Ford Falcon and Holden Torana/Commodore owed a lot of success to the bitumen of Mount Panorama and Phillip Island in the 1970s, but the obsession with the track diminished in following decades.

Battered by rising fuel prices and a shaky economy, buyers put more attention on being economical with their vehicle choices.

By 2009, Ford’s market share had slipped from the high 20s to 10.3 per cent – Holden came from the 30s to 12.8 per cent – with the Falcon and its derivatives still the strongest sellers, followed by the workhorse Ranger that replaced the Courier two years prior.

Today, it’s a new ballgame. The Ranger is Ford’s best seller with more than 63 per cent of new Fords sold this year wearing Ranger badges.

The Mustang, rekindling the past, is currently Ford’s third-best seller (7.2 per cent), just beaten by the Ranger-based Everest SUV.

Mustang sales have dropped off this year compared with the same period in 2018, down 16.4 per cent. This has allowed it to be outsold by the Everest.

Will the race-game change Mustang’s fortunes and will winning on Sunday again make dealers happy on Monday?

By Neil Dowling

Ford Mustang