Steeda Autosports kicked off its third decade in business recently at its 20th Anniversary Celebration, located at the company's new facilities in Valdosta, Georgia. The Friday night Welcome Reception, held at the Valdosta Convention Center, provided the first of many opportunities for the Steeda faithful to gather and mix with local town officials and residents in celebration of 20 outstanding years of dedicated Ford performance. Both Dario Orlando, Steeda's president, and Brad Lofton, executive director of the Valdosta-Lowndes County Industrial Authority spoke at the reception and expressed their sincere appreciation of the great partnership between Steeda and the community. They also acknowledged the people that turned out to celebrate.

On Saturday, it was track time and there was something for everyone--even if you didn't bring a car to the event. On the SCCA Autocross Course, Robin Burnett was providing "thrill rides" in his Steeda Q-Series Mustang race car to those willing to hang on. The line was endless as many people took Robin up on his offer for the ride of a lifetime. Needless to say, he didn't disappoint. In addition to thrill rides around corners, many attendees took advantage of the outstanding South Georgia Motorsports Park quarter-mile dragstrip by blasting their cars down the 1,320 and having a lot of fun doing it.

Saturday evening witnessed the Steeda Anniversary Barbeque Bash on the site of the company's new headquarters. Those attending saw first-hand the construction progress on the building that will eventually become one of the most state-of-the-art design, engineering, and manufacturing facilities for Ford performance equipment just about anywhere in the world. After the Barbeque Bash, the partying continued late into the evening at many of the local nightspots in downtown Valdosta.

Sunday dawned with the second day of action-packed performance at the South Georgia Motorsports Park. That afternoon, a car show was held. Total Mustang Supply provided the judging, and awards included Best Steeda, Best Roush, Best Shelby, and multiple others. Prizes included plaques, gift certificates, and T-shirts. After the awards were handed out, the winners were treated to a few laps in their cars on the oval track.

This 20th Anniversary celebration definitely set the stage for a new era in the future of Steeda Autosports. The outstanding welcome by the residents of Valdosta and the Steeda faithful was warmly received and sincerely appreciated by everyone at Steeda Autosports. The new friendships that were made, along with old friendships rekindled, all pointed to a rich history and a very promising future for the Ford performance faithful.

Despite record gas prices, over 200 Mustang enthusiasts from all over the world have registered to participate in the landmark cross-country Mustang road trip for 2009. Hailing from over 30 states and 6 countries, including Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, South Africa, and Canada, the caravan is setting records for international participation.

"We have always had participants from around the world, but this year is shattering all previous records," says Event Coordinator Sam Haymart. "Over 50 parties have registered from abroad including over 30 from Australia alone." Most of the participants coming from overseas are planning to rent Shelby Hertz and other Mustangs for the drive, while some are planning to transport their cars to America for the adventure.

The planned caravan drive kicks off in Las Vegas on April 11 at the Shelby Automobiles Factory. Participants will celebrate at an evening reception the night before and will start the drive at the front door of Carroll Shelby's shop. From there, the five-day road trip to Birmingham, Alabama, for Mustang Club of America's big Mustang 45th Anniversary Show at Barber Motorsports Park continues a Mustang tradition.

The '09 Mustangs Across America drive has some new routes and byways planned along old sections of Route 66 as well as off-shoot trips to places like Santa Fe, New Mexico, and Clinton, Oklahoma, for some sightseeing.

Mustangs Across America organizes the convoy drive with a schedule of about 400 miles a day with planned staging areas, lunch stops, and overnight accommodations. The group works with local chambers of commerce, clubs, and sponsors to add local events, tours, and gatherings along the five-day road trip. Enthusiasts are welcome to join in the adventure for the entire trip or just for a short segment or two.

"The 45th Anniversary Drive is shaping up to be the biggest Mustangs Across America drive ever," says Haymart. "Hotels are already filling up in many overnight stops and we are adding third and fourth properties to keep up." The Mustangs Across America 45th Anniversary drive is expected to garner over 500 Mustangs in the group to make their way to the MCA Show in Birmingham. More information can be found at www.mustangsacrossamerica.com.

Mustangs Across America 45th Anniversary Drive Schedule:

About Mustangs Across America
Mustangs Across America Inc. is an event promotion group that has been organizing cross-country drives for large Mustang Club of America anniversary events since 1994. Led by a close-knit group of enthusiasts, the events have been organized over the years in concert with the volunteer teamwork of several Mustang Clubs and sponsors across the country to bring enthusiasts an adventure of a lifetime.

