Mustangs Across America 45th Anniversary Drive Hits 100 Entries In First Week
04-22-08 Phoenix, AZ - The Mustangs Across America cross-country convoy drive to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of the Mustang next year opened registration on April 17th, 2008. In just five days the event has already garnered 100 registered participants from all over the world. Representing over 18 states and 5 countries, the early entrants represent a tidal wave of enthusiasm for the Mustang that is sure to make the 45th Birthday Celebration a big one.
The organized convoy drive will begin in Las Vegas, NV on April 11th and makes a five-day trek across America to Birmingham, AL for the Mustang Club Of America’s big Mustang 45th Anniversary Show at Barber Motorsports Park. The show takes place from April 17-19, 2009. The Mustangs Across America drive has become a tradition for the big five-year anniversaries, starting their first cross country adventure in 1994 for the 30th Anniversary and organizing many drives since then.
Participants for the Mustangs Across America 45th Anniversary Drive have entered from as far away as Australia, Sweden, The Netherlands and Canada. A large group of 20+ enthusiasts have already registered from Australia in 2009 and will be renting Mustangs for the drive. Some will be shipping their cars via container ship to make the drive as well. “We have always had a strong contingent from Australia, but 2009 is looking like a major record for their participation”, says Sam Haymart, MAA Event Coordinator. “They bring a level of enthusiasm to our event that really takes us over the top”.
Many people have registered from states in the north east and plan to span the country all the way out to Las Vegas, NV, just to drive back with the convoy. In other places like Washington state, groups are planning to organize their own “sub-convoys” to make trek to Las Vegas to start with the official drive.
“Having 100 entries so soon in the game really sends us a signal that the Mustang’s 45th Anniversary is going to be much bigger than we anticipated”, says Haymart. “In 2004 when we did the 40th Anniversary Drive, it took us over a month to reach that milestone.” Mustangs Across America predicts that the 2009 drive event could have as many as 500 cars by the time they reach the final day of the trek. In 2004 the event had over 300 entrants.
Mustangs Across America organizes the convoy drive with a schedule of about 400 miles a day with planned staging areas, lunch stops, and overnight accommodations. The group works with local chambers of commerce, clubs, and sponsors to add local events, tours, and gatherings along the five-day road trip.
Mustangs Across America 45th Anniversary Drive 2009 Announced
In April of 2009, the Mustang will turn 45 years old and the largest Mustang show ever is being planned in Birmingham, Alabama by the Mustang Club of America. To be held at the famous Barber Motorsports Park from April 16-19th, the three-day event will host as many as 6000 Mustangs for show and open track events.
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 and around the world to attend the big show in Birmingham. Starting in Las Vegas, NV, Mustangs will thunder across America on a five day journey through the scenic backdrops of history, tracing the shadows of Route 66 in the West. The Midwest will include a stop in Mustang, OK and Dallas, TX before rounding up the herd through the deep South in Louisiana and Alabama. Drive participants will enjoy planned gatherings, cruise-ins and other adventures as part of the road trip itinerary.
“There is nothing that strikes a chord to the soul of America as a road trip. Adventures on the open road have become a part of our fabric in the form of legends, movies, novels and lore. For enthusiasts, driving their Mustang across the country with hundreds of others is a once in a lifetime experience”, says Sam Haymart, President of Mustangs Across America Inc. “There is nothing quite like the magic and camaraderie the grows from the event. It really captures the American spirit that has made this country great”.
The event will kick off in the excitement and glitter of Las Vegas on Saturday, April 11th 2009 and head east for historic Route 66 outpost Holbrook, AZ. The planned route incorporates some of the best remaining segments of the Mother Road. Mustangs new and old will be traveling through many of the ghost towns and rich imagery that inspired the recent movie “Cars”. The small Route 66 town of Holbrook is steeped in Mother Road history and home of the Wig-Wam Hotel, famous for its Tee-Pee motel rooms.
From there the drive continues through Albuquerque, NM and includes a visit to historic Santa Fe before heading to an overnight stop in Santa Rosa, NM. “The Desert Southwest is a place that every American should see at least once in their life. Santa Fe is a place that captures the essence of the region and all its Native American heritage, “ adds Haymart. "Our overnight stop of Santa Rosa is like turning a page back in time."
The stampede of Mustangs will grow and storm across the Texas plains through Amarillo, TX on the third day. A stop at the Route 66 Museum is planned for Clinton, OK, after which the convoy will head for the charming and much loved town of Mustang, OK for an overnight stop. From the heartland city of Mustang, the drive heads south to Dallas for a special lunch stop and then to Shreveport/Bossier City, LA where things really get exciting. The night in Louisiana will be studded with activity and fun with nearby riverboat casinos. But that will be the side show because on the fifth day leaving Shreveport/Bossier City, LA for Birmingham, the convoy is expected to grow up to 500 cars from all over the United States and Abroad. The final day’s drive will nearly double in size on the last day, with people from the entire Eastern seaboard joining in.
The event will be open for registration on April 17th, 2008. The cost to register will be $45 which will include a complete package of Mustangs Across America 45th Anniversary Drive items and regalia in addition to exclusive hotel discounts and access to special events across the country. A commemorative printed travel guide detailing mile-by-mile maps, itineraries, points of interest and a host of other goodies are included as well.
About Mustangs Across America
Mustangs Across America Inc. is an event promotion group that has been organizing cross country drives for large Mustang Club Of America anniversary events since 1994. Lead by a close knit group of enthusiasts, the events have been organized over the years in concert with the volunteer teamwork of several Mustang Clubs and sponsors across the country to bring enthusiasts an adventure of a lifetime.
Mustangs Across America events have attracted hundreds of participants of all ages and walks of life from all over the United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Europe to join together in the adventure. Mustangs Across America has become an institution in the Mustang hobby, having organized many cross country drives including the 1994 30th Anniversary and 2004 40th Anniversary drives. The latter was the basis for the Discovery/Travel Channel Documentary “Kings Of The Road - Mustangs Across America” that still airs on TV today. In 2004, over 300 Mustangs took part in the MAA Drive.
Interested parties can log onto the Mustangs Across America website: www.MustangsAcrossAmerica.com or send S.A.S.E to the address below for entry forms.
Mustangs Across America
6517 S. Kings Ranch Rd #116
Gold Canyon, AZ 85218
Contact Information:
Sam Haymart
Tel: 480-393-9887
Email: mustangone@mustangsacrossamerica.com
MAA Livery Commemorative Mustang Diecasts Released
With the 2009 Mustangs Across America 45th Anniversary drive coming we have just put together some slick new MAA Livery Commemorative diecast model cars. Complete with scale replicas of the Mustangs Across America windshield banner and magnetic door signs, these 1:24 scale diecasts come in a variety of models and colors. Full Story |
