I knew I was at the right place when I rolled into the parking lot of the Clarion Inn in Waldorf, Maryland. Mustangs of every make, model, and year filled nearly every space, some two spaces as buckets and towels were spread out while owners took care of final detailing. Yes, I had found the headquarters hotel for the Mustang Club of America's 2011 Grand National show, dubbed "Mustangs and Monuments" by our hosts, the National Capitol Region Mustang Club thanks to the close proximity to Washington, D.C.
When it comes to national shows, the MCA has the right idea. First, the world's largest national--well, actually international--club has done a great job of shedding its southeastern roots by staging its national shows all around the country. And secondly, perhaps most importantly, many of the shows are located in places that people like to visit. And what's better for an all-American car like the Mustang than Washington, D.C. on Labor Day weekend?
To help celebrate the MCA’s...
To help celebrate the MCA’s 35th anniversary, Mustang Times editor (and former Mustang Monthly managing editor) Mary Jean Wesche and club president Steve Prewitt cut a birthday cake for everyone to enjoy.
It sure got my wife's attention. As someone who picks and chooses her opportunities to travel with her husband to Mustang shows, Pam targeted the Mustangs and Monuments show right away. And we took advantage of the Maryland location by commuting into D.C. for a Friday sightseeing adventure in the nation's capitol. Of course, you need more than a day to take in all the attractions on the National Mall between the Washington Monument and the Capitol itself, but we made the best of our time with visits to several sections of the Smithsonian and the Botanical Gardens. It was worth the trip just to see Archie Bunker's chair and hat.
By the time we arrived back at the Clarion, it was obvious that the parking lot and Damon's restaurant, conveniently attached to the hotel, had become the unofficial gathering spots for the show. While many continued to prepare their Mustangs for the following day's show, others made their way to the show site at the Regency Furniture Stadium for the Friday afternoon social and cruise to Maryland International Raceway for an evening of drag racing.
A baseball stadium seems an unlikely spot for a national Mustang show. However, in this case, the home of the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs minor league baseball team proved an ideal location with its large parking area and amenities inside, including a mezzanine that not only provided food and ice cream but also welcomed shade from the still warm early September weather.
Saturday's show attracted nearly 500 of the country's best Mustangs, old and new, for MCA judging and awards. It was an impressive gathering, overall one of the best I've ever seen, with representation from every Mustang era and almost every Mustang model year.
So hats off to the National Capitol Region Mustang Club for a Grand National well-done. They hit this one out of the park.
Nationals Past
Instead of a big celebration event in these uncertain economic times, the MCA decided to celebrate its 35th anniversary at each of 2011's national events, culminating with the Grand National. That made it an even bigger honor when Grand National chairman David Newcome asked if I would be the guest speaker at the Saturday night banquet. It seemed appropriate to talk about the history of the MCA, so I dug into my old black and white negatives for a look at national events from the early days of the MCA. Here's a sampling.
The Monuments and Mustangs...
The Monuments and Mustangs Grand National officially kicked off on Friday with a late afternoon social, followed by a cruise from the stadium to Maryland International Raceway. Nearly 80 Mustangs participated in the drive to the dragstrip, although we’re not sure how many actually hit the quarter-mile.
Mustang IIs were well represented...
Mustang IIs were well represented at the Grand National. This ’76 Western Mustang, owned by Doug and Rita DeLorme, was a one-off marketing research vehicle for Ford.
For Brant Halterman, the Grand...
For Brant Halterman, the Grand National in Maryland provided an opportunity to debut his recently restored ’65 Hi-Po convertible. Watch for a feature on this Poppy Red convertible, which won a Gold in the Concours Trailered class, in a future issue. Brant’s company, Virginia Classic Mustang, was also set up in the vendor area.
You may remember this ’68-1/2...
You may remember this ’68-1/2 Cobra Jet race car from our Rare Finds column in the May 2011 issue. David Garton found this low-mileage CJ race car in California last year and displayed it at the Grand National in its survivor condition.
Russell Stubock’s ’90 5.0...
Russell Stubock’s ’90 5.0 coupe was decked out in its Nevada Highway Patrol livery, complete with push bar, lights, whip antenna, and all the special Fox-body police equipment.
Not sure if this is the best...
Not sure if this is the best way to sell a very early (March 19, 1964) production ’64-1/2 convertible, but at least potential buyers were able to easily inspect it for signs of hidden rust. Asking price on the window was $7,500—holes included.
Before Ford reintroduced the...
Before Ford reintroduced the Boss 302 as a ’12 model, the closest thing to the original was the Saleen/Parnelli Jones edition from ’07. This one is owned by Jean Lesage.
At the MCA Grand National...
At the MCA Grand National in 1979, held at the Perimeter Mall in Atlanta, Jim Osborn and Jack Yeager dodged rain showers to check in Mustangs. Osborn in particular was a driving force behind the MCA and was later responsible for the first really big Mustang show, the 30th anniversary event at Charlotte Motor Speedway in 1994. Unfortunately, Osborn left us early due to a heart attack.
Here’s a view of the 1980...
Here’s a view of the 1980 Mustang World Expo, as taken from the roof of Mustang Monthly founder Larry Dobbs’ Econoline van. The show was hosted by the Volunteer Regional Group of the MCA.
What would any of us give...
What would any of us give to go back to 1980 to rummage through this stash of Mustang parts? There are no reproductions here, only good original parts, including those ’68 Shelby hubcaps.
Look familiar? This photo...
Look familiar? This photo of MCA judges at the 1979 Grand National could have been taken at the 2011 Grand National. Well, other than the cut-off shorts and striped tube socks.
Here’s another young man who...
Here’s another young man who would go on to become president of the MCA. It’s Charles Hampton, who participated in Mustang Monthly’s Stock vs. Modified story at the Mustang World Expo in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1982.