Mustangs Across America events have attracted hundreds of participants of all ages and walks of life from all over the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Europe to join together in the adventure. Mustangs Across America has become an institution in the Mustang hobby, having organized many cross-country drives, including the '94 30th Anniversary and '04 40th Anniversary drives. The latter was the basis for the Discovery/Travel Channel Documentary Kings Of The Road - Mustangs Across America that still airs on TV today. In 2004, over 300 Mustangs took part in the MAA Drive.

Interested parties can log onto the Mustangs Across America Web site, www.MustangsAcrossAmerica.com or send a SASE to the address below for entry forms.

Contact Information:
Sam Haymart
(480) 393-9887
mustangone@mustangsacrossamerica.com

Father's Day weekend has become one of the most popular spots on the calendar to hold an automotive event in the nation. Let's face it: Dad likes cars, car shows, racing, loud and fast machines, and so forth, so what better way to let him have his day than to take him to an event that has all these factors in one location. While we were busy in Milan, Michigan, at the NMRA event tackling the 1,320 in the Ford Racing Invitational 2008 (and taking home the trophy, but more on that in another Web story), Huw Evans was in Tulsa for the Mid-America Shelby Meet. There were at least another half-dozen events going on around the nation, as well, including Fun Ford Weekend and Steeda's 20th Anniversary show.

One of these events was the Factory Five 11th Annual Open House, where Dave and Mark Smith and all of the FFR employees opened up their workspaces to admiring owners and fans of the company to demonstrate how production, assembly, shipping, and other facets of the company work. Included in the Open House was a sneak peak at FFR's upcoming new product, a '33 Ford replica, nicknamed Project Larry (after the Boston Celtics' No. 33 Larry Bird), a car show, chassis dyno shootout, local cruise-in, giveaways and product sale area, and a cook-out--all for free! More than 130 Factory Five models (Roadsters, Type 65 Coupes, GTMs, and Spyder GTs) came roaring into Wareham for the 11th Annual Factory Five Open House.

"They came to see old friends (friendships that had been created through the shared bond of the Factory Five project) and to meet new members of the Factory Five family, as well as to hang out with others who had similarly enjoyed the adventures of building a custom car in the comfort of their own garage," Mark Weber, head of FFR's marketing department, told us in an e-mail exchange.

With perfect weather (78 degrees F and sunny), the Factory Fives of all colors made for the perfect melting pot of car culture in Factory Five's parking lot.

While FFR may be well known for its Roadster kits, the GTM, a completely unique design supercar that uses C5 Corvette components to build, was supported with four completed GTMs on display, waving the Factory Five Supercar banner.

Additionally, eight FFR Type 65 Coupes were grouped together, showing off their sleek racing lineage and the shape that seems to set lovers of this unique replica of the '65 Manufacturer's Championship design apart from all others.

In the end, FFR customers Joe Leone and Rick LaCourse served as car show judges and they had their hands full choosing the 12 best recipients for the Open House car show awards.

We wish we could've been there ourselves, but with so many events in one weekend, we'll have to save our pennies for that cloning machine to make them all next year. Who knows, maybe--just maybe--we'll surprise everyone and bring Project Snake Charmer to next year's Open House. You never know with us crazy car guys!

Mark Weber also provided us with the full listing of award winners:
Allan Uzwiak - Best Use of Chrome
In honor of Allan's incredibly polished LS7 engine intake, heads, and every other visible component, Allan's GTM was referred to as the Best Use of "Shiny Stuff."

Denis Surette - Most Innovative Improvement
(A unanimous decision among the judges, Denis' custom-molded, aerodynamic rollbar cowlings were not only innovative, but completely redefined the look of his Mk2 Roadster.

John Mills - Best Paint Award
In a field of over 100 of the most beautifully painted cars in the region, John's metallic-flake Sunburst Orange Mk3 stood immediately out from the crowd.

Bob Peckham - Best Engine Award
This award may soon be renamed the Bob Peckham Best Engine Award, as Bob has captured it two successive years for his classic, Weber-stacked carburetion system.

Charlie Costa - Best Interior Details
Charlie customized the Factory Five tan leather interior, featuring a hand-made wood-grain dash, to create one of the most remarkable interiors we've ever seen.

Bill Cooke - Best in Show, Under Construction
Accepting our invitation to bring his Factory Five in any form of build, Bill brought his Type 65 Coupe Rolling Chassis, replete with Clecko fasteners holding the aluminum panels in position.

