and

proudly present the

30th Annual CRMC Mustang & All-Ford Show

Saturday September 25, 2010 (Rain or Shine)

At Keith Hawthorne Ford

6500 South Blvd--Charlotte, NC

Click here for more details and to register online

CRMC Shows & Shines at Shad's Landing Car Show

Written by Todd Howe | 04 August 2010

About 20 CRMC members showed their cars at the Shad’s Landing Retirement Village in north Charlotte on Saturday, July 31. The weather was cool and overcast but the rain held off until the end of the show.

This is the second event that CRMC has supported Holiday Retirement, the company that operates Shad’s Landing, an independent living community for seniors. The facility operators were very welcoming to our show participants and provided lunch for everyone.

The judging was done by the residents of Shad’s Landing. Awards were given to the top three cars plus a fourth award for “most unique”. CRMC’s Jim Edwards took the second place trophy with his Grabber Orange 2008 Shelby GT-C with the other trophies being awarded to a ‘50 Ford and a ‘29 Model A.

EdwardsShadsLanding

The folks at Shad’s Landing really enjoyed the opportunity to see our cars and chat with all of us.

New photos from the event have been uploaded to the photo gallery.

Nominations are Open for 2011 Club Officers and Directors

Written by Todd Howe | 04 August 2010

Nominations for 2011 Officers and Directors are now being solicited and will be open through the October meeting. At the August Club meeting President Ray Michue selected Todd Howe to be Chairman of the Nominating Committee. Committee members are Glen Irish Sr. and James Clegg. If you have an interest in running for an elected position as a Club Officer or Director-at-Large please see a member of the Nominating Committee. The Committee will require a short biography and a photo of yourself for the website and newsletter.

Available elected positions include President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, MCA Regional Director, and five Directors-at-Large. The scope roles and responsibilities are detailed in the CRMC bylaws which can be accessed here.

Nominations should be forwarded to the Nominating Committee in advance of the October Club meeting, and additional nominations will be taken from the floor during the meeting. Nominations will close at the end of the October meeting and voting ballots will be mailed to all Individual and Joint members in good standing within one week following the October meeting. Ballots must be returned to the Nominating Committee for tally no later than the date designated on the ballot.

The results of the election will be annouced at the December Club meeting and the newly elected Officers and Directors will assume their roles January 1. If you have any questions or would like to submit a member for nomination send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or contact a Committee member by phone.

Performance Driving School Featured in Mustang Times

Written by Todd Howe | 04 August 2010

CRMC's 10th Annual Performance Driving School, held June 4-6, 2010, is featured in this month's issue of Mustang Times. The article, written by PDS chairman Jim Edwards, shares with the MCA membership our passion for putting on one of the best driving events around! Check it out. If you're not an MCA member, you're missing out on a great publication, plus a lot of other member benefits. Click here to join!

A Big Perk for MCA Members

Written by Don Stewart | 04 August 2010

Before I begin, I want to apologize for the redundancy if you already heard this at the July club meeting or read about it in Mustang Times. But it bears repeating because it’s big news and all CRMC members should be clued in. For those of you wondering what in the world I’m writing about, think top shelf perk from Mustang Club of America. In fact, of all the benefits accruing from MCA membership, I think this ranks at or near the top of the list. Can you say X-Plan?

That’s right, X-Plan! MCA has recently been granted partnership in the Ford Partner Recognition Pricing Plan, X-Plan for short. That means all MCA members can purchase Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles at X-Plan price. Volvo too, at least until the Zhejiang Geely Holding Group deal becomes final later this year.

If you’re in the market for a new Mustang or other Ford vehicle, you’ll want to jump on the X-Plan and save a chunk of money. But unless you qualify under a different Ford Plan or belong to another Recognition Group, you have to belong to MCA to do it.

Most everyone has heard of the X-Plan but if you’re like I was, you may not know many details. When I read in Mustang Times about the MCA partnership with Ford, I decided to dig a little deeper. First and foremost, I found that X-Plan is discount pricing calculated by Ford and posted in its own box on the dealer’s invoice. Secondly, it’s a no haggle price and the dealer will show it to you on the invoice. Another feature is that X-Plan documentation fees (doc fees) are limited to a maximum of $75. Not all dealers participate in X-Plan because it’s up to them whether they want to include it in their business model. Lucky for us, our corporate sponsor Keith Hawthorne Ford Lincoln Mercury is a participating dealership.

With that brief overview, let’s get down to a few specifics. An MCA member can register for the plan by going online to www.fordpartner.com where code MC405 can be entered. That action will take the member to a page where the plan is fully explained along with pricing examples and a place to sign up for documentation. If the MCA member registers, Ford will issue a PIN number and with the PIN in hand, the member can take his MCA membership card to a participating dealer where the card, the PIN, and the last four digits of his social security number become the ticket for accessing the X-Plan program. Let’s say the member is shopping for a Mustang. An example of pricing taken from the Ford Partner site shows that a 2011 Mustang V6 Premium Coupe with the MCA package (rapid spec 203A) would have an MSRP of $26,840 and an X-Plan price of $25,532. Both prices exclude tax, tags, title, and doc fees.

