There are Ford fans, and then there are Ford superfans. After you read this week’s Ford Fan Spotlight sent to us from Jesse and Cecilia Wilkerson, you’ll be sure to see why we’d classify Jesse as the latter. Not just for the 22 Fords he’s owned, mind you, but for which ones he’s loved the most – in particular the 1972 Ford Gran Torino Sport. Check out his email to us below, and find out why his family-sized Sportsroof is his favorite Ford in his personal FoMoCo fleet:

“Hi Ford Performance. My name is Jesse Wilkerson. I thought I'd take a moment to explain to you my passion for FoMoCo. At 47 years old, I've bought and owned 31 cars, and 22 of those cars were or are Fords. I didn't know this until about 10 years ago, but in 1949, my grandfather worked as an electrical engineer at the Canton, Ohio, Ford Forge (making axles, ring gears and spindles for Stangs and T-Birds). He fell in love with the secretary there (my grandmother!). Once learning this, it all made sense.

“My dad gave me a 1968 Country Squire wagon for my 16th birthday, and then a ’68 Mustang for my 18th. The Mustang was stolen in 1992 when my first wife was pregnant with the first of my four sons. I wouldn't get into a cool Ford again until 1997, when a truck driver sold me a 1972 Gran Torino Sport Sportsroof for $500 after seeing me riding my bike to work.

“I fell in love with that particular make and model and it is still my favorite car (aside from the Aussie Falcons of the same era). Forward to 2003; I was remarried, and had twin boys on the way, following the two from my first marriage. Vehicle seating was becoming a problem, and I couldn't stand the Oldsmobile minivan I had to buy to get the family home from the hospital. I eventually found a decent ’72 Torino Sportsroof that had the six seatbelts I needed for a newly formed family with four  boys.

“As with most family men, life required more money than vehicles, and in 2007 I reluctantly sold the ’72 Torino to a guy in Germany who flips American muscle. I knew it would stand out more over there, but as it pulled away, I realized I’d made a terrible mistake. The following year, Clint Eastwood released the Gran Torino movie and Fast & Furious 5 featured the ’72 as well. Now there were HotWheels of the car available and everyone knew of the car, causing the typical car market fluctuations.

In 2010, I found a 40th Anniversary Mustang near my house with low miles, and had to have it; then 2016 brought me a 1967 Mustang coupe restomod show car, which was about 85 percent complete. In 2018, my second son decided he would buy the ’04 Mustang from me. I wondered, what could I replace it with? I then stumbled on a low-mileage 2013 Boss 302; after researching the new Bosses, it was a no-brainer. I started a Mustang car club in Northern California (NorCalStangs), and though my love for the Mustang is large, my true passionate, diehard love belongs to the ’72 GTS.

“During 2020's insane year of pandemic lockdowns and chaos, I managed to find a 1972 Gran Torino Sport (Sportsroof) for sale. It was across the country, but was a solid, one-family owned special-order black Sportsroof. I took possession in October of 2020, and I hope to fully restore it one day. We now have the ’67 Stang, the ’13 Boss, that ’72 Torino, an ’03 Explorer Sport Trac and a ’13 Escape. My IG is @fomoco4life (lol), and I am a one-brand car owner . . . and that brand is Ford!”

Here’s How YOU Can Get In The Spotlight: For nearly 15 years now, one of the most popular features on FordPerformance.com and in our weekly Fast News e-newsletter continues to be "Ford Fan Spotlight," where readers can send in their own reasons why they're fans of Ford Motor Company and its vehicles. You know who they are: Ford "superfans;" grassroots Ford racers; unique Ford vehicle owners; loyal Ford enthusiasts; notable Ford club people; special Ford families; and/or any avid supporter of Ford, Ford vehicles, Ford motorsports or Ford Performance who deserves a little bit of special recognition.

All you need to do to get you, your car or candidate considered is to send in a brief description (200-500 words or less) and a few photos (in .jpeg format, preferably around 1 mb in size) with the owner’s full name and hometown, please. Just tell us about the vehicle(s) and why you think Ford Performance should feature it (them) in the "Ford Fan Spotlight" for an upcoming installment of Fast News as well as for posting on FordPerformance.com. Then email it to: ClubHub@Ford.com with your contact info. Should you wish to send a video, you simply need to post it on www.YouTube.com (preferably 1-2 minutes long) and send in the link, along with a brief description, to that same ClubHub@Ford.com email address. Your submission allows us the rights to use your words and images (along with any edits) for editorial purposes; we’ll choose one submission in random order each week to post online. We hope to see YOU and your Ford in our Spotlight soon!