Steve Botellio - Best in Show, FFR Mk Roadster
A thing of beauty from every angle, Steve's Mk3 Roadster also represented the best of these cars as one of the top finishers (338 hp, 376 lb-ft of torque) in the Horsepower Shootout contest on the Mobile Dyno.

John George - Best in Show, Challenge Car
John drives his Challenge Car on the street virtually every day--perhaps that's why he and his Challenge Car are often out front in Challenge Series races around the country. John captured the FFR Challenge Series Northeast Regional crown in both 2006 and 2007.

Paul Murphy - Best in Show, FFR Spyder GT
This Spyder stands out from the crowd because of its rare heritage, but also because of its stunning silver metallic-flake paint and cold-air ram sticking up through the hood.

Bob Potter - Best in Show, FFR GTM
This bright Ferrari-red Factory Five Supercar was selected for its attention-to-detail on every level, turning a home-built race car into a finished jewel comparable to any museum-worthy sculpture on wheels.

Charlie Costa - Best in Show, Overall
The perfection outside the car matched the unparalleled interior, as Charlie's Mk3 Roadster unanimously took Best in Show as well as the Best Interior award.

Charlie Adams - Horsepower Shoot-Out Champion
With a daily driver built from a Mustang donor car, Charlie Adams is the quintessential FFROG. Pushing out 424 hp and 391 lb-ft of torque from a stock 5.0L block using stock internals and heads salvaged from a junkyard donor, Charlie clearly has the best bang for his budget.

Additionally, Factory Five customer David English rode away from the Open House the proud owner of a new TGB Pit Bike, winning the free raffle drawing available to all who brought their Factory Five to the event.

Here is the 2008 events schedule for Mustang & Fords and Mustang Monthly Magazines. We're adding dates all the time. If you know of a show that's not listed, email the information to mustang.fords@sourceinterlink.com and we'll list it here.

If you're putting on a show, take several photos, write a few paragraphs and send it to us. We'll put it on the website for everyone to read!

