DEARBORN, Mich. - It looks like winter doesn’t plan on going away quietly, so why not get a jump start on your car show season by heading south or west to take in a big Ford-centric event? A good one for you would be the “16^th Annual Spring Regional Pony Roundup” being held on March 16, 2019, at YearOne Muscle Car Parts in Braselton, Georgia. The show runs from 10 a.m. til 3 p.m. and is hosted by the fine folks in the Northeast Georgia Mustang Club. Check the club site for details.

If your travels take you to the Left Coast, then set sail to attend one of California's largest Mustang shows, “Ponies at the Pike,” the former “Mustangs at The Queen Mary” show that had moved across the bay to Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach, CA. If you’re thinking this show is usually held in the fall – you’re right. But last year’s show planned for late September got rained out, so the 2018 version is being resurrected for March 17, 2019, with the 2019 edition still planned for this coming fall. So here’s your chance to experience this fine show in the spring, and besides all the great cars and attractions, the show is open to the public for free, so bring the whole family! See the Beach Cities Mustang Club's web site for details.

Looking for something more than just a car show for the March 16 weekend? Team Shelby an invites you to join them for “the high-performance racetrack experience of a lifetime” during the Team Shelby Bash Track Days on March 15 and 16 at the Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch in Pahrump, Nevada. There, Shelby American test drivers Gary Patterson and Vince LaViolette will provide insights into the latest Shelby American high performance machines during a limited number of thrill rides; Ford Motor Company will display its fantastic 2020 Ford Shelby GT500, as well as conduct demonstrations in the track-centric Shelby GT350; and Rick Titus, son of Shelby legend Jerry Titus, will give rides in a continuation 1965 Ford Shelby GT350.

For those who want to personally experience the track, a few slots are still available in the Team Shelby Track Experience. All makes and models of cars are welcome -- not just Ford and Shelby vehicles. From first-timers to seasoned veterans, it is a rare opportunity to enjoy your car at speed in a safe, legal environment. This program includes lunch and entrance fees into Spring Mountain Motorsports Ranch. Bring your car and safety gear for sessions packed with thrills and lessons. If you are curious about the requirements, checklists and details to track a car, contact Track Steward Tim Stieve at timstieve@hotmail.com.

And for those who don't want to track but still want to be part of the action, you can simply pay the Spring Mountain entrance fee to enjoy the rest of the thrills that weekend, including the demonstration rides at the track or lunch with the drivers at the Shelby rig. Choose a package and sign up today at https://www.shelbystore.com/product-p/z79-bash19-ticket.htm.

So come celebrate the spirit of Carroll Shelby with an automotive display of speed and power during the Shelby Bash -- the memories, knowledge and friendships that you build will last a lifetime! If you have questions regarding any of the package options, please contact Brianna Fawn at bfawn@shelby.com.

If you’re looking for show action a weekend earlier, the Southern Arizona Mustang Club (SAMC) is kicking off the spring show season with their All-Ford show to be held on Sunday, March 10, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The show is called “Fords on 4^th" as it’s held in the historic 4th Avenue District of downtown Tucson, Arizona. The 4th Avenue District is one of Tucson's most historic and beautiful locations, offering many restaurants and shops for great dining and shopping. Five blocks of 4^th Avenue will be closed for the show and some 300 fine Fords will be on display in a colorful and quaint street setting.

The show is SAMC’s largest event of the year and is open to all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles. See the club’s website, www.southernarizonamustangclub.org, for more info.

Can’t wait that long and want to get away this coming weekend? If you are in Florida on Saturday, March 2^nd, then get down to Longwood for the “32^nd Annual Mustang and Ford Roundup.” There, the Mid-Florida Mustang Club is hosting its yearly car show in Historic Longwood, Florida, where you’ll find lots of great cars on display and fun for the whole family. Click on the link to the club website to find full details.

Prefer to start your year off with a little racing action? Then head to the season-opening NMRA Ford Nationals event dubbed the “Spring Break Shootout at Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida, from February 28 through March 3. The NMRA Ford Nationals is the largest All-Ford motorsport series in the U.S., and features an exciting lineup of all-Ford championship and shootout drag racing classes, car shows, and special events at fine facilities and markets across the Midwest and East Coast. For more information on the NMRA Ford Nationals visit www.NMRAdigital.com or call 714/444-2426.

Make Plans Now to Attend an MCA National Show During 2019

Of the hundreds of regional Mustang car shows held all across the country each year, the Mustang Club of America has selected only four to serve as "MCA National" shows – and only ONE of those four as the year's "Grand National" show. These are the big, memorable, officially judged shows that Mustang lovers will gladly travel long distances to attend – and even plan their family vacations around! Well, we've got word on which shows the MCA has selected as their "Nationals" events for 2019 – so get your calendars out:

The three 2019 MCA Nationals are: Mustangs Take Flight, March 29-31 at the Lone Star Flight Museum in Houston Texas, hosted by the Northside Mustang Club;  the Northern Star National Mustang Show June 28-30 at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Bloomington, Minnesota, hosted by the Southwest Metro Mustang Club; and the Stampede To The Heartland MCA Show and Track Event, July 18-21, at Heartland Motorsports Park in Topeka, Kansas.