President's Message

Written by Ray Michue | 04 August 2010

It’s hard to believe that another month has passed. Many things have been going on with our club. With summer months come thoughts of vacation and getting away from the normal year’s activities. This is not the case with CRMC. It has been my experience over the years that when the temperature goes up, the activities get faster paced. ray_michue [320x200]

The car show season increases and the thoughts of our own show get more intense. Everyone needs to put September 25^th on their calendar for the show at Keith Hawthorne Ford Lincoln Mercury, if you haven’t already done so. As it stands now, this is shaping up to be one of our greatest shows ever. The committee members are working hard on ideas that are completely out of the box. The members who have volunteered have been meeting regularly on show preparation and it is all starting to fall into line. Don’t forget that this is our 30^th annual show and people have come to expect a quality show. This one will be no exception. Our new website is doing wonders creating interest from outside the club. The show is on the Mustang Times list and there is little or no competition in the area. Mark Young has come up with some major surprises for attendees; you’ll be amazed at some of the people who will be here to help mark our 30^th.

Mike and Marlene are working hard to put together another unforgettable Auto-Fair If you’re not on the list see them ASAP. Tickets will be mailed because they won’t be available until after our August meeting. We are committed to 50 cars and this is a great opportunity for members to renew old contacts as well as welcome new folks to our club.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the surprise at our July meeting when the preliminary figures came in from the Performance Driving School. That was phenomenal. Congratulations to Jim Edwards and his committee for another outstanding year of PDS. Like I said earlier, people have come to expect quality when CRMC does something and we have yet to prove them wrong.

Another successful function that CRMC touched with class and excellence is what is becoming known as, our annual Wine Run to the mountains, with a Sunday caravan on the Blue Ridge Parkway. The date for this is on our calendar. As a reminder it is the 1^st weekend in October. If you haven’t made reservations for this you need to contact Leah Gowan as soon as possible. I guarantee you don’t want to miss this function.

Along with the busy schedule, August is also the month for naming the nomination committee. The committee will be nominating officers to preside over this club for the next year. Nominations are made and closed in October (nominations from the floor will be accepted at the October meeting). This gives time for members to mail back ballots during November so that your new officers can be announced at the December meeting and Christmas party. Being an officer in this club is not exclusive to anyone. If you are interested in becoming an officer, please let the nominating committee know.

In closing, just remember parents, August 25^th is the first day of school and it’s really not that far off. See everyone on August 3^rd at Captain’s Galley for the next meeting Dinner 6:30 Meeting 7:30. Until then, try to stay cool and have a great summer.

Ray

Sign Up For The 2nd Annual CRMC Wine and Mountain Cruise

Written by Todd Howe | 11 May 2010

Leah Gowan is making the plans for CRMC's 2nd annual Wine and Mountain Cruise. This year's event will be held October 2-3. If you're interested in attending, sign up with Leah at the monthly meetings or send her an email at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . This event was a great time last year and is has already become a CRMC tradition to look forward to! If you enjoy touring Carolina vineyards and driving through the foothills of the Piedmont, then you can't miss this event!

Saturday morning the group will depart from the Burger King at exit 25 (I-77 and Hwy 73). Saturday's itinerary includes stops at two wineries followed by a group dinner. Sunday we will cruise the Blue Ridge Parkway.

We will be lodging again this year at the Alleghany Inn in Sparta. The room block is about half sold out and filling up quickly so contact Alleghany Inn at 336-372-2501 as soon as possible to reserve your room at the special rate. Provide them with the discount code "MUST10" to receive the special room rate of $62.95. The room block is first come first served so don't be left out!

The Search for a New Newsletter Editor

Written by Todd Howe | 04 August 2010

The Countdown Continues

Some very good interest has been generated from club members interested in potentially taking on the role of newsletter editor. With the countdown now at 12,918,000 seconds, give or take a few, I’m relieved to report that we may be able to end the countdown early and announce my replacement before year end.

It’s likely that we will split the current role’s responsibilities among two or three members which should make it easier for everyone involved. That said, if you are interested in helping out with either the newsletter or the website, I’m sure we can find a role to use your talents and your energy. If you have any ideas or would like more information about participating please call or email me.

logo1 Thank you for visiting ponytales.org, the official website of the Carolina Regional Mustang Club. We hope you enjoy our site and learning what CRMC is all about. We have a very active club with something for every interest.

Our Purpose is to preserve and promote all Ford Mustangs manufacturered from 1964 through the current model year; to aid in the restoration, preservation and enjoyment of these vehicles; to promote cooperation among similar Mustang organizations; and to increase communication and fellowship among those persons who share these interests through meetings, shows, special events and social activities.

Our Promise is to always make you feel welcome, to always respond promptly to the needs of our members, to encourage fun for all Mustang enthusiasts and encourage them to join CRMC and Mustang Club of America (MCA), and to always respect each other's views.

A promise is a promise... A Mustang is a Mustang!

In the Spring & Fall we are participate in Food Lion’s Auto-Fair. In summer, we have our annual Performance Driving School, and in the Fall we host our annual Mustang and All Ford Car Show. In addition, we participate in various events to support other clubs both locally and outside of our region. Every year we share some of the proceeds from these events to make donations to various organizations including St. Jude's Children's Hosptal, Habitat for Humanity and several other charities.

We meet on the first Tuesday of every month (check the event's calendar for time and location). The only requirement for membership is an interest in the Ford Mustang. We hope to see you at our next meeting or event, and if that’s not possible please continue to visit our site and enjoy the content provided by our members.