January 12-13, Silver Springs, FL

February 23 & 24, Monticello, IA

March 1-2, Orlando, FL

March 8, Englishtown, NJ

March 8-9, Kershaw, SC

March 15, Englishtown, NJ

March 22, Rockingham NC

March 26, Englishtown, NJ

March 28-30, Pensacola, FL

April 3-6, Concord, NC

April 4-6, Reynolds, GA

April 5, Polk City, FL

April 5, Stone Mountain, GA

April 10-13, Commerce, GA

April 12, Shirley, MA

April 19, Fort Walton Beach, Fl

April 19, Woodbridge, VA

April 20, Lexington SC

April 26th, Concord, NC

April 26, Stockton, CA

April 27, Butler, NJ

May 2-4, Baytown, TX

May 3, Buford, GA

May 3, Lusby, MD

May 16-18, Braselton, GA

May 17, Jacksonville, FL

May 17, Suisan, CA

May 17, Virginia Beach, VA

May 18, Cudahy, WI

May 16-18, Nashville, IN

May 23-25, Belle Rose, LA

May 24-25, Richland, WA

May 25, Albuquerque, NM

May 30-June 1, Danville, VA

June 1, Bloomington, IL

June 1, Des Moines, IA

June 1, Dubuque, IA

June 1, Manchester, CT

June 1, Southold, NY

June 1, Warwick, NY

June 1-2, Dearborn, MI

June 6-8, Carlisle, PA

June 7, Battle Creek, MI

June 7, Chester, SC

June 12-15, Tulsa, OK

June 12-15, Steamboat Springs, CO

June 13-14, Rockingham, NC

June 13-15, Milan, MI

June 14, Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada

June 14, Tallmadge, OH

June 20-22, Dublin, OH

June 20-22, Richmond, VA

June 21, Morrisville, NC

June 21, New Bedford, MA

June 21, Richmond, TX

June 22, Liverpool, NY

June 22, Van Nuys, CA

June 28, Merriam, KS

June 28, Quakertown, PA

July 11-13, Norwalk, OH

July 13, Stockton, CA

July 17-20, Joliet, IL

July 19, Alton, IL

July 19, Fort Wayne, IN

July 19, Ocala, FL

July 20, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

July 20, Van Nuys, CA

July 20, Stoneham, MA

July 22-26, Myrtle Beach, SC

July 26, Almond, WI

July 26, Elyria, OH

Sunday, July 27, Torrance, CA

July 27, Port Orchard, WA

August 1-3, Bristol, TN

August 2, Austin, Texas

August 2, Vancouver, WA

August 3, Bourbonnais, IL

August 3, Columbus, NE

August 3, Mechanicville, NY

August 3, Plymouth, MN

August 8-10, Atco, NJ

August 8-10, Fort Worth, TX

August 9, Elkhart, IN

August 9, Springfield, MO

August 10, Girard, PA

August 10, Livonia, MI

August 10, Shrewsbury, MA

Date Change!!
August 15-17, Millville, NJ

August 16-17, Epping, NH

August 23, Winston-Salem, NC

August 23-24, Springfield, IL

August 28-September 1, Sturgis, SD

August 29-31, Columbus, OH

August 29-31, Park City, UT

September 7, Manchester, CT

September 7, Vallejo, CA

September 13, Roseville, MN

September 12-14, Carrollton, KY

September 14, Birch Run, MI

September 14, Butler, NJ

September 14, Calabasa, CA

September 14, East Peoria, IL

September 19-21, Fontana, CA

September 27 & 28, San Diego, CA

September 28, Lacey, WA

October 2-5, Bowling Green, KY

October 5, Paterson, WA

October 5, Warwick, RI

October 11-12, Knoxville, TN

October 12, Hot Springs, AR

October 12, Stockton, CA

October 12, Ventura, CA

October 17-19, Ennis, TX

October 24-26, Chandler, AZ

October 25, Tampa, FL

October 26, San Antonio, TX

November 1, North Charleston, SC

November 16, Sarasota, FL

December 7, Stockton, CA

Depending upon where you live, you may have had a rougher winter than others. There's nothing more depressing than wanting to get that prized ride out for a cruise or to wake up that sleeping race car from its hibernation and it being single digits and blowing snow outside. Even here in Florida, the winter cold spells we get keep many from attending cruise nights and hitting the track. Sure, the cruise nights and tracks are open all year long in many Southern states, but it still isn't until spring when the attendance at both jumps dramatically.

This is the 10th year for the NMRA Ford Nationals, and we were there for the Keystone Automotive season opener March 14-16 in Bradenton, Florida. With rain scheduled for late in the week, everyone from the racers to the spectators to the car-show people were worried that the event might not happen. Luckily, it rained only Friday night (putting a damper on the annual Hooters party), but the wind was a big problem all weekend. Friday saw a serious head wind for the racers (we witnessed more than one late-model Mustang drag car's front nose collapsing from the pressure), while on Saturday and Sunday the heavy winds had people looking for cover to stay warm or to prevent wind burn. A few (including yours truly) were caught off-guard between the spotty sun and heavy wind, and went home with a nice face burn.

The NMRA series has a full schedule of events, and each one includes all-Ford drag racing, a two-day car show, a burnout contest, a huge manufacturer's midway, and more. For full details on the NMRA series and where there might be an event near you, check out www.nmradigital.com.

Mustang & Fords Editor's Choice
Reed and Patti Johnston, Sarasota, FL
'70 Cougar Eliminator

Reed Johnston likes his cars. There's no doubt about it as you listen to him rattling off some of the Big Three's rarest iron ever to roll down the assembly line that have been in his possession at one time or another, including Hemi cars, big-block Vettes, and more. While his collection of Fords is just beginning, he's already off to a great start with a Ford GT supercar, a Royal Maroon '69 Talladega 428CJ, and his latest find, this Competition Blue with black interior '70 Cougar Eliminator. The Eliminator is righteous enough on its own merit, but this blue beauty is powered by the G-code Boss 302 engine.

Johnston purchased the car shortly after the original owner had completed the restoration on it. Once he got it home, it took about six months to work out a few post-restoration bugs (wrong clutch, some rattles, braking issues, and so on), and he has put a scant 16 miles on it since then. The Cougar came with all of the top options for 1970, including a 3.91 geared 9-inch with Traction-Lok, a four-speed trans, a Sports Console, power front discs, and an AM radio. Besides fixing a few issues, the only things Johnston added to the car are the quarter-panel decals, as he wanted something to distinguish the car's Boss powertrain without it being permanent.

The NMRA's season opener Auto Show & Shine was Johnston's first car-show outing with the fresh Cat, and he took home the trophy for Best Full Size Ford '49 and Up and a Top 20 award.

