Alex Sensoli’s 2018 Ford Mustang GT
American Muscle With An Italian Flair.
Growing up in Italy, Alex Sensoli had motorsport coursing through his veins. His father started him in motocross at a young age, but when his father passed shortly after Alex’s sixteenth birthday, his racing stopped. One needs to get their kicks somewhere, so Alex shifted his focus to another love: rugby. His dedication and passion for the game pushed him to the professional level, but eventually he chose another career path and moved to the United States to work in the medical equipment industry.
When Alex relocated from Rome to the Bay Area in California, he tried to relive some of his former glories through American football, but lingering rugby injuries kept him from playing at the level he was used to. He sought a cushier form of competition with less tackling, and decided to try motorsport once again. In relative comfort inside his new Dodge Challenger Scat Pack, he found his adrenaline fix in the fall of 2017 when he started attending track days.
After his first stab at Laguna Seca, he went home with a respectable time of 1:51 and a smile; he’d found those kicks his chiropractor told him he’d have to live without. However, the size of the car could not be ignored, and that impressive power was compromised by its heft. To mix it up at the front of the pack and prevent poorly driven Vipers from firing off into the distance, Alex thought it might be wise to buy a nimbler car in his price range.
It seems that some greater power agreed. While Alex was considering the alternatives, his Challenger was stolen and returned damaged. Taking that theft as a sign from the heavens, he decided that it was definitely time for a new steed. He toyed with the idea of a GT500, but some of his track-day friends urged him to avoid forced induction. So, seeking something with a little less power but plenty of potential, he chose a 2018 Mustang GT with the Performance Pack and the 10-speed automatic gearbox. Though still a bit porky by track toy standards, this 3,700-pound pony car promised more involvement and potential to run 1:40 laps at Laguna Seca. As few people had tracked these cars extensively at the time, he was also something of a pioneer. “Guinea pig is a better title,” he corrected.
