Ford Nationals weekend has come and gone, and this year’s event ranks right up there with the all-time greats that have come before it. Presented once
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Ford Nationals weekend has come and gone, and this year’s event ranks right up there with the all-time greats that have come before it. Presented once more by Meguiar’s, the National Parts Depot Showfield welcomed a record breaking total of cars spanning 112 years of Ford and Ford family production. From cars to trucks, rare to daily drivers and everything in between, the event showcased once more why this is THE car event for Ford lovers from around the world.
Every year at Carlisle it seems the cars, people and vendors are showing up earlier for Ford weekend. This year was no different as people were showing up and setting up on Memorial Day Monday, days in advance of the weekend start. Indoor displays were also loading in early, with nearly all buildings filled by mid-day Thursday, while the Showfield, automotive flea market and midway were all coming to life on Thursday as well. As an added bonus to the decades of classics on grounds, Ford wowed crowds with a great array of new products. These cars and trucks weren’t only on the midway and in front of the stage, but were also at the neighboring Carlisle Expo Center. There, show goers could not only see the vehicles, they could get behind the wheel and drive many of them too.
Featured vehicle displays included those dedicated to the Fox Body and Fox Platform, Mach 1, Boss, Eliminator and Maverick. While many of those cars had that preserved and classic look that we all love, some showcased top of the line restoration work, wowing all who walked by.
The aforementioned weren’t the only featured rides. Dating back to 2015, Ford weekend has hosted the Ford Nationals Select display. Annually, 12 cars anchor this display, each for a specific or unique reason. This year was no different. Cars 51-62 took their rightful place within the building and included the likes of an original 1982 Escort with less than 900 miles on it, 1959 English Ford, a 1961 Country Squire and more.
Ford Motor Company brought a lot of great new products to the table this year. With each new ride came a walk around at the stage. Carl Widmann, the Chief Engineer of Ford Performance shared the details of the new Shelby GT500. Roush and Saleen offered product walk arounds too, with Roush showcasing not only one of its new trucks, but its Stage 3 ROUSH Supercharged Mustang. In addition, Saleen gave attention to its 2019 SA35 edition Mustang. Gateway Classic Mustang delivered an experience for Ford Motor Company on the autocross track throughout the weekend. New rides like the 2.3L High Performance Mustang and the GT350 furthered the fun on the track as guests could go for hot laps in the latest performance offerings from Ford Motor Company
What’s a show at Carlisle without special guests? Of course, there were many, including Mike Finnegan of “Road Kill” on MotorTrend TV. Finnegan was joined by Al Joniec, Steve Saxty, Don Farr, John Clor, Charlie Morris, Tony Alonso, Scott Hoag, Jake Jerrell and the artistic talents of David Snyder.
While many guests simply admired the parked cars, others had installs handled via A&A Auto Stores, participated in the burnout contest, autocross rides or open runs and even hit the streets of downtown Carlisle for the parade and street party.
In all, hundreds of awards were doled out, with everyone walking away eager for next year’s fun. Speaking of next year, save the date. The 2020 Carlisle Ford Nationals take place June 5-7. Registration is now open at
www.carlisleevents.com or by calling 717-243-7855.