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If you’ve been looking for a new way to kick off your Mustang car show season, then look no further than attending “Ponies in The Smokies” – one of the hottest new shows to come on the scene in years. We’ve covered this event before and can vouch that it’s one that belongs on your Must-Go-To list. This year’s 4th annual Ponies in The Smokies event includes four days of Mustang fun -- cruising the beautiful Smoky Mountains, outdoor and indoor cars shows (with 108,000 square feet of indoor vendors and special displays), plus an autocross, drag racing, poker runs, a car corral and even a swap meet. It all happens at the Sevierville, Tennessee, Convention Center Wednesday through Saturday, March 25-28, 2020.
The four days of Ponies in the Smokies – otherwise known as “PITS” – features two main attractions. Wednesday and Thursday are for those enthusiasts who like to take an active part in events, and it begins with the Shine Run. This is a two-day run to 13 stops in the area, with time to spare and a bit of sightseeing allowed – it’s intended as a leisure run, not a race. Each stop provides a playing card that eventually makes up a poker hand. Prize money is won by the best five-card hand at the end of the run.
The Shine Run also includes travel both ways on the famous “Tail Of The Dragon,” which is the name for US Highway 29’s 318 curves in just 11 miles (known as America’s top motorcycle and sports car driving road). Wednesday’s Shine Run Day 1 goes from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and there’s also the PITS Driving Experience at Smokies Stadium for some Ride-A-Longs, Drifting and an Autocross. Thursday includes Shine Run Day 2, plus a Drag Day Cruise-In at the stadium and a cruise out to nearby English Mountain Dragway where quarter-mile action runs 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. It all concludes with the Shine Run Party from 5-9 p.m.
Friday is the first day of the big PITS 2020 show, held inside and outside of the Sevierville Convention Center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. There you’ll find indoor and outdoor car shows, with hundreds of classic and collectible ponies – and some very special vehicle displays. The outside car lot will also include vendor demos, a dyno, swap meet, and car corral. It’s back to the Convention Center on Saturday for All-Ford Cruise-In Day, where which includes all of the action from Friday but capped off by the Car Show Awards ceremony starting at 3 p.m. You can get info on registration, lodging and more on the event’s website, https://poniesinthesmokies.com/
‘Mustangs & Mustangs . . . Legends Havin Fun’ Show Returns to Lakeland, FL, on Feb.22
Can’t wait until March to get into the 2020 car show scene? Then join our friends in the Imperial Mustangs of Polk County club, who are presenting the 22nd Annual Mustangs and Mustangs . . . Legends Havin' Fun Show on February 22, 2020, at the Sun 'n Fun complex at Lakeland Linder Airport in Lakeland, Florida. When they describe these legends as “Mustangs and Mustangs” at this airport show, what they mean to say is that there will be all kinds of classic and collectible Ford Mustangs on display along with some legendary WWII P-51 Mustang fighter planes! We’ve been to this can’t-miss show before and can vouch for how cool it is to have both kinds of Mustangs on the show field for all to admire.
All Ford-powered vehicles are welcome, and each registered car will receive a photo taken of it with a P-51 Mustang airplane. Event hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., with registration ($45) taking place from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. This show is being held in conjunction with Carlisle Winter Fest at the Sun N Fun complex at Lakeland Linder Airport as well, and pre-registration includes access to the Carlisle Winter Fest activities from Friday through Sunday, February 21-23, 2020. Go to www.carlisleevents.com for more information about their events and car show. So let your Mustang spirit fly by getting down to Florida to see this spectacular Mustang show! Check out the club’s web site, www.imperialmustangclub.org for more details.
Southern Arizona Mustang Club to Ready for ‘Fords on 4th’ Show in Tucson on March 8
The Southern Arizona Mustang Club, dubbed the "Oldest Mustang Club in the World.” is hosting its annual “Fords on 4th” all-Ford show on Sunday, March 8, 2020. Open to all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products, the show’s title refers to it being held in the historic 4th Avenue District in Downtown Tucson, Arizona.
Tucson’s popular 4th Avenue District offers many restaurants and shops for unique dinning and shopping, with fine Fords on display adding a daylong attraction. You can expect to see all kinds of classic and collectible Fords lining the street from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on show day, with the famous Trolley making its scheduled runs through the car show area. There is no day-of-show registration and space is limited to 325 cars, so get online to the club’s website to register your Ford and become eligible for the "Top 4 on 4th" Awards, Sponsor Awards, Special Awards and Participant Awards, as well as a commemorative license plate given to each entrant. The last day of registration is March 1, 2020, or sooner if all spaces are sold out, so make plans now for some car show fun in the Arizona sun!
