Mustang Week finds home at speedway
Visitors will see plenty of Mustangs, but there will be other cars on display during a car show during the week.
Mustang Week started out with 200 cars and has grown to the largest Mustang event in the world.
Mustang Week has been in Myrtle Beach since it began in 2002.
CONCORD — After spending more than two decades in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, the world's largest Mustang gathering is shifting gears and heading to Cabarrus County.
Mustang Week will make its debut at Charlotte Motor Speedway and zMAX Dragway Aug. 24-29, bringing thousands of Ford Mustang enthusiasts to what organizers call a natural home for the iconic celebration. For founder Rodney Melton, a North Carolina native, the move represents a return to his roots.
What started in 2002 as a gathering of fewer than 200 Mustangs has grown into one of the nation's premier automotive events. Today, Mustang Week attracts enthusiasts from across the country for six days of racing, exhibitions, car shows and community events centered around Ford's legendary pony car.
Cabarrus County's deep ties to motorsports made it an ideal destination for the event. Anchored by Charlotte Motor Speedway and zMAX Dragway, the area is already home to a variety of racing attractions, museums and performance businesses.
The week's signature attraction is the Official Mustang Week Car Show on Aug. 29 at zMAX Dragway, where hundreds of Mustangs from every generation will compete for awards recognizing craftsmanship, originality, performance and restoration. The show is expected to feature everything from early Fox Body models and classic Boss Mustangs to modern Shelby, Saleen and Dark Horse editions.
The schedule also includes drift exhibitions and ride-alongs, drag racing, burnout competitions, autocross, roll racing, dyno challenges, fireworks and an All-Ford Cruise-In that welcomes more than just Mustangs. More than 50 vendors are expected to showcase performance parts, accessories and official Mustang Week merchandise throughout the event.
Beyond the speedway, visitors will have opportunities to experience several attractions throughout Cabarrus County.
The Mustang Owner's Museum in Concord — the world's only public museum dedicated exclusively to the Ford Mustang — will extend its hours during Mustang Week and offer discounted admission. The museum also plans to host "Night at the Museum" on Aug. 25, featuring a charcuterie spread, whiskey tastings from Southern Grace Distilleries and evening access to its collection of historic Mustangs and memorabilia.
Drivers looking for hands-on experiences can participate in track activities operated by Wheelhouse Racing School at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Programs include high-performance driver's education, parade laps on the speedway's ROVAL course and professional ride-alongs, giving participants the chance to drive or ride on one of NASCAR's most recognizable tracks.
Automotive enthusiasts can also stop by Morrison Motor Car Museum in Concord, which houses an extensive collection of classic Mustangs, Camaros, Corvettes and other collector vehicles just minutes from the speedway.
Several community events throughout the week will take visitors beyond the racetrack, including a kickoff party, karting and ice cream social, Mustang Week Games in Kannapolis, poker runs and evening cruise-ins at businesses across Cabarrus County, making the celebration as much a regional festival as a motorsports event.
Tickets and registration for Mustang Week Charlotte are available through the event's official website, with several community events offered free to the public while activities at Charlotte Motor Speedway and zMAX Dragway require admission.
More information can be found at:
https://www.explorecabarrus.com/events/ mustang-week-north-carolina-2026
