Participants at the NMRA Ford...
Participants at the NMRA Ford Nationals in Columbus selected Don and Linda Grate's '65 Mustang as the Best Daily Driver on Sunday. The black fastback is powered by a 302 with GT-40 fuel-injection.
For 31 years, Mustang and Ford owners in the Columbus, Ohio, area have headed to National Trail Raceway on Labor Day weekend for a big all-Ford race and car show. In the late '70s and '80s, the Performance Ford Club of America staged the original Ford Expo at the quarter-mile track on the east side of town. For a while, the club split from the track and instead held a car show at a local Ford dealership while National Trail continued with its own all-Ford race. Today, however, everything is happily back together under the NMRA banner.
This year's Exedy Racing Clutch NMRA Ford Nationals was held over the September 4-6 weekend. As usual, there was a large turnout of Northeast-based Mustangs and Fords for both the drag racing and the car show.
Jeff Langdon needed more trunk...
Jeff Langdon needed more trunk space to haul home the awards for his '02 Roush Mustang. On Sunday, the red Stage 3 gathered iron for Top 20 Fords, Best '99-'04 Mustang, and Long Haul.
Terry McMullen has owned his...
Terry McMullen has owned his '69 Boss 302 since 1982. He has a good reason to hang on to it-his father sold the car when it was new while working at Joe Myers Ford in Houston.
It seems we're seeing more...
It seems we're seeing more Mustang IIs at the shows these days. David Wilson has taken the modified route with his '76 Cobra II, equipping the 302-powered Mustang with 351 heads, Edelbrock intake with a Holley four-barrel, and five-speed transmission.
One of our favorite NMRA awards...
One of our favorite NMRA awards is for Best Stance. At Columbus, Dennis Wentz took Second Place with his '64 1/2 hardtop that sits just right over the Styled Steel wheels.
Editor's Choice
Nothing speaks the essence of vintage Mustangs like a Light Blue '66 convertible with standard interior and a six-cylinder engine. While Hi-Po fastbacks and Shelby GT350s get all the glory, the basic Mustang convertible was the car that most Americans coveted. That's why Mike Johnson's '66 stood out from the Columbus crowd to earn the Mustang Monthly Editor's Choice award.
But that's not the only reason. Mike's convertible is a clean machine, with beautiful Light Blue paint by Lyons Body Shop. And while it's a basic six-cylinder/automatic, the Mustang is also well-equipped with power steering and brakes, wire hubcaps, and the rare bench seat. In addition to the Mustang Monthly Editor's Choice, the Hilliard, Ohio, resident took home NMRA awards for Sunday's Top 20 Fords and Best Small Body Ford.