All Fords Welcome at Spring Regional Pony Roundup Show in Braselton, GA, March 21
Our friends in the Northeast Georgia Mustang Club (NEGMC) have announced a change for their annual Spring Regional Pony Roundup Car Show, set for Saturday, March 21, 2020. This year, the show will be open to all years of Ford Mustangs and all Ford-bodied cars. The 17th annual Roundup will run from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Year One in Braselton, GA. This is a Top 25 Popular Vote show, along with awards for the Best in Show Early Mustang; Best in Show Late Mustang; Best in Show Ford; and a Club Participation Award. You must be registered ($25) by 12 noon to be eligible for trophy voting and you’ll need to be present at the 3 p.m. Awards Ceremony, as awards will not be mailed out to winners who leave the show early. Click on the link to the club website for full details.
NE Georgia Mustang Club to Host ‘Mustang II Reunion V’ at Maggie Valley Show Oct. 3
Speaking of the Northeast Georgia Mustang Club (NEGMC), the group has announced that it will team up with Ford Performance to host “Mustang II Reunion V” – marking 45 years since the ‘Return of the V-8 Mustang in 1975’ -- in conjunction with the club’s 47th Annual Fall Regional Shelby/Mustang and Ford Meet in Maggie Valley, NC, on October 3, 2020.
After supporting four consecutive Mustang II Reunions in the Midwest, Ford Performance heard from Mustang II fans from around the country who were hoping for a change of venue for this upcoming show season. Offers to host the 2020 Reunion came in from clubs in Wisconsin, Ohio, Michigan, and Missouri – even as far away as California, Arizona and Washington State. But the NEGMC’s fall regional show held at the Maggie Valley Festival Grounds right off the Blue Ridge Parkway made for an ideal location for the 5th national Mustang II Reunion.
Second-generation Mustang fans made history back in 2106 when 82 Mustang II’s descended upon the big “Mustang Memories” show at Ford World Headquarters as part of the first-ever national Mustang II Reunion, setting a record for the most Mustang II’s to appear at any single event. Ford Performance, who spearheaded the 2016 reunion show effort to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Mustang II Cobra II, won praise in the Mustang enthusiast community for organizing what it thought would be a once-in-a-lifetime event. But it seems that “show-within-a-show” idea has stirred renewed collector interest in the once-overlooked Mustang II.
In August of 2017, the Mustang Club of Ohio kept the second-gen Mustang momentum going with “Mustang II Reunion II” commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the first T-Top Mustang while headlining the club’s “Annual All-Mustang Show” in Columbus. There, more than 30 Mustang II’s joined the celebration. For 2018, the II Reunion theme returned thanks to the Queen City Mustangers, who included “Mustang II Reunion III” as part of their “11th Annual Queen City Mustangers Pony Trail and Car Show” in West Chester, Ohio, just outside Cincinnati. Reunion III marked the 40th Anniversary of the Mustang II King Cobra with more than two-dozen Mustang II’s in attendance. And in 2019, the Southern Illinois Mustang Association stepped up to host “Mustang II Reunion IV” at their annual Mustang Roundup at Roberts Ford in Alton, Illinois, just across the river from St. Louis, MO. The sweltering heat of that July afternoon kept some owners home, but 21 second-gen Mustangs joined in to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the introduction of the Mustang II.
Just as at all previous Mustang II Reunions, Ford Performance will be hosting a Meet & Greet with a free Mustang color poster giveaway during Reunion V at the event in Maggie Valley on that first Saturday in October. Those who register a Mustang II to be on display at the show will receive a special Ford Performance Certificate of Appreciation and a commemorative “Mustang II Reunion V” window cling, as well as become eligible for special awards from both the club and Ford Performance.
Check the club site for registration information, or simply register your Ford at the show site on Friday, Oct. 2, from 1-5 p.m. and on show day from 8:30 a.m. until 12 noon. The Car Show Registration Fee is $25 per vehicle; there is no entrance fee for spectators. All years of Mustangs, Shelbys and Ford-bodied and Ford-powered vehicles are welcome at this show. If you’re bringing a Mustang II, stop by the Ford Performance tent on show day after you register to get your collectible Reunion V Certificate and commemorative cling and we can direct you to group parking.
NE Georgia Mustang Club members also conduct a Friday morning “Cruise Up” to the Maggie Valley show grounds which is open to everyone. You can meet for breakfast at the Dillard House Restaurant in Dillard, GA, then gather at 8:30 a.m. for a group cruise to Maggie Valley that should arrive at around noon. Mustang II owners are planning a special dinner as well, so stay tuned. We hope to see you – and your Mustang II – at Reunion V this year, so don’t miss it!
Join the Online Stampede: Check Out ‘The Mustang Store’ on Amazon.com
Being involved in the Mustang hobby goes far beyond loving, owning, driving and celebrating all years of the Ford Mustang. Every self-proclaimed Mustang fan also has a prized collection of their favorite Mustang memorabilia – from posters, books and keychains to apparel and die-casts. The fact is, no true Mustanger ever really stops collecting cool Mustang stuff.
