The Ford Mustang turns 60 this year and the Mustang Club of America (MCA) is preparing a big anniversary celebration – just as it has done for every major milestone birthday for several decades now. The MCA 60th Anniversary Celebration is being held at Barber Motorsports Park in Birmingham, Alabama, from April 5-7. This “Mustang 60 Years” national judged show was limited to 400 cars with all entries limited to MCA members only -- and it is now sold out. Even the show banquet is sold out. But that doesn’t mean you’ll miss all of the Mustang excitement because “display car” registration is still available and will allow your car, the driver and a passenger access inside the park. (Any additional passengers in the vehicle will be required to purchase a spectator pass for $25 each.) But don’t wait to sign up, as the registration deadline is March 5, 2024, and space is limited to 2,500 cars. You can still register at http://mcashows.com

So what if your club or Mustang friends had wanted to attend the big 60th show as a group? The MCA has you covered with its M.O.R.E. parking program (Mustang Organizations Rallying Enthusiast.) For past Mustang birthday events, the Mustang Club of America, as the hosting organization, has accommodated clubs, registries, and various organizations to gather and park together at the venues to interact with one another and participate as a group. The Mustang 60th Anniversary Celebration will be no different. There is no cost for participation in the M.O.R.E. program, which gives your group a designated parking area, access for your members to come and go as they please from your area, plus greater visibility of your group for those coming and going to the event. (And yes, tents are allowed in your area if properly anchored). A minimum of 20 cars are required to reserve a M.O.R.E. parking area, and all participants in your group must register their car as “Display” so it includes two weekend spectator passes. The deadline to apply for a M.O.R.E. parking area is March 1, 2024. Contact program coordinator Robin Paulsell (lrpcon@aol.com) for info and requirements.

If you were hoping there was a Mustang 60 Years Track Event, you’re in luck! The MCA is offering a three-day track event at Barber Motorsports Park during the anniversary show April 5-7 for Mustangs and Fords only. You can drive on-track for one, two or all three days, four times per day for 25 minutes each session, thanks to limiting run group size. There are sessions for novice and intermediate drivers, so bring your street or track car (limited to 30 cars per day) – training is provided so there’s no experience necessary. For advanced drivers, up to 45 cars will be allowed per day. Barber does not offer garages but all track cars will be parked in the lower paddock. Paddock parking will be allowed for cars staged from enclosed trailers, but open trailers will be parked in the facilities lot. Cost for MCA members is just $325 per day ($350 for non-members; includes 2 show passes). To get full info and to register, visit Motorsportsreg.com And while you are at the Mustang 60 Years celebration in Alabama, don’t forget to stop by the Ford Special Vehicle Registry tent to find out about the benefits of registering your Mustang with this cool Ford program – and you’ll receive a fee keepsake while you are at it. We hope to see you at the 60th!

If you can’t make it to the mega 60th Anniversary show this April, the MCA will be hosting three other MCA National shows for 2014: There’s the MCA National Show and Track Event at Ozark International Raceway in Gravois Mills, MO May 24-26; plus the Mustangs at the Crossroads National Show in Des Moines, IA, August 9-11; and finally the Mustangs in Historic Savannah (GA) National show from Oct. 11-13, 2024. For full info on these and all of the MCA regional club shows, check out the MCA’s website at https://Mustang.org.

‘Ford: The Collector’s Edition’ History Book and Memorabilia Set – Voted No.1 Collectible of the Year by the Mustang Owners Podcast

As Mustang nears its 60th anniversary in 2024, Ford fans are looking for ways to celebrate the rich history of legendary Blue Oval vehicles. One of the best ways to do just that is via the purchase of “Ford: The Collector’s Edition” history book and memorabilia set -- a true treasure for Ford fans. In fact, it was recently named the “No. 1 Ford Collectible of The Year” by the top-rated Mustang Owners Podcast! After taking the media spotlight with its official introduction at the Carlisle Ford Nationals last June, the centerpiece of “Ford: The Collector’s Edition Set” is easily its massive, 410-page hardbound history book, taking you through Ford’s storied heritage. From Henry Ford’s humble beginnings to Ford’s iconic product lines, contributions to America’s middle class, its war effort and its motorsports triumphs and beyond, this book – penned by a team of authors and editors – is a comprehensive chronicle of Ford’s motorized legacy. Besides the book that features many historical and owner-submitted photos, another popular part of the collector’s set is the storage box of some 25 replica inserts of Ford memorabilia and rarely seen historical documents, from letters written by Thomas Edison to Henry Ford and telegrams to company business docs and promotional literature – even several replica vehicle brochures. But the fan-favorite part is easily the bonus set of 10 finely crafted replica Ford vehicle badges mounted on black velvet in the lid of the superb presentation case. They are stunning and really bring Ford’s heritage to life!

