The winning entry was sent in by United States Army Specialist Kory Chesher, a member of the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division serving in Iraq. Chesher, aged 22, now hopes he will be able to return in time to see the car unveiled.
“Kory’s story perfectly captures the passion and enthusiasm that Mustang has created for more than 40 years,” said Mustang brand manager Fritz Wilke. “We’re pleased to award him his first Mustang and hope it brings him many years of enjoyment.
Some of the other stories were astonishing in their frankness, and all of them revealed a tremendous depth of passion for the Ford Mustang - of which Ford has sold over 9 million units over the car's lifetime. Some even read like movie plots - one entrant wrote about how he had to sell his beloved 1970 Mustang Boss 302 to pay off his brother's gambling debt, but hoped to save enough to eventually get another one. Unfortunately, he broke his back a couple of years later and was no longer able to work to buy another Mustang.
Another entrant talked about the bond he created with his father while restoring a 1960's Mustang, a bond which was apparently so strong that he managed to purchase the original car that he and his father had restored over 30 years after it had been sold.
To read the other stories and check out the photos, head on over to the 2010 Mustang website. Transcribed below is Chesher’s winning story:
A Life Obsession
It started when I was about six years old. I was in the truck with my father and we were at a stoplight. Across the road at the other light was this “car.” It drew my attention away from everything else in the world. I asked my dad what it was and he simply said, “Oh, that’s a Mustang.”
I remember it like it was yesterday. I now know that it was a 1968 black Fastback. That was almost 20 years ago. Twenty years of love, addiction, obsession. Twenty years of longing and desire.
Now I’m a soldier in the United States Army deployed to Iraq. I spend my spare time tearing through Mustang magazines that my family and total strangers are kind-hearted enough to send to me. Every opportunity I get I’m online poring through forums and pictures; studying every little tidbit of knowledge I can get my hands on; meticulously memorizing seemingly insignificant trivia. Names, dates, specs, colors, paint codes, production numbers, costs, anything, everything.
A Mustang of my own wouldn’t quell this life I live – I would supercharge it. The only thing greater than a life loving Mustangs is a life with a Mustang. With a Mustang to call my own I could finally experience the pride and freedom that I’ve only been watching from afar. It will ignite a passion like nothing I have ever experienced. Mustangs are my one true love.
Reader Comments
Tue Oct 21 2008 10:09 PM
Gus says
I do love my Mustang, but not because it's a Mustang, I love it for where it takes me.
If I had tons of money I'd probably rather buy a CLK 63 AMG, so it's not that I'm a die-hard Ford guy, it's just that no one else makes a car like it for the price...
Tue Oct 21 2008 11:10 PM
Layne says
That's why used cars are so great Gus. You can get even nicer cars than Mustangs(no offense) for half the price or less, as long as you don't mind the lack of warranty.
But anyways...I was driving on I70 today and saw a half-disguised new Mustang. I got a few pics but unfortunately they don't really reveal anything new. Still it's always cool to see something like that. Still doesn't top the V8 Vantage I saw testing a few years back though. :P
Tue Nov 4 2008 11:13 AM
Gus says
No Layne, I've had used BMW's and Mercedes. And without fail, some of the electronic gadgetry or one of the 16 seat motors broke at some point, usually about 5 or 6 years into it's life.
The Mustang is simple, cheap and easy to repair, and is the only high powered, rear wheel drive 4 seat convertible on the market for anything even twice the price (besides the Camaro, and I never buy the first two years of a new model).
Until I can afford the luxury cars AND the repairs, I'll stick to inexpensive and fun...
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