Ford’s Mustang GT3 Race Cars Get A Wild Throwback To 1901

The two Mustang GT3s honor Henry Ford’s 1901 Sweepstakes racer with a special livery at Petit Le Mans.

Ford Mustang GT3 In Petit Le Mans 'Sweepstakes' Livery

Photo by: Ford

Brian Potter

By: Brian Potter

Sep 29, at 12:30pm ET

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Ford Racing is celebrating one of the most important cars in its history by putting a 125-year-old racing story on two of its newest race cars.

Ahead of Petit Le Mans on October 3, Ford's factory Mustang GT3 program will run a special livery inspired by "Sweepstakes," the two-seat racer Henry Ford drove to victory in 1901. The original car reportedly reached about 60 miles per hour, making it a remarkably quick machine for its time—and a pivotal one for what would eventually become Ford Motor Company.

The No. 64 and No. 65 Mustang GT3s will wear the tribute at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, paying homage to the race that helped put Henry Ford on the path to founding his namesake automaker.

The Ford Mustang GT3 Pays Tribute To Sweepstakes

Ford Mustang GT3 In Petit Le Mans 'Sweepstakes' Livery

Photo by: Ford

On October 10, 1901, Henry Ford climbed into Sweepstakes for a 10-mile race in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. He defeated Alexander Winton, one of the most prominent automobile manufacturers and racers of the era. Ford used the result to help attract investors for his next automotive venture, which ultimately became Ford Motor Company when it was incorporated in June 1903.

Rather than simply slapping an old Ford logo on a modern race car, the design team worked to recreate Sweepstakes' original color palette. The result is a dramatic departure from the Mustang GT3's familiar blue-and-white racing colors. Burgundy and gold graphics sit against a black background, while the original Ford Motor Company logo appears in gold.

There's also "Racing Since 1901" lettering on the hood, along with graphics referencing Ford's 1903 founding. Together, the details connect the modern Mustang GT3 directly to the company's earliest days rather than simply celebrating Ford's long history in motorsports.

Even the drivers' firesuits get in on the tribute; their suits are styled after the three-piece outfit Henry Ford reportedly wore when he raced Sweepstakes in 1901.

Ford's Glow Pony Gets A New Look At Night

Ford's Mustang GT3 already features its "Glow Pony," an illuminated outline of the Mustang logo on the rear fender. For Petit Le Mans, however, Ford is taking the idea a step further by lighting up the entire pony for the first time on a factory Mustang GT3.

Inside the glowing emblem is a black-and-gold American flag, tying the race car's history lesson to another milestone: the United States' 250th anniversary.

Ford Mustang GT3 In Petit Le Mans 'Sweepstakes' Livery

Ford Mustang GT3 In Petit Le Mans 'Sweepstakes' Livery

Photo by: Ford

Two Mustang GT3s Will Wear The Sweepstakes Livery

The two tribute Mustangs will compete in the GTD Pro class during the 10-hour Motul Petit Le Mans season finale at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta on October 3. Dennis Olsen and Ben Barker will share the No. 64 Mustang, while Christopher Mies and Frédéric Vervisch will pilot the No. 65.

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The race is the latest chapter in Ford's factory Mustang GT3 program, which the automaker has already committed to continue with the same GTD Pro lineup for the 2027 season.

For Ford, though, the significance of these two cars goes well beyond a single endurance race. The Mustang GT3 may be a modern race car built for the IMSA grid, but its latest livery is a reminder that the company's racing story started with a 60-mph machine called Sweepstakes more than a century ago.