In the Open Comp class, we...
In the Open Comp class, we spotted Steve Gasich of St. Louis, Missouri, pushing his '68 Mustang coupe to the max. The 572-cube big-block got it done until the third round of eliminations when Steve lost to eventual Open Comp finalist Jeff Moses and his late-model Mustang.
It was a banner year for the National Mustang Racer's Association, with every stop of its event schedule jam-packed with racers, show cars, vendors, and of course, attendees. We've enjoyed going to as many events as we could and seeing the variety of Ford muscle on display, both in the race pits and in the Laurel Mountain All-Ford Auto Show sections.
While most of the race cars have been late-models, we did spot several classic Fords in the Open Comp and bracket classes-there were even a few classic Mustangs moving up the ranks to Hot Street and Pro. It's always nice to see an early-model Mustang or Ford yank the front tires clear of the track surface and put some modern iron on the trailer for that long ride back home.
The Laurel Mountain All-Ford show didn't disappoint either. While there were a lot of late-model Mustangs with wild paint schemes and Lambo doors, it was refreshing to see all sorts of classic Fords-from '60s Mustangs to '50s T-birds to '70s modified Mavericks- battling it out on the show side of things. It was no different at the 8th Annual Nitto Tire NMRA World Finals in Bowling Green, Kentucky, the last weekend in September 2006.
Congratulations to all who took home a trophy or race winnings in 2006. We'll see you in Bradenton, Florida, for the '07 season opener.
Brian Meine of Warrenton,...
Brian Meine of Warrenton, Missouri, who we've featured in previous NMRA coverage, only made it to the second round of eliminations with his 418 Windsor-powered '66 coupe when he was put on the trailer by Mr. Open Comp Larry Geddes.
Another Open Comp racer we've...
Another Open Comp racer we've mentioned in previous NMRA coverage, Ron Bochenek of Oswego, Illinois, took his '62 Ranchero powered by a 408 Windsor stroker to the second round, where Ward Pierce took him out of contention.
Ward, of Fayette, Alabama,...
Ward, of Fayette, Alabama, continued to the third round with his '69 Mustang powered by a 460 big-block, where he, too, was put out of the running.
In the meantime, all of us...
In the meantime, all of us classic-Ford fans can cheer on Rodney Overfelt of St. Louis, Missouri, who has been running this sweet-looking '65 fastback in Hot Street.
Roger Bandy took his '63 Tiger...
Roger Bandy took his '63 Tiger to the next level with a bunch of modern performance and handling upgrades. Under the hood resides a carbureted 5.0 roller engine backed by a five-speed manual trans. Out back is a Mustang 8.8-inch axlehousing and a Mustang gas tank.
We don't usually delve into...
We don't usually delve into the street-rod era around here, but we really liked David Braswell's '39 Ford coupe, especially since it had a stout small-block under the hood, fed by a Kenne Bell supercharger.
David, of Westmoreland, Tennessee,...
David, of Westmoreland, Tennessee, took home trophies Saturday with a First Place in Best Pre-'48, Street Rod Custom; a First Place in Under Construction; and a Best Pre-'48 Street & Custom award on Sunday.
Tony Lyles, also of Westmoreland,...
Tony Lyles, also of Westmoreland, Tennessee, brought his sharp-looking, modular-powered, '65 convertible to Bowling Green and took home a Top 20 Ford award on Saturday.
We loved the right height/stance...
We loved the right height/stance of Tony's Mustang, and the wheels really set off the car.
Mustang & Fords
Editor's Choice Award
Joseph Hooper, Bowling Green, KY
'59 Thunderbird convertible
There's a lot to be said for keeping history intact. Joseph Hooper is one of those numbers-matching guys who has always owned nice, restored examples. His '59 T-bird, which he has owned for over two decades, was in the midst of being bounced to yet another shop when a friend recommended he take it to D&D Specialty Cars in Van Buren, Arkansas. Joseph wanted to restore the 'Bird, but D&D kept hinting at better things, so Joseph finally came around-and boy did he ever.
The '59 sports a complete Air Ride system, a custom interior, Boyd Coddington 18 and 20-inch wheels, a 428 Cobra Jet FE under hood, and more. The car caught not only our eyes, but those of the judges and spectators, too, with the following awards:
Director's Choice-SaturdayMustang & Fords Editor's Choice-SaturdayBest Thunderbird-SundayBest Interior-Saturday and Sunday (popular vote)Top 20 Ford-Saturday and SundayBest of Show-First PlaceWe were lucky to have enough time to do a complete photo shoot on Joseph's T-bird, so look for a full feature on this way-trick '59 drop-top in an upcoming issue.