As one of the first shows to hit the calendar each year, the Silver Springs Ford & Mustang Roundup in Silver Springs, Florida, is a popular launching point for newly finished car projects. Each year we see some of the finest classic Fords, well-cared-for drivers, and interesting trucks, street rods, and custom projects, and every one of the proud owners has a great story to tell about their build. One of the best things about the Silver Springs show is its laid-back approach, with no formal parking by year or class and no formal judging. Whether you're a spectator or participant, you'll always see something interesting and hear all sorts of great stories.

Sponsored by National Parts Depot, Mustang & Fords, and Mustang Monthly, the show encompasses a three-day weekend that includes a Pony Trails cruise, dyno pulls, and a tour of NPD's facility on Friday, with the main show inside the historic Silver Springs Adventure Park on Saturday and Sunday.

The Roundup is a huge draw every year because National Parts Depot (located just down the street from Silver Springs Adventure Park) pays for the first 1,000 cars to register for the show. Each year, registration fills up to that 1,000 mark earlier and earlier (cars after the 1,000 mark pay just $17 for the event, which is still a bargain).

It's great to have a show in January, with more than 1,000 Mustangs and Fords of all years, but that's the benefit of being in Florida. However, the Sunshine State doesn't always live up to its name. There has been some nice weather every other year or so, but usually the weekend can be a bit on the chilly side. For most people, that just means an extra jacket or maybe a hat. Unfortunately, there was some rain in the forecast this year, but that didn't stop the show from having a record-breaking car count of 1,103 cars on Saturday. Although the skies opened up late Saturday afternoon (hurting the returning car count on Sunday), it was still a great show.

We're always amazed during the awards ceremony when NPD's Rick Schmidt asks for the farthest distance traveled, and we hear people calling out "Nevada," "New Jersey," and even "Canada."

Mustang & Fords Editor's Choice
William Horrell, Effingham, SC
'64 Fairlane 500 Sports Coupe

We spotted William Horrell's Fairlane under some protective plastic during one of Saturday's rainstorms. After the skies dried, we watched as William peeled back the plastic, exposing the pristine flanks of the Fairlane, and we knew we had to take a closer look. The Fairlane was the proverbial little-old-lady's car with just 59,000 miles on the odometer when William purchased it in Galivants Ferry, South Carolina, with the idea of having it be a nice weekend cruiser. That meant no huge rubber out back or 12:1 big-block underhood.

William dropped in a mild 5.0 from a '94 Mustang GT with enough power to make the Fairlane move out with authority. Backing the 5.0 is an AOD four-speed overdrive automatic. The EFI system uses a Rock Valley stainless fuel tank with internal fuel pump. For suspension William chose a Rod & Custom Motorsports Mustang II setup in front, giving the car a 2-inch drop, disc brakes, and rack-and-pinion steering. Out back is a 3.50-geared 9-inch flanked with a set of leaf springs and gas shocks. There are also 11-inch discs at all four corners. Inside, the original buckets and console are complemented by a polished Flaming River aluminum column-shift tilt column. Vintage Air A/C cools the interior on hot Carolina days.

William performed all of the work himself except for the headliner and seat recovering, and the replating of several of the chrome appointments, which was handled by Advanced Plating in Nashville, Tennessee. The completed project is used for cruising, car shows, and just general driving enjoyment. The Porsche Guards Red PPG single-stage paint, topped with urethane clear, brings attention to William wherever he goes in his Fairlane, and that's just fine with him.