But the problem with collecting Mustang stuff is that the market is flooded with poor-quality imitation knock-offs. Real Blue Oval fans want the real deal -- officially licensed Ford products. That’s why Ford Licensing has recently approved the launch of “The Mustang Store” on Amazon.com. There, the Ford faithful can find the latest in officially licensed Mustang apparel, gifts & novelties, toys & collectibles and automotive accessories – all with the quality you expect and the ease of ordering from Amazon. So get online to check out www.amazon.com/fordmustang and get the best new official Ford Mustang items delivered right to your door!
Ford Show Parts.com Expands ‘Certificate of Authenticity” Program Offerings
Our Ford Performance Info Center has been hard at work expanding its "Certificate of Authenticity" program which you can find on the Ford Show Parts.com website. Official Ford Performance certificates of authenticity are now available for the 2017 Ford Raptor, the 2016 and 2017 Ford Focus RS and the 2018 Ford Mustang Shelby GT350.
That also means you can now get a full Ford Performance Certificate of Authenticity Package for owners of any 2015-2018 Shelby GT350 or GT350R, which includes the following: An official Ford performance Certificate of Authenticity, VIN decoder, Production Summary Chart, Poster, Tri-Fold Brochure, Certificate Sleeve, Track Tips, Window Sticker, "Disc Brake Rotor & Caliper" Business Card Holder, as well as a Cobra logo Keychain. Many GT350 owners and enthusiasts will notice that this special package contains many of the items that were included in the Owners Supplement kit that came with GT350's when they were originally sold. Please note that there is LIMITED AVAILABILITY for these items, so order now!
What’s more, official Ford Performance Certificates of Authenticity are available for a wide variety of other performance and specialty Ford vehicles. All you need is your vehicle’s VIN number and a valid credit card. Order either via our Ford Performance Info Center by phone (1-800-FORD-788) or online directly from our Ford Show Parts website.
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.
Replacement 2001 Mustang Bullitt ID Labels Still 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 on Ford’s Map for Free: Register in Our Ford Performance Club Connect Program
Ford Performance has launched an exciting new program called “Club Connect” that can help all Ford and Mustang enthusiasts get connected with both Ford Motor Company and each other. Only those clubs who register with the program are eligible for no-cost promotion and support from Ford Performance, so you owe it to members of your Mustang or Ford vehicle club, online forum, or even Facebook Group to register and appear on our Ford enthusiast club map. All it takes is a visit to www.FordPerformanceClubConnect.com and a single click on the “Register Your Club” link. Once you fill out the form and hit “Submit,” you’ll be notified within just a few days of your acceptance in Ford Performance Club Connect -- it’s that simple, and it’s FREE!
The primary goal of our Ford Performance Club Connect program is to get everyone to register their club – at no cost – and get themselves on our Ford enthusiast group map so that we can all connect with each other. Once there, you’ll be able to see all of the other clubs and groups who have registered in your region – not just Mustang clubs, but ALL Ford vehicle organizations and Facebook Groups who you may never have known about. The value in that is whenever you plan a club or group activity, you can see what other clubs and groups are in your area that you may wish to contact and ask to join you at a show or event. It also allows Ford Performance to see all the clubs and groups in a certain area, so that when we are coming to town or planning a special event in your city or state, you and your club members can be contacted.
It takes only a few minutes for a club principal or board member to register your club and establish a direct link for your members to Ford Performance. Have a product or parts question that you want answered? Wish you could get some free club event promotion in our weekly “Fast News” e-blast that goes out to a quarter-million Ford fans each Thursday? Looking for event coverage for your show in the Enthusiasts section of FordPerformance.com? Hoping you could find a cool Ford goodie-bag or door-prize item, or a banquet guest speaker? How about requesting on-site show support with an appearance by our Ford Performance Meet & Greet tent, along with FREE Mustang poster giveaways for all show attendees? While requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, they can ONLY be awarded to clubs who are registered!
So go to www.FordPerformanceClubConnect.com and click on the “Find Your Club” link to see if you are on the map. If not, then act now to register your club so that you can join this special program, all backed and supported by a real enthusiast staff managed by Ford Performance. If you have questions or want more info, you and your members can always email us at ClubHub@Ford.com, or can simply call our Ford Performance Info Center, toll-free during regular business hours, at 1-800-FORD-788 (800-367-3788).
So what are you waiting for? Get online and make sure you’re connected. Then make sure you get out there and enjoy your performance Ford this year. Find and attend a club meeting, a car show, cruise, or any driving or racing event, and discover the fun and all the friendly people involved in the world of Ford Performance. We’re sure that being connected with each other and with Ford will make your ownership experience even more enjoyable!
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 1 mb) 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 summer, 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: https://registry.fordperformanceclubconnect.com/map?type=club) We’re sure that being connected with each other and with Ford will make your ownership experience 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” produced by 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!
