For the 21st time, the National Mustang Racing Association, better known more simply as the NMRA, rolled into Bowling Green, Kentucky, for the World Finals last weekend. While the event (and the series itself) is based around racing some of the baddest Fords in the country, this particular event also featured a wide variety of other attractions. One of our favorites was the FordMuscle.com Show-N-Shine on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The show drew some of the most beautiful Fords in the country for a two day car show, with a separate set of awards for each day day. Check out some of the hottest Fords that were in attendance at this years show!
Coyote 5.0L? Or 1999/2001 4.6L DOHC Cobra motor? What a tough choice! However, if given the choice between Chris and Chad Bertke's two amazing silver Fastback first generation Mustangs, we would gladly take either! Chad's Mustang has the monster 4.6 DOHC 32 Valve Cobra engine stuffed between the shock towers. It's an engine commonly found in the 1999 and 2001 SVT Cobras, along with similar versions in various Lincoln applications over the years. It was also the base of the supercharged 2003-2004 Cobras, and the Mach 1 of the same years. For a long time, this was the swap of choice. Chris's Fastback features the Coyote, the engine that brought the legendary 5.0 out of retirement in 2011. This Coyote also features a Ford Racing intake manifold for added fun. Both cars are rounded out with a nice modern wheel and gorgeous red interior.
One of these things does not belong . . . or does it? Beech Bend Raceway is nestled in the corner of Beech Bend Park in the town of Bowling Green, Kentucky. The park came to exist back in the late 1800’s with some simple picnic tables, and evolved from there to a full-on amusement park in the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s. Motorsports have always played an important role in Beech Bend, as motorcycle and auto racing began shortly after World War II on the dirt oval track. It’s that same paved track that is still in existence today. The drag strip was added in the 1950s and the rest is history! Oh, about that white car that just does not belong in the photo: Bowling Green, Kentucky, has also been the home to the Chevrolet Corvette since 1981 so this one seemed fitting enough for us to let it slide in the photo.
The first two Mustangs spectators walked up to on Saturday while heading to the show field were actually not very show-worthy at all. They were, however, most likely two of the most photographed cars of the weekend. These photos show the camera car and one of the stunt cars from the popular John Wick movies. Sadly these cars were left in pretty rough shape after movie use, but that did not stop dozens and dozens of people from coming up for photos. Owner Matt Hagan was very open with the cars, and we even saw him let a few lucky movie fans climb up on the trailer and get behind the steering wheel of these Hollywood famous Fastbacks!
When we walk the car show fields at various events across the country, we are always on the lookout for something just a little different. Chad Kolakowski's 1992 Ford Taurus SHO was just different enough to catch our eye! Seeing a near-mint first generation SHO is a pretty rare thing anymore, let alone one with a cool paint job like the green to silver fade on Chad's SHO. The car was nearly perfect from one end to the other, and has to be one of the nicest first generation SHOs in the country.
A new edition to the event this year was Holley’s Intergalactic Ford Fest. Holley is based in Bowling Green and is no stranger to headlining major events at the track, including the annual LS Fest and the National Hot Rod Reunion. It only made sense that Holley would add Ford Fest to its schedule, in a natural advancement in their event promotions. Pairing with the already popular NMRA World Finals made for one of the most exciting all Ford events we have been to in a long time. Holley had quite the impressive line-up of Fords in front of their tent as well, featuring some of their latest technology for our beloved Ford engines.
If you have been to any kind of Ford drag racing event over the past ten years or so, be it NMRA, the old Fun Ford events, or anything in between, you have probably seen this red and yellow 1948 Ford F-100 make a wheels up pass down the quarter-mile. The truck is a bit of a legend at drag events, taking on trucks half its age and winning regularly, so to see it in the show field was a bit of a surprise. Even then, it was nice to finally get an up-close and personal look at the impressive old girl. Under the hood of this F-100 is a flawlessly painted John Kaase 572 cubic inch Big Block Ford. No wonder the front wheels are always up in the air!
Be sure to check out our huge gallery for all the awesome cars and trucks that competed in the Ford Muscle.com Show-N-Shine at the 21st Annual All Ford Nationals and Holley Intergalactic Ford Fest!
