Archives for November 2008

No doubt, its been a rough year across the board for most people in this country. Which is why Thanksgiving is such an important thing this year… to profess how truly thankful we are for what we DO have.

Every year, I’ve made it a point to write down what I am thankful for, and to revisit it later down the road. This used to be done on paper, but thanks to the blog world, I now have it online for all to see. So with that, here’s my 2008 Thanksgiving Offering:

• Health.
  You never realize how precious it is to you until something threatens it. Going through what I have in the last year and the ongoing struggles have really made me thankful for my health. I’m here today, for better or worse, for sicker or poor. That’s better than some were able to say.
• Learning to be Independent.
  I’ve always thought I was an independent person, but I realized that a lot of me depended on other people and what their feelings entailed. This year, through all ranges of emotions, I’ve learned to be independent. I’ve done for myself, I’ve made sacrifices, I’ve made mistakes, and I’ve learned from them. I feel I’ve carved out a piece of this world that belongs to me, not to anyone else. And with that comes the feeling that I will be okay…
• Friends: Old and New.
  I have had my best friend for almost 20 years now, and no matter how often or little we talk, she is still as much my BFF as she was sitting in class at Sterling Park back in 5th grade. We’ve gone through thick and thin, we’ve grown up, we’ve lost touch and reconnected, but above all, she is always there and knows that I am there for her likewise. I’m always grateful for the wisdom that my friends old and new empart on me, for the support through my tougher times, and for the unconditional love of friendship they bring. Whether they are my friends in real life, or online, they are appreciated in my life.
• Enjoying my Job.
  I’m very blessed to really enjoy the work I do, which is something that I learned to really appreciate after last year. We all must make a living, but doing something you enjoy versus something you hate can really define you. I’ve been working at this job for almost a year now, and I’ve learned a lot that will come in very useful as my career progresses.
• Hope and Optimism.
  When things get tough, its easy to be drug down into the despair and negativity. I believe things happen for a reason, and sometimes it isn’t always evident why. But even when things are not going how I wanted, I’m thankful that there is still hope and optimism kept alive. Looking towards the future, I’m ever hopeful and sure that things will improve, and that all the struggles will have paid off.
• Family & Loved Ones.
  I don’t get to see them as much anymore, but I am always thankful for my family and their support in my life. I wish I could be closer to them, but even with the distance, they are always in my heart. Distance has been something that has been difficult for me being seperated from the people I hold closest to my heart, but there’s never a moment that goes by that I’m not thinking of them. I read a beautiful quote today: “True Friendship continues to grow even over the longest distances…. the same is true with True Love.”
• Dreams.
  Its been hard to keep my racing dream alive sitting on the sidelines for the past 2 years, but I’ve grateful that all the work is starting to come together finally and that I might get the chance to turn dream into reality for the 2009 season.

From all of us at Horsepower & Heels, we wish you a Very Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you thankful for this holiday season?

While most of us were glued to our favorite news channels on November 4th, waiting for election results, the folks at Ford Racing were offering news of their own: forty years after the original Cobra Jet Mustang was released (in 1968), they were offering a new version of the classic car to NHRA sportsmen class racers during the 2009 season. Technically referred to as the Mustang FR500CJ, the 2008 Cobra Jet had its official debut as part of the 2008 SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Since the original version was introduced decades ago, the Mustang has been ever-present on the racing scene, earning a spot in history as an iconic pony car. The current version will easily follow in its predecessor’s tracks, as the vehicle is factory-built and NHRA-legal. In fact, it’s the first strip-ready, purpose-designed car Ford has offered since the 1968 Cobra Jet first saw the light of day.

In a statement to the press on November 4th, Brian Wolfe, director of Ford Racing Technology, said, “The Cobra Jet is one of the transformational vehicles for Ford Racing. The 2008 CJ will get us more involved with the sportsmen racers in drag racing. At this point there are a lot of little guys who are running Fords from the 60s, 70s and even a few from the 80s, but those cars aren’t necessarily relevant to what we are producing today.”

He continued, stating, “Those Ford racers are among the most loyal Ford supporters and customers we have. The CJ makes a statement for our company that even in times as tough as these we can introduce something as special as the Cobra Jet. As a guy who has tracked Ford history from the beginning and understands the significance of the CJ, this is by far the best factory drag car that we have produced.”

And Brian Wolfe should know. He is one of the pioneers in Mustang Drag Racing, a staple of the Pro 5.0 class that I currently compete in back in its original conception days. Living a dream with his appointment as Director of Ford Racing Technologies, Brian is doing a great job of reaching out to the most loyal of all the Ford following: its racers. *tangent* (I’ve owned and raced nothing but Blue Oval for the past 10 years myself! In fact, my 6.69 @ 207mph was done with a factory Ford engine block and Super Cobra Jet heads, a world record I believe!) */tangent*

Joining Ford Racing’s stable of championship-able, consumer oriented cars that already includes the Mustang FR500S, FR500C, and FR500GT, the 2008 Cobra Jet Mustang is race-ready from the moment of purchase, and will be available either from Ford dealers, or through the Ford Racing Performance Parts catalog.

Produced from the same platform as the base V6 Mustang, the 2008 Cobra Jet comes with a 5.4-liter, 400-horsepower supercharged engine mated to a standard six-speed transmission, though there is an optional automatic version. It ships with a drag race wheel & tire combination. NHRA-legal to 10-second ETs, the car weights about 3,300 pounds and features an NHRA Stock Eliminator-legal interior. The appearance of the vehicle is unique, but retains the usual Mustang neatness, and is offered with an optional 2008 Cobra Jet graphics kit to give a bit more oomph o its design.

With a price of $69,900 (high enough to make searching for insurance quotes a must for new owners), it should come as no surprise that every one of the initial 50 2008 models have already been promised to eager customers, but no worries: Ford Racing has promised that future versions of the Cobra Jet will roll off the assembly line in the future.

It seems clear that Ford is as eager for the 2008 Cobra Jet to be on the track as their customers are. As Wolfe said, “We’ve built a Mustang for drag racing that we’ve very proud of. We’re confident that this, like all Mustang race cars, will be competitive, and a value for those looking to enter a variety of sportsmen classes. We can’t wait to see the car in the hands of customers.”
Delivery of the first fifty 2008 Cobra Jet Mustangs is slated for the early part of 2009, and the car is expected to see its first competition at the 2009 WinterNationals in February, in Pomona, California.

Now, I’m just waiting for Ford to launch a FORCE edition Mustang.