Founded: October 1989

In the fall of 1989, Gene Smith posted a note at the Shelby Club’s Show and on the bulletin board of the "Mustang Connection" store asking if anyone was interested in forming a Mustang Club in the Louisville Area. The response was exactly what he had hoped for and after responding to many phone calls, everyone met at All State Ford. A group of about 20 people attended our first gathering. Some of the Charter Members are still active in the club today. They are Gene and Linda Smith, Dale and Dodie Owens and Charlie and Debbie O’Neal. The club established its name and held its first official club meeting, inside Charlie O’Neal’s new garage. All State Ford offered a meeting room in the Museum at the dealership. At first the club planned weekend caravans to various attractions including attending local car shows, visiting state parks and attending MCA National Shows. Derby City Mustang Club became a MCA Charter member February 11, 1992. As a club we made great friends while attending Sunday cruises and eventually decided to host our own Saturday night cruise at Burger King on Taylorsville Rd. Through the years we held our Saturday night cruises at several locations before deciding on our current spot behind Rallys on Breckenridge Lane.

Later in 1998 Bill Collins Ford requested Derby City Mustang Club to host the Bill Collins Mustang All Ford Show. After that show Bill Collins was quite impressed with our club’s organization and professionalism that he extended an offer to sponsor our club in an effort to promote and stimulate Mustang sales. Derby City Mustang Club prides itself on family, fun and friends and what a better way to attract them than with our passion for Mustangs. As a coincidence in September 1998 we started our first Mustang and All Ford Show, held at General Butler State Park. The park offers all the amenities that make "September in the Park" a real show place. The Lodge is our host hotel; the Conference Hall provides facilities for our Welcome Bash, Saturday Night Banquet and Awards Ceremony. Last year we attracted over 200 hundred cars and thousands of spectators. We owe a large thanks to our major sponsor Bill Collins Ford. Our Car Show has enabled us to meet so many new Mustang enthusiasts from outside the Louisville Area prompting us to form an Associate membership for those out-of-towners that we have come to love. Our Road Captain schedules day trips to local attractions, restaurants, parades and car shows that keeps us active with our Mustangs.

Proceeds from the Derby City Mustang Club supports local charities such as the Salvation Army, Angel Tree, Kosair Charities, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Bill Collins Parkinson Fund and Police and Fireman Children's Fund. We hope that in a small part our donations make life better for the less fortunate.

We now have a membership of 190 families. Our dedication and experience has enabled us to take the show one step further and host the MCA National Mustang and all Fords show that takes place Memorial Day weekend, May 25, 26 and 27, 2007.