FordMuscle.com Show-N-Shine Awards
Friday Awards:
FSC Editors Choice Winner: Wayne Vance of Elizabethton, TN – 1986 Mustang
UPR Products Choice Winner: Catherine & Clyde Dunphy of Pleasant Plains, IL – 1969 Mustang
Ford Performance Pick Winner: Charles Jennett of Russellville, KY – 2017 Mustang
Holley Pick Winner: Chris Glissen of Carterville, IL – 1977 Mustang II
Bowling Green CVB Pick Winner: Tony Lyles of Westmoreland, TN – 1953 Ford Truck
Directors Choice Winner: Debra Vance of Elizabethton, TN – 2018 Roush Mustang
Saturday Awards:
Special Recognition Awards:
- Randy Pone of Hanceville, AL – 1970 Mustang
- Brad Carroll of Leitchfield, KY – 2010 Explorer
- Jeff Taylor of Franklin, KY – 1972 Mustang
- Wayne Vance of Elizabethton, TN – 1986 Mustang
- Spencer Blankinship of Bowling Green, KY – 1990 Mustang
- Larry Sizemore of Brandenburg, KY – 2004 Mustang
- Chris Bertke of Reynolds Station, KY – 1965 Mustang
- Justin Hubbard of Oakland, TN – 1993 Mustang
- Dwayne Carroll of Onieda, TN – 1993 Mustang
- Cameron Thompson of KY – 1990 Mustang
- Phillip McCallister of Scottsboro, AL – 1989 Mustang
- Chris Dytmive of Ashland City, TN – Ford Mustang
- Katie Ruppe of New Albany, IN – 2004 Mustang
- A.J. Blankenship of Murfeesboro, TN – 2015 Mustang
- Randy Pone of Hanceville, AL – 1967 Mustang
- Chris Glissen of Carterville, IL – 1977 Mustang II
- Donovan Bemiss of Bowling Green, KY – 1987 Mustang
- Wayne Stamberger of Lamoille, IL – 2015 Mustang
- Randy Pone of Hanceville, AL – 1965 Comet
- Randy Pone of Hanceville, AL – 1969 Mustang
Director’s Choice Awards:
- Best Early Mustang Winner: Asher McDaniel of Antioch, TN – 1969 Mustang
- Best Modern Mustang Winner: Brett Russell of Columbia, KY – 1993 Mustang
- Best Street Rod Pre-’49 Winner: Rodney Faddis of Vevay, IN – 1930 Ford
- Best Late Ford ’49-Up Winner: Carey Bertke of Owensboro, KY – 1966 Cobra
- Best Ford Truck Winner: Tony Lyles of Westmoreland, TN – 1953 F100
- Best Traditional Hot Rod Winner: Danne Wright of Alvaton, KY – 1956 Ford F-100
- Best Race Car/Pro Street Winner: Chris Austin of Calhoun, KY – 1965 Mustang
- Directors Choice Conservative Winner: Catherine & Clyde Dunphy of Pleasant Plains, IL – 1967 Mustang
- Directors Choice Modified Winner: Stevie Quick of Fayetteville, TN – 1974 F-100
Sunday Awards:
- Mustang 64-70
- Outstanding: Randy Pone of Hanceville, AL – 1967 Mustang
- Winner: Robert Hess of Tell City, IN – 1967 Mustang
- Mustang 71-78
- Outstanding: Jeff Carroll of Plum, PA – 1973 Mustang
- Winner: Chris Glissen of Carterville, IL – 1977 Mustang II
- Mustang 79-93
- Outstanding: Donovan Bemiss of Bowling Green, KY – 1987 Mustang
- Winner: Justin Hubbard of Oakland, TN – 1993 Mustang
- Mustang 94-98
- Outstanding: Austin Vincent of Bee Spring, KY – 1994 Mustang
- Winner: Jim Pennington of Franklin, NC – 1995 Mustang
- Mustang 99-04
- Outstanding: Jason Johnson of Evansville, KY – 2004 Mustang
- Winner: Shawn Davis of Clarksville, TN – 2003 Mustang
- Mustang 05-14
- Outstanding: Rick Martin of Dallas – 2005 Mustang
- Winner: Sue Pehle of New Haven, MO – 2012 Mustang
- Mustang 15-17
- Outstanding: Lisa Miller of Peru, IL – 2015 Mustang
- Winner: Wayne Stamberger of Lamoille, IL – 2015 Mustang
- SVT & Cobra Mustang
- Outstanding: Rob Giles of Evansville, IN – 2003 Cobra
- Winner: Eric Taylor of Hickory, KY – 1996 Cobra
- Roush,Saleen,Steeda Mustang
- Outstanding: Austin Thomas of Shelbyville, TN – 2017 Mustang
- Winner: Debra Vance of Elizabethton, TN – 2018 Roush Mustang
- Shelby & Boss
- Outstanding: Norm Swettenar of Vincennes, IN – 2008 Shelby
- Winner: Brent Hunter of Lees Summit, MO – 1984 Mustang
- Comet, Cougar, Capri
- Winner: Randy Pone of Hanceville, AL – 1965 Comet
- Falcon, Fairlane, Maverick
- Winner: Harry Williams of Bowling Green, KY – 1964 Fairlane
- Street Rod Pre 49’
- Winner: Bob Cochran of Bloomingburg, OH – 1948 F1
- Traditional Hot Rod
- Winner: Howard Russell of Gradyville, KY – 1953 F-100
- Fifties Ford
- Winner: Judy Eads of Nashville, TN – 1956 Thunderbird
- Ford Full Size Cars All Years
- Outstanding: Chris Mooneyhon of Bowling Green, KY – 2011 Taurus
- Winner: Chad Kowlakowski of Bloomington, IL – 1992 Taurus SHO
- Ford Full Size Truck All Years
- Outstanding: Larry Carver Jr. of Mauckport, IN – 2017 F-150
- Winner: Stevie Quick of Fayetteville, TN – 1974 F-100
- Ford Compact Truck All Years
- Outstanding: Joshua Howell of Hodgenville, KY – 1981 Courier
- Winner: Alex Patterson of Bowling Green, KY – 1974 Bronco
- Race Car & Pro Street Modified Only
- Outstanding: Chris Austin of Calhoun, KY – 1965 Mustang
- Winner: Randy Pone of Hanceville, AL – 1969 Mustang
- Best Paint & Body
- Winner: Catherine & Clyde Dunphy of Pleasant Plains, IL – 1969 Mustang
- Best Engine:
- Winner: Robert Hess of Tell City, IN – 1967 Mustang
- Best Interior:
- Winner: Stevie Quick of Fayetteville, TN – 1974 F-100
Holley President’s Award
- Winner: Anthony Tull of Bethel Sp., TN – 1969 Ford F-100
NMRA Best of Show Award:
- Best of Show Winner: Catherine & Clyde Dunphy of Pleasant Plains, IL – 1969 Mustang
