As noted in the intro, with...
As noted in the intro, with Milan in Ford's backyard you never know what the guys in the red polo shirts are going to bring out. This year Ford Racing introduced its new Boss 351 block and the '10 FR500CJ program. Most notably was the availability of official "body in white" '10 Mustangs, along with several packaged kits to build your own race car (interior, wiring, and so on).
Coming to Milan, Michigan, for the third year now, the 6th Annual Aeromotive NMRA Ford Nat-ionals brought a compacted schedule and cooler weather to the event for the first time. The compacted schedule, while surely a money saver for the NMRA, allowed local enthusiasts, as well as the racers and spectators, to enjoy the NASCAR race at Michigan International Speedway on Sunday (the NMRA event was held Friday and Saturday only this year). This meant only two days of racing, late into the evening, and only a single car show day on Saturday. We thought the reduced schedule was a great idea, and apparently so did the racers. Saturday's car show was down a bit from past events due to the threat of rain (which drizzled on us for maybe 10 minutes), but nonetheless, the turnout of cars was impressive. From '60s era muscle to the latest and greatest from Ford, there was certainly a lot of interesting Ford iron in the car show area; ably run by the NMRA's Lisa Bodrey and the Milan event's host club, the Motor City Terminators (www.motorcityterminators.org/).
Of course this also marks the third year of the Ford Racing Invitational as well. With FoMoCo right in Milan's backyard (Ford and Ford Racing have been known to come out on test-n-tune nights with products like the new EcoBoost powered Flex and the FR500CJ), it's one of the best NMRA events for a Ford fanatic to really see the newest rides coming from Ford. Not only were there a bunch of great-looking Mustangs on display for the Invitational drivers (including yours truly, but more on that later), but also an EcoBoost Lincoln MKS, two F-150 Raptors, F-Series Harley Davidson models, the new 2011 Fiesta (in UK trim), and more. If you're within a day's drive of the Milan event you owe it to yourself to check this one out, and don't forget to bring the family.
Ford Racing's black S197 "Sinister...
Ford Racing's black S197 "Sinister Minister" Mustang (which I took to the Ford Racing Invitational winner's circle last year, I might add) was sporting a rapid prototype version of FRPP's upcoming Three-Valve intake for the '05 and newer engine. In final design stages now, the intake's last hurdle is whether to make it out of plastic or aluminum. When we know more, so shall you.
Getting behind the wheel of...
Getting behind the wheel of the '10 Lincoln MKS was our first opportunity to taste EcoBoost power, and boy did it taste good! While there are only subtle differences inside and out on the car, you know what's under the hood as soon as you put your right foot down.
A quick peek under the hood...
A quick peek under the hood (engine noise cover removed here) doesn't show anything too dramatic, as the turbos are mounted down low and close to the block, but with 100 hp per liter, the EcoBoost is certainly going to liven up the Ford car (and truck) lineup.
Another new Ford we'll all...
Another new Ford we'll all be seeing more of soon is the Fiesta. A nameplate very popular in the UK, it's coming stateside as an '11 model and will be in your dealer's showroom next spring. A 1.6L engine, variable valve timing, auto or manual trans, multi-function center display, and more make the car fun to drive and economical. We spent about 15 minutes with the four-door hatch shown here, but the Fiesta is also available in a four-door sedan. If you're looking for a new daily driver next year, give the Fiesta a look.
Kenny Mahn's '65 fastback...
Kenny Mahn's '65 fastback may be all race car, but it was certainly no slouch sitting on the show car field either.
With flawless paint, great...
With flawless paint, great detail work, and a small-block dressed with two stages of direct port juice, we're sure it's scary fast too. Kenny took home the Best Race Car & Pro Street trophy and Second Place Best Body & Paint for his hard work.