A major focal point for those interested in Ford Mustangs and the bountiful aftermarket was the collection of custom Shelby GT500s. Taking center stage, both literally and in attention, the three cars (one red, one white, and yes, one blue) easily captivated the audience and even the "competition". The red car is a GT500 dragster, ready to rock the mod-motor class. The white GT500 is a Road and Track car-a weekend warrior of sorts-one to drive to work, but tear up the track on Friday nights. The blue Mustang is a full-blown competition version of the GT500. Joining in the aftermarket glitz also was a black 40th Anniversary Shelby GT500 convertible and a white Shelby GT coupe set out on display.

Reflecting back on the days of massaging Ford engines in southern California, there are some historical Shelby cars at SEMA displayed alongside their modern-day counterparts. There is also a 1968 Shelby GT500 and a 2007 Shelby GT500, a 1966 Shelby GT350H and a 2006 Shelby GT-H, and a rare Shelby Daytona coupe shown alongside the polished-aluminum Shelby GR-1 concept car.

"For Ford, this really is one of our Kodak moments," says Bob Adams, a manager in Ford Motor Company's Global Auto Show Strategy Department. "We've got the three flavors of Shelby all in one place. This is a dramatic showcase of some fantastic cars."

Paul's High Performance GT500

• Ford Racing 3.3 SC Kit
• FRT Long Tube Headers
• FRT Custom 3" Exhaust
• PHP Tubular K Member
• PHP Front and Rear Drag Suspension
• FRT Throttle Body and MAF
• PHP Fuel Delivery System
• Wildwood Drag Brakes
• PHP 10 Point Roll Cage

The street-legal drag car's 5.4-liter V-8 features a Ford Racing supercharger that's enhanced by a cold-air box from Paul's High Performance (PHP) and by billet aluminum pulleys from Metco Motorsports. The engine also has modified reservoirs and oil pan, and the chassis has a tubular K-member from Anthony Jones Engineering. The transmission is a GT500 factory TR-6060 six-speed from TTC/Tremec with PHP shifter modifications. The stock front seats are swapped out for Recaro race buckets.

Road and Track GT500

• Ford Racing roll cage
• Sparco race-inspired seat/safety belts
• Ford Racing power pack, delivering approximately 600 horsepower
• Ford Racing handling pack
• Ford Racing cooling pack
• Ford Racing valve covers
• Ford Racing strut tower brace
• 3-piece Fiske racing wheels
• Performance Friction racing brakes
• Ford Racing short-throw shifter
• Ford Racing performance gauges

The Road and Track car is street-legal, modified with a Ford Racing Performance Parts power pack that boosts horsepower to approximately 600. There are also a Ford Racing handling pack (lower stance, larger antiroll bars, new strut tower brace and new dampers), performance friction brakes and three-piece Fikse race wheels.

Pro RacerGT500

• 5.0L Cammer Engine, producing more than 500HP
• 6-Speed Sequential Shift Race Transmission
• 6 Piston Front Calipers
• 4 Piston Rear Calipers
• 8.8" Full FLoating Rear Axle
• 3 Way Adjustable Dampners Front/Rear
• GT-Spec rear wing
• Carbon Fiber Nose Splitter
• 22 Gallon Fuel Cell
• 3pc BBS Racing Wheels
• Curb Weight: 3,100 Pounds

The blue, track-only competition GT500 has a 5.0-liter Cammer engine that puts out more than 500 horsepower and is mated with a six-speed sequential shift race transmission. The brakes have six-piston front calipers with two-piece rotors; the rears have four-piston calipers with two-piece rotors. There are an 8.8-inch full floating rear axle, three-way adjustable dampers, a GT-spec rear wing, a carbon fiber nose splitter, a 22-gallon fuel cell and three-piece BBS racing wheels. Curb weight is a trim 3,100 pounds, about 800 pounds less than the conventional Shelby GT500.