Nothing like this has ever been done before for any American automaker and will likely never be done again. Ford fans everywhere can experience the unparalleled history, beauty, and excitement of 121 years of Ford Motor Company with this truly one-of-a-kind book, badges & memorabilia set. Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to secure your own “Ford: The Collector’s Edition” set, or to gift one to the Ford fan who thinks they “has everything” Ford – because they don’t have this, and they’ll surely cherish this limited-run mega Ford collectible forever. Simply visit https://IconicGlobalSports.com to order yours right now and have it shipped directly to your door via UPS.

Celebrating the Mustang? Find Some Inspiration with an Insightful Book by Emeline King, Ford’s 1st Black Female Designer

Some well-read Mustang enthusiasts may have heard of Emeline King, as she was the primary designer on the fourth-generation SN-95 Mustang’s swoopy dual-cockpit interior. But what most people likely do not know is that Emeline was the first black female Transportation Designer in Ford Motor Company’s history. She went on to design a variety of components on other Fords, including the Thunderbird, during her nearly 25 years at the Blue Oval. And now she’s written an inspirational 366-page softcover book entitled. “What Do You Mean A Black Girl Can’t Design Cars? Emeline King, She Did It!” It’s on sale now across the book world, but we recommend you order your copy via her website, https://www.emelineking.com/ It’s an insightful read and would make a great gift for any Mustang or car enthusiast – young or old – or for anyone who’s ever dreamed about designing cars but thought it could ever happen.

Here’s Why You Need to Register your Club or Facebook Group with Ford Performance Club Connect

By now you must have heard about a Ford Performance 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 or online forum 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 we want to include all of you who are part of any Ford vehicle Facebook Group to register with Club Connect, too. Why? Because connecting your Facebook Group with more owners and fans makes your group more worthwhile – and registering with Club Connect will link your online group with participants who may never have known that your group exists.

The value in all of this is that 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 Ford event in your city or state, you and your club members can be contacted to participate.

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. And now, you can also register your group and logo with Ford Brand Licensing all in the same process. 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 some 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? Individual requests are reviewed on a case-by-case basis, but they can ONLY be awarded to clubs who are registered.

So go to www.FordPerformanceClubConnect.com right now and click on the “Find Your Club” link to see if you are on the map. If not, then register your Ford-based club or Facebook Group today so that you can join this special program -- all backed and supported by real enthusiasts at 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 plan to enjoy your performance Ford later this year so that you can discover the fun and all of 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!

Want to Be Noticed on Ford Performance.com? Get You and Your Car(s) in Our ‘Ford Fan Spotlight’

For more than a decade now, 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. (Your submission grants us your permission for us to use your copy and photos on our website and other Ford media outlets, edited as necessary.) We'll choose one submission to be featured online every three weeks. We hope to see YOU and your collectible Ford in our Fan Spotlight soon! 

Miss ‘Fast News’ in Your Inbox? Get Weekly Enthusiast News on Ford Performance Club Connect.com

One race – one win – was all it took for Henry Ford to generate enough buzz and belief in his engineering among investors to secure funding and launch the Ford Motor Company now 120 years ago. At Ford Performance, we have never forgotten where it all began. So we’ve been honoring our heritage, our products and our relentless competitive spirit by shining a light on motorsports and the Ford enthusiast world each week with our “Fast News” e-newsletter. 

From news on our hottest cars and trucks or performance parts to the latest scoop on all the must-see Ford enthusiast events and shows, our weekly Fast News email has been your ticket to stay connected to the company that put the world on wheels. But trying to keep up with emails has left some of you in the dust. So that’s why Ford Performance is now posting our weekly Enthusiast News directly on www.FordPerformanceClubConnect.com -- so you can check it out the next time you’re online -- without sorting through your email inbox. Read it and share it with your club or group or even include it in your newsletters. So put our FordPerformanceClubConnect.com website on your Favorites list, and then hop-in, buckle-up and hang-on each and every week for our Enthusiast News, because like you and all of us in the Ford enthusiast world, we’ll be driving Ford passion!