Weekends in mid-October aren't supposed to be cold in southern Virginia, but that was the case at this year's Super Stang Fest, which was held at Virginia International Raceway, more commonly known as VIR. Even so, some hardy souls made it out to the fabled race track to enjoy the car show and on-track theatrics of some high horsepower Mustangs kicking up their heels.inline_mediumwraptextrightMM&FF associate editor Pete Epple laid the smack down as he blew past this Vette on one of the long straight ways at the 3.27 mile natural terrain road course at VIR.31410147/events/mmfp_1003_2009_super_stang_fest_virginia_international_racewaymmfp_1003_01+2009_super_stang_fest+virginia_international_raceway.jpgTrue

It's called the Super Bowl of Street-Legal Drag Racing and pits the best of the best in heads-up drag racing competition. Many know it as the NMRA against the NMCA, and there are huge bragging rights at stake.inline_mediumwraptextrightThe coveted Nitto Tire Diamond Tree ring was awarded to the winning team members. Nitto also presents a version of this ring to the class champions at the conclusion of the racing season.30959484/events/mmfp_0912_the_4th_annual_super_bowl_of_street_legal_drag_racingmmfp_0912_03_+super_bowl_of_street_legal_racing+nitto_tire_diamond_tree_ring.jpgTrue

Over the years, car clubs have become a fixture of the automotive community. With that wonderful thing we know as the Internet, it's easy to find like-minded enthusiasts who share the same fanatical views about the cars we love. Clubs can be based around things as general as a style of car, or as specific as make, model, or color. If you can drive it, rest assured, there's a club to represent it.

There is no debating the fact that spirited driving is not only exhilarating, but also just plain fun. Although it takes next to nothing to jump behind the wheel and speed around town or race up the highway, the truth is that it's just not safe for us or anyone else on the road. It's no secret that drag racing will always have a special place in the hearts of the MM&FF staff, but sometimes going straight just isn't enough.

Camaros, Challengers and Mustang pony cars are ready to set the stage for what's to come in the 2010 Koni Challenge season with cars that come straight from the dealer's showrooms with minimal performance modifications. Together, they bring back a lot of memories not seen since the golden age of Trans-Am racing.

There's no doubt you'll find a lot of drag racing tech and event coverage here on the pages of Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords magazine. Drag racing is the easiest and cheapest way for you to go fast in your Mustang or Ford-plain and simple. If you've found yourself bored with the straight, 1,320-foot speed test, and you want to explore the overall limits of your Mustang, then you need to bang some corners in addition to banging gears in a straight line. To accomplish this, you can visit your local autocross, or do something really fun like go to a road course racetrack.

The auto industry in this country and abroad faces serious financial hardship-that is no secret-but thankfully Mustang and Ford events are as popular as ever. To gather an in-depth look at the situation, MM&FF went to the heart of the matter, Detroit, Michigan (well, actually Milan, Michigan), for the sixth annual Aeromotive NMRA Ford Nationals, which includes the popular Tremec/MM&FF True Street challenge.

The second stop on the NMRA-Keystone Ford Series was historic Atco Raceway, located in the southern part of New Jersey. Some longtime Mustang enthusiasts hold Atco in high regard as the scene of some of the fiercest battles in the early years of the 5.0L movement.

Chris Kaufmann admits after decades of competition that the excitement of championship end-of-season points racing has a complete different character than normal week-to-week competition. With a championship on the line, you know you have to check every component twice even three times and most importantly race smart.

The automobile in Southern California is revered as a sacred item as the car culture carries a strong social standing. For those who drink Snapple, you might remember that one of the facts under the cap proclaims there are three times more automobiles in Los Angeles than there are people. Armed with that information, it's no surprise that nearly 2,000 Fords of all generations were at Knott's Berry Farm for its annual Fabulous Fords Forever car show.

On April 17, 1964, the automotive world changed and would never be the same. Flushing Meadows, New York was alive with activity as the World's Fair was getting underway.

