Let's get together

[Accufab Racing]

Have you ever considered having a National Marauder get together next season? I am involved with the Fun Ford Weekend drag race and car show series (12 events) held all over the country. The 2003 schedule and locations are listed on www.funfordevents.com. We just put on a race/show in Dallas and invited the International Bullitt Mustang Owners Club to come on out and play. We had 52 Bullitts on display in their own area in the pits. Big fun. They took a parade lap in front of the fans and everybody had a good time. 2003 is the 100th aniversary of FoMoCo and maybe we could find a site (or 2 or 3) and have some kind of Marauder thing (old and new). I'll work with the promotor of the FFW series if some of you guys/gals wants to put something together from this end. Time to party?

[Logan]

I'd certainly be willing in helping to head something like this up. FFW Ennis is always a great event to do stuff like this at. Get in touch with me offline at logan@mercurymarauder.net

Seeing as how I'm here in DFW anyway, it'd be a cinch to get dealership support among other things...

[SHAGGY]

I think this is the best idea i have heard in a long time!! I will put the word in my L/M reps ear and see if we can get some kind of corporate support, be a good publicity shoot for them, and a lot of fun for us!

[03 Merc]

All,

I am also interested in events like that..let me know how I can help out...



Shaggy,

Since your on the inside of the dealership how do you advise we go about getting LM dealerships into events like this? Coming from a 01 Cobra I saw all the support SVTOA and Ford Motorsports generated, through the dealerships, for clubs, car shows and get togethers. I suspect LM dealers have had such a "different" customer base that they haven't been exposed to that aspect unless they are a multibrand dealer...

I have been trying to get my dealer, LM only, to sign up to attend the Southern Super Heavyweight Shootout 2 ( www.sshs2.com) and bring a Marauder for display. Now if you visit the website and look at the folks signed up I suspect you would want to be involved. Here are all these nice prospects we can convert from the "Darkside" (Impala SS), to Marauders... These are the target folks the car is being marketed to and are buying the Marauders based on some of the signature blocks on this site..!!! Yet I detect a "Oh, thats a drag race" attitude even though there is also a car show... Any advice would be appreciated... If I end up the only one attending, and answering MM questions all day, maybe I should do a lead list and sell it on e-bay..:D

[Accufab Racing]

It's like anything else. Dealers will become involved only when (and if) they can see the value. It will be up to us, the grass roots enthusiasts to sell the dealers on the idea. It's doable. I have some demographic info on the FFW program and I can share it with Logan. Sometimes we may get more interest from the L-M Regional or Zone offices. They represent many delers in their area. In fact, the Regional L-M office in the Washington DC area has already requested info from FFW for the race in Richmond, VA. I will be trying to get some enthusiasm from L-M HQ here in Irvine, CA, where I live. Maybe we can get something started. We have the time but we do need to at least start brainstorming about it. Individual Ford dealers have been participating with the FFW program for years. And finally, FoMoCo is very involved with the FFW series as the primary sponsor, at the highest levels. We have had major Ford executives at many of the events, including the managers of the Mustang Brand Team. the Focus Brand Team and also the Ford Truck Brand Team. Ford gives away several new Mustangs each year (4 are targerted for the 2003 season). A new Focus and Ford F-150 will be given away also at the end of the season. I'm trying to get some of the Merc managers pumped up on the program and will fill you in as things happen.

[modular46]

Keep in mind that you need to have a central location for the greatest participation.. Like St Louis or Kansas City. Or it will be a regional, not national, event. It is a great idea though.

[Accufab Racing]

The largest attendance for FFW events is at Norwalk Raceway Park in Norwalk, OH. Great facility, and we get a lot of Ford execs at that event. In 2002 we had 33,442 spectators and 1245 participants, drag race and car show combined. Norwalk is near Cleveland. Might be something to look at. The Cordova, IL facility is a little too small for a ton of cars. Cordova is near Moline (where?) and is next to the Mississippi river. And of course, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Gainesville all have big facilities too.

[SHAGGY]

Hey 03 Merc, i was able to talk to my Factory rep this morning about some factory support for a meeting like this, he thinks its a great idea and is going to do a little research for me and see what he can find out. He is only responsible for a portion of the Orlando region, but he will let me know what is available on a regoinal and/or national basis. Hopefully he will be able to send this up the chain and get some national support, but if you present the idea to a dealer in the area you decide to have it, he would be STUPID to not try and help out, lets face it-we're in the business of selling vehicles and this would be a great way to get the product out to our customers. Hopefully i will know something soon from my rep, and i'll let you guys know ASAP

[03 Merc]

Thanks Shaggy...let me know how I can help..

[cyclone03]

I'm in for Houston FFW early next year,then Dallas late next year.