Mustang's 45th Anniversary drives thousands of enthusiasts to Alabama

• Thousands of enthusiasts from all over the world will converge in Birmingham, Ala. on April 17, 2009 – the birth date of the Mustang – to join Ford and the Mustang Club of America for a four-day celebration of the 45th anniversary of the Ford Mustang
   

• The state of Alabama officially is declaring April 17 as “Mustang Day”
   

• More than 2,500 Mustangs spanning model years from 1964 to 2010 will be on hand for show and open track events – nine original owners of the 1964½ Mustang will attend with their beloved pony cars

MUSTANG DECADES: 1964 – 1973 | 1974 – 1982 | 1983 – 1993

DEARBORN, Mich., April 6, 2009 – Thousands of Mustang enthusiasts from all over the world will converge in Birmingham, Ala. on April 17, 2009 – officially declared “Mustang Day” by the state of Alabama – to celebrate the 45th anniversary of an American icon: the Ford Mustang.

Ford and the Mustang Club of America will mark the 45th anniversary of America’s favorite pony car with a four-day celebration at the Barber Motorsports Park. The event is expected to draw more than 2,500 Mustang enthusiasts and their beloved steeds, as well as hundreds of thousands of spectators.

“For four and a half decades, Ford has connected with more than 9 million owners celebrating their individuality, passion and love of the Mustang,” said Jim Farley, Ford Group Vice President of Marketing and Communications. “Mustang created the segment and remains America’s number one muscle car delivering a fast, fun and affordable car that personifies the freedom of the open road.”

Adding to the 45th anniversary celebration will be an epic Mustang convoy road-trip from the west that will travel across America’s heartland bringing Mustangs from all over the United States to attend the big event in Birmingham. The convoy – which will begin in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 11 – is expected to grow to 500 cars from all over the country. The final day’s drive is expected to nearly double in size with people from the entire eastern seaboard joining in.

“For an enthusiast, driving their Mustang across the country with hundreds of others is a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” said Sam Haymart, president of Mustangs Across America, Inc. “There is nothing quite like the magic and camaraderie that grows from the event. It really captures the American spirit that has made this country great.”

Steven McCarley, president of the 11,000-member Mustang Club of America, says the 45th anniversary festivities are expected to draw Mustang fans from all over the world.

“We have people coming in from 15 foreign countries, including Australia, Denmark and France,” he said. “And some of them may be bringing their cars with them.”

Also in attendance will be nine original owners of the 1964½ Mustang and their historic pony cars.

“I can hardly believe my sweet car is 45 years old,” said Laki Malamatenios, one of the original 1964½ owners from Grass Valley, Calif. “I remember when I first bought it, people used to stop me all the time and ask what kind of a ‘Ferrari’ I had, and I used to say, ‘This isn’t a horse, it’s a pony.’”

A celebration of events
A number of events are planned for the four-day celebration, including Mustang shows and open track events:
 

• On Thursday night, 650 Mustangs will cruise in line from the Barber Motor Sports Park to Homewood, Ala., a small city 10 to 15 miles outside of Birmingham, for a street party complete with food and live entertainment.
   

• More than 2,500 Mustangs from 1964 to the 2010 model year will be on display throughout the weekend, and their owners will be hand to answer questions about their cherished cars.
   

• The Ford Racing Mustang Challenge – a professional racing series co-developed and launched last year by Ford Racing and Miller Motorsports Park – will take place on Saturday and Sunday, with at least 25 Mustangs racing each day.
   

• Ford Racing will offer installation of Ford Racing performance upgrades for late model Mustangs in an on-site "Mustang Garage” throughout the weekend.
   

• Professional road racers – including four-time Mustang champion and SPEED TV personality Tommy Kendall – will be on site to provide hot laps for lucky attendees around the Barber park in Mustang FR500S race cars.
   

• World champion drifter Vaughn Gittin, Jr., will be on hand all weekend to give demonstrations and rides.

Hundreds of Mustang owners also will be given the opportunity to experience firsthand the excitement of driving their own cars around the racetrack in organized open track run sessions.

“Many people are curious to see what it’s like on the other side of the fence,” said McCarley. “The racetrack makes a great background for pictures, so we’ll have photographers capturing the cars as they’re on the track.”

McCarley says it promises to be a weekend to remember.

“Mustang is the glue that bonds all of us together,” he said. “Whether you’re a casual observer interested in seeing the latest model Mustang or a true fanatic who eats, sleeps and breathes Mustang, this is where you want to be to celebrate the 45th anniversary.”

For more information about the Ford Mustang 45th anniversary celebration, visit www.mustangevents.org.