DEARBORN, Mich. – SAAC-MCR, the Shelby American Automobile Club - Motor City Region, celebrated its 50th Anniversary with the "Show" part of its annual "Show & Go" event that was hosted in front of Ford World Headquarters back on May 25. The "Go" part took place on Friday, June 6, with open-track sessions at suburban Detroit’s 1.5-mile Waterford Hills Road Racing course. Both were fitting venues for a club commemorating a half-century of celebrating Ford, Shelby and the Ford Mustang.
“We had a crisp morning which warmed to a comfortable, beautiful day,” said longtime member Bill Cook, a Ford retiree and noted photojournalist correspondent for FordPerformance.com. “It was perfect for the owners, and provided a great environment to look at all the Ford-powered cars on display. SAAC-MCR did a fine job with the show, registration, goodie bags, and of course the awards. Kudos to the organizers, the volunteers and to everybody that brought their Ford power to the show!”
The club’s 50th anniversary festivities actually kicked off the night before with a Saturday night banquet at RM Motorsports in nearby Wixom, Michigan.
“That venue is one of our favorites,” Cook said, “We love everything about it! There was lots of storytelling with longtime members sharing stories with the group. I was first exposed to the club in the '80s when I moved from St. Louis back to Michigan. Did/do I have a Shelby? No. I had a recently purchased 1970 Boss 302 – and was welcomed immediately. Since the club’s inception, they have welcomed all Ford-powered vehicles – particularly performance variants. Since the very beginning, the club’s motto has been, “Ownership is not required for membership – just enthusiasm." That approach surely has helped this group reach 50 years in operation.”
Cook took more than a hundred photos of the show vehicles on display in front of Ford World Headquarters, and we’ve selected some of our favorites to share with you in his galley below. Congrats to SAAC-MCR on its 50th Anniversary!
FORD PERFORMANCE PHOTOS / COURTESY BILL COOK
