise over to the Tail of the Dragon. Before heading out Vaughn Gittin Jr, Ben Hobson, and the RTR Team met the group at one of the infamous mega gas stations in the area to meet owners and game plan before embarking on the trip.
After embarking towards the Dragon, we stopped for a group photo and organized the team to ensure everyone was participating in a safe but fun-having manner. Led by Vaughn in the Ford Mustang RTR, and Ben in a Mustang RTR Spec 2 in Adriatic Blue, the caravan headed out and up.
Once carving the 11 miles and 318 turns of the Tail of the Dragon, the group stopped for lunch for some camaraderie over a bite to eat in the mountains by the riverside.
Day Three: The Largest Display of RTR Vehicles To Date
Going into day three of Ponies in the Smokies was something special. This year, RTR Vehicles was one of the featured displays inside the Sevierville Convention center. Over 20 RTR Owners displayed their vehicles directly in front of the main stage creating the largest display of customer owned RTR Vehicles that have ever come together at one time.
Outside we had nearly the full line up of RTR production vehicles with the Mustang RTR Spec 2 in Adriatic, three Mustang RTR Spec 3’s in Shadow Black, Lightning Silver, and Urban Bamboozle, plus the Ford Mustang RTR in its camo livery, Ben’s personal Mustang RTR Spec 3, and the Bronco RTR ROVR in Peacock Blue.
We also brought out a collection of vehicles that represent key moments in RTR history, helping tell the story of how RTR Vehicles came to be. These included Vaughn’s original S197 Drift Mustang, the all-carbon RTR-C, the first production Mustang RTR, and the iconic RTR-X.
On Friday morning, Vaughn walked enthusiasts through the timeline, sharing the story behind each vehicle and the journey that shaped RTR Vehicles into what it is today.
As a finale to the RTR heritage story, we unveiled the newest addition to our line up, the Mustang RTR Signature package, a program that opens the door for existing Spec 2 and Spec 3 owners to take their build further through a curated, one-on-one design experience with the RTR team. A big thank you goes to Scott Goodwin, the owner of the first Mustang RTR Spec 3-S, for sharing his vision with us and allowing RTR to add his signature to the Spec 3. Scott also won second place in the RTR Collection class!
A bit later in the day, Vaughn and Ben met with all the RTR owners inside to get each of their stories and have their vehicle signed if they chose to. Some even had a few things for them like this hand painted hotwheel of Vaughns first drift car.
Later in the day, Vaughn and Ben signed autographs at the RTR rig and met with fans, shared stories, and gave out some free high-fives. While signing officially ended at 1:30, we loved hanging out with our people for the remainder of the day to share stories, sign parts, and have good times.
Day Four: RTR Vehicle Owners Take Home the Hardware
Going into the last day of the event meant it was time for awards. This year the RTR vendor choice award was chosen by Vaughn Gittin Jr himself, who picked someone who not only has a great example of an RTR Vehicle, but also embodies the RTR lifestyle and is an honor to have as an RTR owner.
Congratulations to Riley Whitten, owner of a Mustang RTR Spec 3 in Urban Bamboozle!
An Event We Won’t Forget
Ponies in the Smokies is always one of the best events that we get to do each year because of the incredible people that come together and celebrate our passion with us. This year topped the charts as our biggest presence at the event and we have all of our owners, enthusiasts, and fans to thank for that. Whether you hopped in for a ride along with Ben Hobson, stopped by and chatted at the booth, or had your vehicle as part of the RTR display inside, thank you! We look forward to rocking future events with you in the rest of 2026, we’re just getting started!
