Here’s what happens when someone with no experience hits an iconic racetrack in a 795-hp beast

A novice driver took Ford’s 795-horsepower Mustang Dark Horse SC around Florida’s Sebring International Raceway, finding it more manageable than its power and reputation suggested. The experience matters because it showed how Ford has designed a high-performance car to be usable both on track and in everyday driving.

The 4,100-pound car has a supercharged 5.2-litre V8 and is described as the successor to the Shelby GT500; it starts at about $108,000. The tested Track Package adds adaptive dampers and carbon-ceramic brakes, and removes the rear seats. After an autocross session, the writer drove several laps and reached 129 mph, while noting that professional drivers explored the car’s limits.