Cancer-stricken boy, 18, enjoys day racing Mustang on racetrack thanks to Ford ... trends now
A cancer-stricken Utah teen got the chance to race Mustangs around a racetrack after Ford CEO Jim Farley spotted his father's viral tweet.
Joseph Tegerdine, 18, was recently given just months to live after it was found his bone cancer was spreading rapidly, leading his father Joe Sr to splash out on a 2020 Ford Mustang supercar.
After Farley saw a tweet defending the purchase, he invited Tegerdine and his father to enjoy the purchase to the max on the Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina.
'It was kind of terrifying at first. Then I was like, 'oh, this is actually pretty chill.' It's just really, really fun,' the 18-year-old told the Detroit Free Press after the track day.
'There’s so much to be thinking about in this car that your brain is 100% occupied — a little more gas, hit the brake hard, turn, turn. It’s just surreal.'
Joseph Tegerdine, 18, enjoyed a day on Ford's Charlotte Motor Speedway racetrack this month after his father bought him a Mustang due to his cancer diagnosis
The father and son were invited to the racetrack after Joe Sr's tweet about the Mustang went viral. The teen said the track was 'terrifying', but also 'just really, really fun'
The day at the track came about after Joe Sr shared a tweet about buying his son the Mustang, which he initially thought would get little-to-no attention.
'For those wondering why I’d buy my 18yr old son a 330hp Mustang, well, he’s been given months to live and can’t work long enough to buy one himself,' Joe said on X.
'His comment on the way home, 'Dad, I’m going to squeeze a few extra months of life just to be able to drive this.''
After the story behind the Mustang went viral - with Tegerdine's tweet receiving over 13 million views - the father and son were stunned by the surprising offer from Farley to make the most of the purchase.
Farley invited the two to race on the famed Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina earlier this month, as he wanted to help the teen experience the thrill of the track.
'Joseph was so excited. I had not seen him have that much energy for months,' Joe Sr said.
'In the end, we got to ride with a professional driver and it was like, I mean, G-forces after G-forces. You could feel yourself airborne in the seat.
'You come through a turn and you feel all the pressure in the turn and as soon as they hit the throttle out of the turn, you're pinned to the seat.'
In a statement to the Detroit Free Press, Farley said it was an 'honor' for Ford to host the father and son at their track. 'I’m just pleased we were able to help Joe and Joseph enjoy a very special day,' he said.
While Tegerdine's Mustang was a 2020 version, Farley also arranged for him to race a 2024 Mustang Dark Horse, which boasts a 500 horsepower.
The day at the track came after Joe Sr tweeted about buying his son the supercar, which went viral and racked up over 13 million views
Joe Sr's tweet caught the attention of Ford CEO Jim Farley, who invited them to Ford's racing track to experience the thrill of the track
Ford CEO Jim Farley said it was an 'honor' to host the teenager, adding he was 'just pleased we were able to help Joe and Joseph enjoy a very special day'
While The teenager's Mustang was a black 2020 version, Farley also arranged for him to race a 2024 Mustang Dark Horse (pictured), which boasts a 500 horsepower
Joseph was diagnosed with bone cancer in the seventh grade, with the first symptoms of the disease being
