FAN SPOTLIGHT – Even after 20 years of appearing each month on FordRacing.com, we’re rather surprised that some Mustang and Ford owners still haven’t heard about our “Ford Fan Spotlight,” where we give passionate fans some real estate on a Ford Motor Company website to tell the world their Mustang or Ford ownership story. In the spotlight this week is Mustang Club of America Member (MCA #70737) Tony Cruz of Aldie, Virginia, who submitted his Mustang story in his very own words below – thanks to a little nudge from our own FordRacing.com correspondent Rick Mitchell (-- thanks, Rick!). Check out what Tony thinks is even better than winning car show trophies with his triple-black fifth-generation Mustang convertible – and see why most Mustang club members will heartily agree with him!
“By late 2003, I had been hunting for a classic Mustang for several of years. Specifically, anything from 1964 to 1967 as these Mustangs were – and still are – my favorite models. I remember spending countless hours scouring websites and hoping to find a gem.
“The inspiration for finding a classic came from two of my family members, my father, who in 1970 located a damaged 1966 six-cylinder Mustang, which he repaired, completed the body work and painted. And then from my oldest brother, who found a 1965 gem in Connecticut and shipped it home to Puerto Rico, and it soon became a top trophy winner. Ever since then, I wanted to be part of that club . . . another owner of a classic Mustang.
“All of that changed in 2004 while chatting with a fellow car enthusiast. He asked if I had seen the new Mustang concept car that Ford introduced at the 2003 North American International Auto Show. But to this day, I cannot remember where I found the information about the new 2005 Mustangs. Was it in an article in Motor Trend magazine, or was it from John Davis talking about the new Mustangs on Motor Week? Either way, I was mesmerized by the car’s new 1964-70 retro look. It was then that I decided to buy one! But I wanted to wait until the new ones appeared in dealer showrooms so that I could see one in person.
“By the fall of 2004, and to my delight, the new models were everywhere, and so I spent many hours at dealer’s lots becoming familiar with them. But what I was looking for, I could not find – and that was a triple-black convertible; that is, one with a black interior, exterior and top, and with an automatic transmission (a non-negotiable feature requested by my wife!). I also decided to wait for the 2006 models to arrive and see what was available.
“It was not until July of 2006 when I found what I was looking for at a Ford dealer along Route 1 in Virginia. Once I saw it, I had to have it … and so I took delivery on my birthday in 2006. When I drove this beauty home, I already had many modifications in mind. And come to think of it, I have been modding my car ever since 2006, and I do not see an end in sight.
“With these many mods came my desire to enter in as many shows as possible. While I participated, my introduction to the big-time show scene came in 2010 while I was in the U.S. Army and stationed at Fort Lewis, Washington. In that July, the Mustang Northwest Club hosted the 2010 MCA Grand National in Bellevue, and I had the chance to participate – and wow, what a show that was! The people, their cars and the MCA experience was unique. I worked hard on my car, and that year I took home a 1st Place award in the 1994 – 2010 Driven / Excluding Undercarriage class.
“In typical military fashion, though, I was next transferred from Washington and landed in Virginia in 2017. As luck had it, the National Capital Region Mustang Club hosted the 2019 MCA Grand National at Fredericksburg, VA, and without hesitation I participated. Drawing from my experiences with the 2010 show, I knew what areas to improve, and that resulted in taking home a Gold Award in my category. So now, fast forward again to the present, and the National Capital Region Mustang Club was once again hosting the 2025 MCA Grand National in Fredericksburg, which I also planned to attend.
“Since 2006, I have entered many shows, and I have lost count of the total, but it must be between 100-150 throughout the Pacific Northwest, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and West Virginia. While I truly enjoy showing my car, what I enjoy the most, however, is making new friends when I meet the other enthusiasts and see their cars, and of course, listening to their stories. I would not want it any other way!”
Here’s How YOU Can Get In The Spotlight: For more than 20 years now, one of the most popular features on FordRacing.com and in our weekly Fast News e-newsletter continues to be "Ford Fan Spotlight," where readers can send in their own reasons why they're fans of Ford Motor Company and its vehicles. You know who they are: Ford "superfans;" grassroots Ford racers; unique Ford vehicle owners; loyal Ford enthusiasts; notable Ford club people; special Ford families; and/or any avid supporter of Ford, Ford vehicles, Ford motorsports, Ford Racing or Ford Performance who deserves a little bit of special recognition.
All you need to do to get you, your car or candidate considered is to send in a brief description (200-500 words or less) and a few photos (in .jpeg format, preferably around 1 mb in size) with the owner’s full name and hometown, please. Just tell us about the vehicle(s) and why you think Ford Racing should feature it (them) in the "Ford Fan Spotlight" for an upcoming installment of Fast News as well as for posting on FordRacing.com. Then email it to: ClubHub@Ford.com with your contact info. Your submission allows us the right to use your words and images (along with any edits) for editorial purposes; we’ll choose one submission in random order to post online. We hope to see YOU and your Ford story in our Fan Spotlight soon!
