Season Kickoff
Get ready for the first show of 2017 at Silver Springs next January
By Steve Turner
Do the winter doldrums make you sentimental for warmer days and car shows? If you live in Florida, there is no need to wait for spring to host a car show. For Ford fans one of the first major shows of the year is the annual Ford and Mustang Roundup put on by the enthusiasts at National Parts Depot for the past 22 years at Silver Springs State Park in Ocala, Florida.
“It’s a combination of our gift to the car hobby, while being a thank you to all the customers that have supported us for 40 years,” Derek Putnam, Product Manager at National Parts Depot, said. “We’ve done a ton of shows with strict judging standards, and this show is designed to get back to the idea of spending a day with fellow Ford enthusiasts enjoying our shared passion in a low pressure environment.”
That picturesque environment is part of what makes this show so special. Aside from the locale, it’s the way NPD runs the show to gear it make it enjoyable for both participants and spectators.
“Having the show at a state park provides a unique location to a typical parking lot/state fair ground show,” Derek explained. “Combined with a relaxed approach on classes (vehicles are classified based on model/design, with stock and modified examples of each being grouped together) and low entry fees, it’s typically mentioned as the show that kicks off the year for most Ford enthusiasts.”
Just like last year, the Roundup is a single-day Saturday show. However, on the Friday before the show, NPD also opens the doors to its vast museum filled with collectible Fords. The NPD crew also leads attendees on a scenic cruise from its facility to Cedar Key, Florida, and back. This cruise is free of charge and about 200 cars leave the NPD facility around 9:45 a.m. stop for lunch at the destination and cruise back.
Besides the cruise and the museum tour, our friends at VMP Performance will be on the property offering pulls on the company’s portable chassis dyno.
In all the Ford & Mustang Roundup has a lot to offer and the 2017 edition will take place on January 7, 2017. If you own a 1993-and-earlier Ford registration is free if you pre-register before January 1. For owners of 1994-and-newer Fords, the fee for the show is a reasonable $10.
“NPD just released our latest Mustang catalogs for 2017, including the addition of 1994-2004 Mustang parts to our 1979-93 Mustang catalog. NPD will have a bunch of new parts on display, as well as some new manufacturers on hand to show their latest offerings,” Derek added. “We expect to see 700-800 vehicles on the grounds, and every year brings an interesting mix of cars and trucks. Several magazine editors will be in attendance to cover the show and scouting for rides to feature, so expect to see some top-notch Fords.”
For more on what the show is like, check out our coverage from 2016 right here. It’s never too early to start planning, so for more info on next year’s show visit the official site here.
The 2017 NPD Ford & Mustang Roundup will kick next year’s show season off in style with a car show, cruise and more. The crew at VMP Performance will not only show their cars on Saturday, but they will offer Dynojet pulls on Friday.
Naturally NPD will be on the property handing out its catalogs, including its books dedicated to Fox and SN-95 Mustangs.
You will see all manner of Fords on the show field—from vintage ponies to modern Shelbys—and you might even see this writer prowling the aisles with a camera in hand.
