Image: VaughnGittin.com

With Mustang celebrating a major milestone this week, what better way to commemorate the occasion than to ask a number of the drivers from Ford Racing to share their favorite Mustang memories? Well, that’s exactly what Ford did and then compiled all the answers into a list on their website. Check out some of our favorites below!

Carl Edwards’ NASCAR Ford Fusion. Image: Rusty Jarrett/ Racin’ Today

In total, Ford received Mustang memories from 15 drivers from all across the Ford Racing board. These drivers included Formula DRIFT’s Vaughn Gittin Jr.; members of NHRA’s Ford power family, Brittany, Courtney and John Force; NHRA Funny Car driver Robert Hight; No. 01 Telcel Ford EcoBoost Riley Chip Ganassi Racing IMSA driver Scott Pruett; and NASCAR greats Carl Edwards, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Joey Logano. Ford also got stories from Jamie Allison, Director of Ford Racing, and Henry Ford II’s son and heir to the Ford brand, Edsel B. Ford II.

For all of the Mustang memories these folks and more shared, be sure to check out Ford’s website (part 1 & part 2). But for a taste, check out some of best (we think) memories shared below.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s Nationwide Insurance Ford Fusion. Image: Ford Racing

“One of my favorite memories is obviously being able to win the two Nationwide Series championships in a Mustang. That was really cool and will be something that obviously I always remember because up to now it is my biggest accomplishment in racing. When I was growing up though, my Dad, he builds engines for a living and a friend of his had a Mustang Mach 1. I was young, about seven or eight, so I don’t remember the exact year of the car. I believe it was a 1969 though. He took me for a ride in it one day and we got sideways. We were staring right at the back of a big truck and right at the last second he turned it and we spun around the other way and kept going. That was so much fun. I loved it. That was probably when I fell in love with Mustang.” -Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Image: VaughnGittin.com

“My first Mustang memory goes back to around 1986 or 1987 when I was six or seven years old. My father was a wholesaler and he brought a 1970 Mach 1 home on his tow truck. He let me sit in the driver’s seat on the short trip to his shop. I remember standing on the seat and moving the wheel back and forth, making noises like I was driving it. It was the COOLEST thing ever at the time.”

“My dad was pretty awesome for letting me do that, you would probably go to jail today for letting your kid do that. I always reflect on that and wonder if that was the subconscious beginning to my love of the Ford Mustang.” -Vaughn Gittin Jr.

Image: Self.com

“My best Mustang memory is when I went with my dad to pick up his Mustang GT, and I was so excited because I am really into fast cars. He had been looking at the GTs for a long time and we really talked him into it because we thought it was such a cool car. The look of those cars was so awesome and we were so excited he was getting it as a birthday present. I remember being with him in the passenger seat when he drove it home from the dealership. We pulled up to the first stop light and I couldn’t believe it, but he stalled it at that light. He had one of the fastest Mustangs out there, but my dad of all people was one of the slowest drivers.” -Courtney Force