Mustang Fans Converge on Maple Grove Raceway for AM2018
PAOLI, Pa. (June 28, 2018) – AmericanMuscle’s (AM’s) 10th Annual Mustang show (AM2018) at Maple Grove Raceway (MGR) in Mohnton, Pennsylvania was a testament to how far the shows have come. From the first one with 50 Mustangs in the office parking lot to, ten years later, over 2,300 Mustangs and well over 8K people in attendance at MGR; AM2018 has proven to be one of the most successful Mustang shows in the entire country. Mustangs from as far north as Ontario, Canada to the southern Florida panhandle were present at the charity event, with a total amount of$364,000 donated to Make-A-Wish® (MAW) which includes previous AM shows and Turn5 donations over the years.
Unlike previous year’s shows scheduled in August, AM decided to move the show date up to June, to spare everyone from the sweltering late-summer heat. With the sun blazing and not a cloud in the sky, this year’s show was hotter than ever,and we’re not just talking about the temperature. Lines of shining steeds started forming at the gate as the sun rose over Brecknock Township early Saturday morning. Vehicles representing every Mustang generation, as well as select generations of the Mercury Capri, were present with 21 Trophies awarded by the show’s end. The AM staff present at the event volunteered their time to make sure the show ran smoothly and on schedule;there was even a special appearance from the Philadelphia Eagles’defensive tackle, Fletcher Cox.
The most-popular manufacturers in the Mustang aftermarket parts niche had tents scattered throughout the raceway grounds,including companies like: Pypes, BBK, Kooks, Mishimoto, Anderson Composites, VMP and more.Mustang owners were able to purchase new parts, with a large portion of attendees taking advantage of the event’s discounts. Corsa setup shop,and as in previous years, installed their exhausts in exchange for charitable donations to MAW.
There were plenty of activities that kept attendees occupied and drew large crowds of onlookers. A revving competition,sponsored by Flowmaster,provided an eardrum-shattering soundtrack,with several of the loudest Mustangs “letting it rip” for the chance to take home a trophy. Travis Fulton and his Race Red 2017 GTwon the prize for having the loudest ‘Stangat the show. The Rev-X dyno competition showcased a variety of high-horsepower ponies with the winner, Matt Marsen and his ’03 Terminator twin-turbo, putting down only 950WHP at the event due to clutch issues. The McLeod burnout competition brought together several entrants, duking it out for the best smoke show with one Fox body, owned by Alex Giroux, spewing clouds of orange smoke for the win.The exhibition drag races, sponsored by VMP tuning, put on an awesome show with everything from a lifted short-bus to jet-propelled dragsters.
AM2018 wasn’t just an annual gathering of enthusiasts for America’s favorite pony car—its primary focus was raising funds for the Make-A-Wish®Foundation. This year, AM and all parties involved, helped to raise$117,068 for MAW. To coincide with the MAW theme, AmericanMuscle’s sister store, Extreme Terrain, invited their latest wish grantee, a young man named Earl, and his fully-restored and upgraded TJ Wrangler to AM2018, allowing him to select his favorite Mustang as a judge for his own class. AM judges also selected their favorite Mustang and runner-up for each generational class as follows:
- Best In Show: Melissa Aungst
- Make-A-Wish® Pick: Brian O’Conner
- S550 (2015+): Charles Venezia
- S197 (’10-’14): Bobby Cappicchion
- S197 (’05-’09): Ted Zeveney
- New Edge (’99-’04): Austin Shenberger
- SN95 (’94-’98): Ryan Duncan
- FoxBody (’79-’93): CJ Nollor
- Classic (Pre-1979): Mark Myers
AM2018 concluded after the final awards were given out, but the memories will last for years to come. Mustangs of every style, specialty and generation inhabited the show, while thousands of spectators strolled through the showgrounds in awe. AmericanMuscle would like to thank everyone that attended this year’s show and made the 10th AM show a milestone to remember.
About AmericanMuscle
Starting out in 2003, AmericanMuscle quickly rose to be one of the leading aftermarket Mustang parts providers in the business. With the addition of Challenger in 2018, AmericanMuscle provides the most sought-after parts, accessories, and fast shipping. Located just outside of Philadelphia, AmericanMuscle is dedicated to offering the Mustang and Challenger communities with the highest level of customer service. Please visit http://www.AmericanMuscle.com for more information.