NPD 14th annual Ford & Mustang Round Up Car Show Winners
Balloted Awards	Name	Model	Color
1964-1/2 to 66 Mustang	Don Zimmer	66 Mustang	emberglow
1967 to 68 Mustang	Scott Gould	67 Shelby Clone	black
1969 to 70 Mustang	Lori and Chad Stanich	70 Mustang Grande	red
1971 to 73 Mustang	Bill and Kathy Lindlau	72 Mustang Convertible	red
1974 to 86 Mustang	Tony Thompson	78 King Cobra	white
1987 to 93 Mustang	Kenneth Wear	90 Mustang GT Convertible	black
1994 to 98 Mustang	Gary Rosier	94 Mustang GT	blue
1999 to 2004 Mustang	Terri Setje	2001 Mustang Convertible	yellow
2005-up Mustang	Joan Hritzik	2005 Mustang GT	black
Pantera	Ken & Laura Costa	72 Pantera	Gulf blue & orange
1965 to 70 Shelby	Frank Bowers	67 GT500	black
2007-up Shelby	Andy Allen	2007 Shelby GT500	Grabber orange
Saleen	Wayne Blair	2000 Saleen S281	white
Falcon/Comet	John Kaiser	63 Falcon Futura	red
Exotic	Nick Kintner	67 Tiger	red
Cobra Replica	Mike Cheek	65 Cobra	gray
Pre-1948 Ford	David Raffi	41 Ford	green
Post-1948 Ford	Bob Patten	56 Ford	orange and white
Street Rod	Joe Letts	23 T	wineberry
Truck 1948-79	Micheal DeFrancisco	64 Econoline	white
Truck 1980-Present	Scott Robinson	2001 F-250	blue
T-Bird 1955-57	Carl & Margaret Thompson	56 T-Bird	black
T-Bird 1958-Present	Ray Rome	62 T-Bird	pink
Cougar	Phil & Nancy Elder	70 Cougar Eliminator	yellow
Maverick/Comet	Bill Roberts	74 Comet	red
Roush	Don & Marilyn Franks	2004 Stage 2 Convertible	orange
Best Mustang	Kathy Wear	2007 Mustang GT Coupe	orange
Best Ford	Manny Jimenoz	57 Ford Custom 300	blue & white
Best of Show	Sonny Roberts	93 Cobra	red

The Mustang Club of Tampa hosted its 26th Annual Mustang, Shelby & Ford Roundup at the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) in Tampa on October 14, 2006. This was our club's sixth year at the museum, and the main sponsors of the show were MOSI and Bill Currie Ford of Tampa.

The show featured 221 cars, 20 vendors, and a huge number of spectators. Each car entered into the show received two complimentary tickets to the museum, courtesy of MOSI. The weather was absolutely perfect for the middle of October, sunny and mid-80 degrees. One lucky person took home $507 from the 50/50.

The quality of the cars was exceptional, with everything from '64-1/2 through '08 models in attendance. The vintage Mustangs ranged from national award-winning restorations to radical modifieds. Powerplants ranged from six-cylinder engines to 428 Cobra Jets. Late-models included everything from stock six cylinders to modified GTs, Roushs, and SVT Cobras. There was a large turnout of '05-'07 Mustangs, many with a variety of aftermarket upgrades. There were also several '07 Shelbys, both GT and GT500 versions. We also had a great assortment of special-interest Ford-powered vehicles, including Cobra replicas, Falcons, F-150s, and a '59 retractable.

We want to thank all of our supporters and contributors to the door prizes and raffles. Due to their great generosity, many of our participants were able to go home with a gift. Also, a huge thank you goes to Bill Currie Ford for its financial support of this event. And last but not least, we are extremely grateful to MOSI for making its facility available to us and making us feel so welcomed. We truly appreciate everyone's help in making this show such a success.

The Mustang Club of Tampa made a contribution to MOSI's Kids-In-Charge Program, which provides hands-on exhibits for children visiting the museum. We also made a contribution to Mason Dixon's Christmas Wish Program, a local charity that helps Bay Area families over the holidays.

After witnessing rows upon rows of vendors, two huge car shows, and race pits full of NMRA Ford Nationals and NMCA participants set against each other, we firmly planted a pushpin into our calendar to make sure we wouldn't miss the Second Annual Motive Gear NMRA/NMCA Super Bowl of Street Legal Drag Racing, presented by Nitto Tires in 2007. With each side battling to the finals, then the winners from each class in the NMRA pitting themselves against the similar class in the NMCA, the racing was fast and never-ending all weekend. Last year, the NMRA put enough wins on the board to take the overall victory between the two sanctioning bodies, and this year the NMRA made it two for two, taking home the big win again.

Unfortunately, other travel plans prevented us from being in Joliet, Illinois, this year, so we relied on our NMRA freelancer Paul Rosner to pinch hit for us. His usual thorough job and great photography made us feel like we didn't miss any of the action, but who are we fooling? There's nothing like the smell of race gas and burning rubber, the sound of a high-winding small-block or brutish big-block going through the gears, and let's not forget all the eye candy in the car show. So, job well done, Paul-but we plan on being there next year. We can't miss this event two years in a row, and neither, dear readers, should you.

Mustang & Fords Editor's Choice
Rey and Liz Perez, Highland, IN
'65 Mustang Fastback
Rey and Liz Perez built their custom '65 fastback over the course of five winters with their son, Li'l Rey. They enjoy taking him and their daughter, Raquel, in the Bright Atlantic Blue, white-striped machine to cruise nights and car shows where they love to talk to other car owners. The Perezes belong to the Lowered Expectations car club in Indiana, and their club friends lent a hand with the car as well.

