The National Mustang Racers Association put an exclamation point on the '06 season with a season-ending bash at Beech Bend Raceway last October. While racers scrambled on the quarter-mile in attempts to nail down season championships-or at least climb up the standings-local Mustang and Ford owners from all over the east participated in the Laurel Mountain All-Ford Auto Show, sponsored by Mustang Monthly and our sister title, Mustang & Fords.
As usual, the car show highlighted a number of wild late-models, but we also spotted fantastic vintage Mustangs, such as Tony Lyles' modular-powered '65 convertible and Dustin Faust's '66 fastback, which won the Mustang Monthly Editor's Choice award. Our thanks go to Show Director Ed Svoboda for making the selection in our absence.
With the burnout smoke settled and the awards presented, the NMRA closed out its '06 season at Bowling Green. The '07 season has already begun, and Mustang Monthly is back as a car show sponsor. We'll see you at the races.
One of the great things about...
One of the great things about NMRA events is that you can slip away from the car show to check out the action on the dragstrip. It's not all late-model, as you can see from this wheels-up launch by Brian Meine in his '66 fastback. This car is powered by a 418ci Windsor.
Bob Hanlon has been a mainstay...
Bob Hanlon has been a mainstay in late-model Mustang drag racing for many years. At Bowling Green, he nailed down Second Place in the Hot Street season standings.
Tom Lyles from Westmoreland,...
Tom Lyles from Westmoreland, Tennessee, is the owner and builder of this clean '65 convertible. Powered by a 4.6L modular engine, the car won a Top 20 award on Saturday.
Car Show Results
Saturday
Best Classic Mustang
1st: Mark and Rhonda Delk -'69 Boss 302
2nd: Christina McCarthy - '6411/42 Mustang
Best Modern Mustang
1st: Tim Powderly - '94 Mustang Cobra
2nd: Mike Cooper - '01 GT
Best Daily Driver
1st: Terry Latham - '06 Mustang GT
2nd: Nick Thurman - '04 Explorer (tie)
2nd: Jim Crouch - '03 Mach 1 (tie)
Jack Roush got his start in...
Jack Roush got his start in drag racing, so it was great to see a modern Roush Mustang competing in the NMRA's Modular Muscle class. Don Bowle's yellow '06 Roush Mustang ran a 9.66 at 140 mph.
Popular Vote
Best Body and Paint
1st: Mark and Rhonda Delk - '69 Boss 302
2nd: Mike Cooper - '01 Mustang
Best Engine
1st: James Grifford - '01 Cobra
2nd: Charles Blair - '64 Galaxie 427
Best Stance
1st: Rick Carlisle - '69 Mustang
2nd: Jason Ford - '94 F-150
People's Choice
1st: Tim Blanton - '67 Mustang
2nd: Ben Halker - '05 Mustang GT
Sunday
Best '79-'93 Mustang
Susie Siefert - '92 Mustang Convertible
Best '94-'98 Mustang
Mike McHenry - '97 Cobra
Best '99-'04 Mustang
Brad Elander - '04 GT
Best '05-'07 Mustang
James Dyer - '05 GT
Best SVT Mustang
Tim Powderly - '94 Cobra
Best Tuner Car
Mike Lockley - '00 Saleen
Best Shelby and Boss
Mark and Rhonda Delk - '69 Boss 302
Best Under Construction
Robert Whiteman - '89 Mustang
Best Young Builder
Dustin Foust - '65 Mustang Fastback
Director's Choice
Matt Williams - '65 Mustang
Popular Vote
Best Engine
James Gifford - '01 Cobra
Best Stance
Rick Carlisle - '69 Mustang
People's Choice
Matt Williams - '65 Mustang Fastback
Editor's Choice
It's not often that you see a 20-year-old with a vintage Mustang as nice as Dustin Foust's '66 fastback. Even more amazing is the fact that he built this Mustang when he was 16-for someone else.
Four years ago, the Mustang's owner asked Dustin to rebuild and repaint the former '70s show car that had fender flares and lace paint. He dumped the flares and lace, then added his own touches, such as the custom grille, deleted emblems, and a filled-in cowl panel. He then tackled his second paint job, going with a PPG Pure Red single-stage enamel that glows in the sunlight. The wheels are 17-inch American Racing Torq-Thrust Classics.
Underhood is a mildly modified 289 equipped with an Edelbrock Performer intake, a Demon four-barrel carb, a mild Comp Cams camshaft, a Ford Racing dress-up kit, and air conditioning. The interior is mostly stock except for the Shelby gauge pod with white-face gauges.
After completion, the owner stored the Mustang for several years before deciding to sell it. For Dustin, it was the opportunity to own the car he built, so he jumped on the deal.
Dustin isn't finished. The Greenville, Indiana, resident is currently building another Mustang-a '70 fastback with a 514ci big-block. Like the '66, it'll be painted in the same wild, bright red.