• 150 Competition cars confirmed; hundreds more spectators expected at the July 19 show
• More than a dozen top Mustang performance brands to display their latest products
• Charity raffle for prizes valued at more than $4,000 in premium Mustang parts

Every spring, the NMRA rolls into Bradenton Motorsports Park in Bradenton, Florida, to kick off the new racing season. But this year, the NMRA and MM&FF had a special treat--the duo teamed up to bring back the illustrious Spring Break Shootout class and event moniker. The 8th Annual Nitto Tire Spring Nationals (including the SBS sponsored by Pro50.com, FRPP, and MM&FF) brought out Mustang racers from all over the country to shake off the winter cold and get back on the track.

Mustangs from all over the Sunshine State and beyond converged on the grounds of Steeda Autosports in Pompano Beach, Florida, for its annual customer appreciation event. Your Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords staff was on hand to take in the sights and sounds.

Once a year the bad boys of Outlaw-style drag racing come together for a winner-take-all, heads-up event at Raceway Park in Englishtown, New Jersey. It's known as Shakedown, and it's one of the hottest events in the Outlaw ranks. For 2008, the event stretched over two days and racers battled for cash, bragging rights, and the chance to set a record on the famous strip.

Daylight was waning as Johnny Lightning fired up his Kenne Bell-blown orange Lightning for one last shot at the Old Bridge Township Raceway Park quarter-mile. The track was sticky, the air was great, and he was ready to let it all hang out. After all, he couldn't let the Lightning be outdone by the venerable Terminator Cobra and the new darling child of the SVT camp, the GT500.

HOMESTEAD, Fla. (March 16, 2009) - Despite the perfect chamber of commerce weather, the No. 61 ROUSH/Valvoline Mustang team of Jack Roush Jr. and Hugh Plumb had a less than perfect day during the Grand-Am Fan Appreciation Weekend KONI Sports Car Challenge race yesterday at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

It's been said that you can always tell when you go south of the Mason-Dixon line. The people are more laid back, the food is some awesome down-home grub, and everywhere you turn, the Southern aristocracy that was in the region up to the beginning of the Civil War is all around. When the Fun Ford Weekend parade rolled into Bristol Dragway in scenic Bristol, Tennessee, the Southern hospitality was accented with some high-horsepower Ford racing.

February 11, 2009 will go down in history, not for the government bailout of the worst economic situation since the Great Depresssion, but because Ford Racing's latest entry in grassroots motorsports is atop of the NHRA Stock Eliminator world with its Cobra Jet Mustang--some 41 years after the initial Cobra Jet factory racer took home the win at the 1968 NHRA Winternationals at Pomona. Legendary chassis guru and owner of Cal-Tracs, John Calvert, drove a 2008 Cobra Jet Mustang into history.

As Edelbrock Hot Street competitor Charlie Booze fired up his Kuntz and Co.-powered '92 Mustang GT and rolled into the waterbox, you could cut the tension in the air with a knife. There were three cars left in the class at the final event of the year at Beech Bend Raceway in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Being less than 100 markers behind points leader Robbie Blankenship, Booze needed to get around Ben Mens to have a winner-take-all (for the championship) final round with Blankenship, who had the bye.

When the winter season rolls around in the northeast part of the United States, the dreaded strike by a nor'easter is always something to watch out for. Oftentimes it can sock everyone from Maine to Maryland in copious amounts of wind-driven snow and ice.

Like our political race for President of the United States, the state of Ohio is a major swing state that can make or break a championship NMRA season. It is the second to the last stop on the NMRA Ford Keystone Drag Racing tour and pressure begins to mount for the point's leaders of the eight heads-up and three open comp championship categories.

Summit Racing Motorsports Park was the site of the 18th Annual Fun Ford Buckeye State Nationals, and the near-perfect Ohio summer weather provided a tight track and a great atmosphere to sample some high-horsepower Ford iron.

With 2009 rapidly approaching, the MM&FF staff would like to wish everybody a safe and happy new year. For most of us, 2008 was exciting and trying at the same time. We enjoyed dozens of memorable moments, such as celebrating our 20th Anniversary with an amazing party during the NMRA event at Atco Raceway, attending the dozens of awesome Ford races and shows, and we had the opportunity to travel to Japan thanks to the folks at Nitto tires. Along the way we strengthened friendships and made many new ones.

Hundreds of journalists, photographers and other Mustang enthusiasts recently gathered at the renowned Barker Hanger at the Santa Monica, California airport and millions more watched on Speed Television as Ford officially unveiled the newly re-designed 2010 Mustang.