If you thought the Bright Atlantic Blue color sounded like something you'd see on your neighbor's late-model Mustang, you'd be correct. Apparently, Rey and Liz used more than the late-model Mustang paint codes when building their fastback since the parts list of go-fast goodies reads like a who's who of modern Mustang performance. Running a 5.0 EFI engine under hood, they pumped up the power with a 331 stroker kit, AFR 185 cylinder heads, an FRPP GT-40 intake, and 42-lb/hr injectors fed by an Aeromotive A1000 fuel pump. Why so big on the injectors? Well, if you missed the Vortech supercharger mounted up front, then you probably missed the Nitrous Works nitrous kit plumbed to the intake as well. Yep, not one but two power adders reside under the hood of this outrageous fastback.

Further back in the drivetrain is a World Class spec Tremec T5 with a SPEC clutch hooking the engine and trans together when the clutch is dropped. A 9-inch rear with 3.50 gears makes for spirited acceleration without killing the cruising attitude. Rey and Liz rounded out the project with a custom interior including five-point harnesses, a rollbar, a full brace of gauges, and a Total Control Products suspension setup.

Five years is a long time for any project, but now that the fastback is done, the Perez family can't wait for the weekends to get their fastback out for everyone to see and enjoy as much as they do themselves.

When the balmy spring weather turns towards the heat of summer, there's one thing we always look forward to-the Carlisle All-Ford Nationals in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Held at the Carlisle Fairgrounds, this was the 13th year of the All-Ford Nats. The event never ceases to impress, with special guests from all corners of Ford performance and manufacturing as well as special invitational and anniversary displays. This year's All-Ford show was no different, with special guests David Pearson and Bud Moore of NASCAR fame in attendance, along with TV star Antonio Fargas who played Huggy Bear on the '70s hit Starsky & Hutch (with his own Starsky & Hutch edition Torino display). Ford drag racer Al Joniec joined the celebrity list, too, with a display of his race cars.

It was a banner year for anniversaries as well. All over the Carlisle Fairgrounds were special displays such as the large gathering for the 40th anniversary of the Mercury Cougar inside building Y and adjacent to the Carlisle grandstands. In addition, 2007 marked the 50th anniversary of the Edsel and the Ranchero. There was the 25th anniversary of Ford's mid-'80s fun two-seater, the EXP, and its sister line, the Mercury LN7. Each year special display areas at the fairgrounds are offered to select vehicle lines, and for 2007, all years of the Mach 1 Mustang were invited to park in one location near Gate 1.

Ford had a much larger presence at the Nats than in years past. Besides the usual Ford Racing Performance Parts display and new-model exhibition from local dealers, Ford stepped up in a big way by bringing several concept vehicles, including Ford's hot Interceptor concept based off of the new S197 Mustang platform and recently displayed at the North American International Auto Show.

Ford also brought out its Super Duty Power Tour with a cutaway F-series Super Duty for everyone to inspect. Show attendees lined up for testdrives in Ford's newest sellers, including the Edge crossover, the Fusion, and more. Throw in the usual All-Ford show fun-the chicken-wing-eating contest; the burnout competition; the more than 2,000 display cars from the '20s to present day; and rows upon rows of new, used, and N.O.S. parts for your project vehicle-and you can see why attending the Carlisle All-Ford Nationals is tops on our list. Be sure to check out our Web site for more great photos.

And the Winner Is...
For a complete list of winners from the '07 Carlisle All-Ford Nationals, more event photos, and details about upcoming Carlisle events, check out the Web site at carsatcarlisle.com/ford/index.asp.

This Way to the Show
The All-Ford Nationals are held every June at the Carlisle Fairgrounds. Carlisle is a historical town in its own right and a stone's throw from battlefields, Hershey Park, and more. Access to the Carlisle area is easily made from the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-76), Rte. 34, and Rte. 81. Visitors from New York; Washington, D.C.; Philadelphia; Pittsburg; Baltimore; and places farther can easily reach the fairgrounds via these routes. Carlisle and surrounding locales have plenty of hotel rooms and camp sites (there's limited camping available on the Carlisle Fairgrounds as well). For more information on visiting the Carlisle Fairgrounds and surrounding areas, go to www.carsatcarlisle.com.