The 2019 MCA Grand National is the Capital Horsepower show, August 30-September 1 at the Expo Center in Fredericksburg, Virginia, hosted by the National Capital Region (DC/MD/VA) Mustang Club. Check the club sites for more info.

Ford Performance is planning to attend the “Mustangs Take Flight” show in Houston, March 29-31, so stop by the Ford Performance Meet & Greet Tent on the show field and receive a FREE full-color Mustang poster. If you’re wondering what to expect at this big show, check out this video preview HERE. And in case you've missed some of the top events we showcase each week in 'Fast News,' look for exclusive coverage in our Enthusiast News Room. There you’ll find Ford enthusiast and club perspective that you can't find anywhere else on the Web, and it's only available on FordPerformance.com!

Replacement 2001 Mustang Bullitt ID Labels Now Available

With Bullitt making Mustang headlines these days, did you know that the Ford Performance Info Center has recently begun handling replacement requests for the 2001 Mustang Bullitt shock tower holographic I.D. labels? The Info Center has acquired all remaining inventory of the labels and once they are gone, they are gone for good, so if you need a replacement for a damaged or missing factory label, the time to order yours is now! The Ford Performance Info Center will mail you a new label for your 2001 Bullitt, upon receipt of the following information (via email to FWRNTY@Ford.com):

• Full VIN of the vehicle
• Picture of the damaged / missing I.D Label
• A contact at your local Ford dealership (Service Advisor is usually the best)
• Please include the dealership’s shipping information

Note: Your Ford dealership MUST perform the removal / installation of this official Ford factory replacement label. These original labels are the only remaining inventory, which were made back in 2001 when the first Mustang Bullitt models were being built.  Contacting the Ford Performance Info Center is the ONLY way to get your factory replacement label. This program is offered free of charge, and is being done as a courtesy to all 2001 Mustang Bullitt owners.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Ford Performance Info Center at 800-367-3788, option 1, or via email: FWRNTY@Ford.com

Get Your Mustang’s Airbag Recall Completed!

The Takata airbag recalls are the largest and most complex recalls in U.S. automotive history. The recalls currently affect 19 automotive manufacturers and roughly 37 million vehicles. Among these affected vehicles are 2005-2014 model year Mustang vehicles.

In 2014, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Takata Corporation determined that a defect related to motor vehicle safety may arise in some non-desiccated, ammonium nitrate airbag inflators due to propellant degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling. This degradation can cause the propellant to burn too quickly, creating high pressure inside the inflator, and in extreme cases causing the inflator to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment.  A ruptured inflator can send inflator parts toward vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death. Additional information regarding Takata recalls can be found at www.nhtsa.gov and www.safercar.gov.

Parts are readily available to repair currently recalled Mustang vehicles. Ford sent out weekly mailings last October and November to all Mustang owners whose vehicle currently has an open Takata airbag recall. It is important that you determine if your vehicle is affected and, if so, have it repaired FREE by a Ford or Lincoln Dealer, especially before it goes into storage for the winter.

In some cases, only the driver’s or passenger’s side may be affected. In other cases, both the driver’s side and passenger’s side need to be repaired. The passenger side airbag cover is not replaced during the repair, so any signatures or other insignia on your dash will remain.

This situation requires immediate attention and is not to be taken lightly. You can input your VIN at www.FordAirbagInfo.com to see if your vehicle is affected by the airbag recall and locate a dealership to you schedule your repair. If you need assistance scheduling an appointment, or your dealership indicates that they are not able to obtain parts to repair your vehicle, please contact our Ford Customer Care Team at 1-866-436-7332.

Here’s How Easy it is to Have Your Car Featured in our Ford Fan Spotlight

For the past decade, one of the most popular features on FordPerformance.com and in our 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. 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 300 dpi) of a person (full name and hometown, please) and vehicle that you think Ford Performance should feature (and why) in the "Ford Fan Spotlight" for an upcoming installment of Fast News and posting on FordPerformance.com. Then email it to: ClubHub@Ford.com. 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. We'll choose one submission each week. We hope to see YOU and your Ford in our Spotlight soon!

In the meantime, make sure you get out there and find and attend a Ford club meeting this winter, join a Ford club or enthusiast group and discover the fun and all the friendly people involved in the world of Ford Performance. (It’s EASY to find a great Ford club in your area here:) We’re sure that being connected with each other and with Ford will make your ownership experience even more enjoyable!

No matter what you decide you’d like to do with your free time, the great thing about owning a performance Ford is that – unlike with buying one of those “appliances” from the other automakers – when you buy a Ford, you buy into an entire enthusiast world! That’s because Ford cars and trucks have the kind of personality and style that forges a personal connection with their owners, who in turn celebrate ownership each year at hundreds of enthusiast events all over the country.

Stay tuned to our “What’s Happening” section under the “Enthusiasts” tab of FordPerformance.com to catch the latest show news. We’ll also provide the best online coverage from some of the top-notch venues sponsored by various Ford enthusiast clubs with our “Quick Look” photo galleries, or via the special features posted in our Enthusiasts Newsroom. There you’ll get the inside stories on Ford people, events and places as well as unique Ford club content that you can't find anywhere else on the Web. We do it because, just like you, we’re driving Ford passion!