Ford Raptor, Edge ST, Shelby GT350 Mustang and GT supercar give people the drive of their lives.
The video above comes to us from the Ford Performance YouTube channel and it showcases the Motor Company’s unique form of therapy. With help from the F-150 Raptor, the Shelby GT350 Mustang, the Edge ST and the modern GT supercar, Ford brightens up the days of several regular people who could use a boost. After all, anyone with a performance vehicle will tell you that few things can get your mind off of the problems of daily life like some quality time behind the wheel.
Dealing with Stress
This Ford video begins with an array of regular people talking about their lives, their difficulties and the aspects of life that create stress. Some of them have stressful home lives while others have stressful jobs, but in the case of each individual being interviewed in the big, open warehouse, they could all use some stress relief.
That is where Ford Performance comes into play with their “Speed Therapy” campaign. As each interviewee finishes up their story, a high performance vehicle comes tearing into the warehouse with a trained stunt driver at the wheel. At first, it seems as though these folks are going to get to ride along with the stunt driver, but they are actually the ones in control of these powerful machines.
Speed Therapy in Motion
The vehicles included in the Speed Therapy program include a red F-150 Raptor, a white Shelby GT350 Mustang, a blue Edge ST and a white GT supercar. The Raptor is playing in the sand while the Shelby, the GT and the Edge are being tossed around a road course. In each case, the stunt driver is providing instruction to help the “patient” get the most from their stress relief.
In the end, each person gets out of the high performance Ford vehicle in a far better mood than when they climbed into the driver’s seat, showing that spirited driving really does lift the spirits.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