In years past, the National Mustang Racer's Association has held its Ford Motorsport Nationals in Pennsylvania. Due to scheduling conflicts and other reasons, the event was moved to Michigan's Milan Dragway for 2007.

The 4th Annual Toyo Tires NMRA Ford Motorsport Nationals held June 15-17 had plenty of racing and show action. The attendance and car counts were down a bit, which is common in the first year of a new location until the word gets out-then again, it was also Father's Day weekend, with several other large Ford events going throughout the country. The weather was perfect, and there were plenty of cars on the track and in the Laurel Mountain Auto Show field hosted by the Motor City Terminators of Toledo, Ohio. This club is centered around the '03/'04 SVT Cobra Mustang, also known by its internal name of Terminator Mustang from ex-SVT head John Coletti.

One of the highlights of the event was the Inaugural Ford Racing Invitational-a media-only racing event held within the NMRA's weekend schedule. Ford Racing Performance Parts brought out a bevy of new Mustangs and F-150s fully loaded with all sorts of speed parts from its catalog. The lucky, invited journalists picked their car at random from a pool of cars. Included with the new Ford products were two Factory Five Challenge Series Roadsters. These two cars are Spec Racers for the FFR Challenge series and feature stock drivetrains from '87-'93 Mustangs. While wheeling a 600-plus horsepower '07 Shelby down Milan's quarter-mile would have been fun, we were even luckier to draw one of the FFR Challenge cars. With our own Roadster AWOL for painting, it was a blast taking the FFR down the track.

Racing For Fun And Profit (Well, Fun At Least)
As part of Friday and Saturday's event schedule, I and 11 other Ford magazine journalists got to experience the other side of the dragstrip wall by strapping on various Ford products modified with Ford Racing Performance Parts (everything from experimental cams to supercharger kits), all in the name of product education and some good, clean competition.

Set up as a bracket-style event, qualifying was via reaction time. Somehow I captured the top qualifying spot with the best reaction time during Saturday-morning qualifying. I think the sticky racing tires on the Spec Racer were a help compared to the guys running big power on stock radials. I've cut a perfect light or two in the past, but I felt lucky to get the reaction time I did after having not gone down a dragstrip in over a year.

The luxury of a bye run during the first round of eliminations put me up against Michael Galimi from Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords in an automatic-equipped Hertz Mustang. I chose a 13.3 dial-in, while Michael wrote a 14.00. I wasn't so quick on the draw this time around, however, and Michael schooled me something fierce on the Tree. When we crossed the finish line, I saw the win light go on in his lane, and I knew the race had been won at the Tree. Com-paring timeslips, Michael ran a 14.20 and I ran a 13.40. I was closer to my dial-in (and would have won) if I hadn't been caught nap-ping at the Tree (where Michael picked up nearly three tenths on me).

The Ford Racing Invitational came down to an all-F-150 finals (both automatics, which are easier to bracket race, and both with superchargers). It was John Gallagher, publisher of Car Craft, against a journalist from Road & Track. John took the win and brought the Ford Racing Invitational award home for the Primedia folks.

Maybe next year Ford will have an award for top qualifier, but then again I probably won't be sitting pretty in the top spot. Many thanks go to Jesse Kershaw, Jamie Allison, Whitney Drake, and all of the FRPP, Ford Racing Technology, and Ford corporate people who put on such a killer "event within an event" with the NMRA staff.

Mustang & Fords
Editor's Choice Award
Don Klein, Toledo, OH
'65 Ranchero

Don Klein's Ranchero is the epitome of clean styling. While maintaining the stock body lines (which is no slouch on its own) Don added stylish wheels in just the right size to give the Ranchero a nice stance and striking outward appearance without looking outlandish. Inside, he added a few mild street-rod touches, including a billet steering wheel on a tilt column, a custom console with gauges, and a Hurst shifter to row his five-speed conversion. The car is so clean, it looks as if you could eat off of it. Don walked away with First Place in Best Ford Truck on Saturday as well as our Editor's Choice award.

Here is the 2007 events schedule for Mustang & Fords and Mustang Monthly Magazines. We're adding dates all the time. If you know of a show that's not listed, email the information to mustang.monthly@primedia.com and we'll list it here.

You can also Click here for an email entry form to mustang.monthly@primedia.com

If you're putting on a show, take several photos, write a few paragraphs and send it to us. We'll put it on the website(s) for everyone to read!

January 6-7, Silver Springs, FL