For a long time, Mustang enthusiasts have really been "up against it" when it comes to finding some type of compromise for setting their Ponies up in drag-race trim...when the 'Stangs have big brake calipers up front.

Big brakes can sometimes bring about clearance issues between calipers and wheels, that typically warrant grinding on calipers, or in some cases, completely removing a big-brake package from the Mustang's front end.

I recently found myself sitting directly in the eye of the wheel-size/brake-system-conflict storm.

I'll tell you how I got the conflictive situation resolved, after the jump...

Our 2002 Mustang GT has gone through many performance changes since we brought it into the magazine's project fleet. At one point a while back, adding 17" wheels was one of the upgrades. And in March of 2010, a brake-system switch (featuring Wilwood's humongous, 6-piston front calipers) was made when we prepared the Pony for the Mojave Mile.

Well, when we recently were presented with an opportunity to make some changes for a study on differences between drag-race-and-road-race suspension setups, "what should we do about front wheels-and-tires" became one of the big questions, as we knew that the rears would be downsized to 15s, but there isn't a 15-inch front-runner on the planet that will clear the big Wilwood binders.

The situtation led me to remember a company called Race Star Industries of Kearney, Missouri (www.racestarindustries.com), where I found their 92 Drag Star front wheels...in a 17" x 4.5" size.

As you seen in the photo, brake-caliper clearance is no issue whatsoever, and the front-runner/"skinny" tires question is easily answered, as M&H Tires (www.mandhtires.com) produces its Racemaster front race tires (they're DOT certified, by the way) as a 26" x 4.5"-17.

All bases were very neatly covered. The Race Star wheels package was completed with 15" x 10" rear wheels. A 6.5" backspace allows perfect fitment of Mickey Thompson's ever-popular 28" x 10.5" drag slicks, on '99-'04 Mustangs with stock-length rear ends.

For those of you who think you need to take this route for giving your New Edge (and big-brake-equipped) 'Stang a clean "bigs 'n littles" persona, check out Latemodel Restoration Supply (http://www.latemodelrestoration.com) for this Race Star wheels package.