After over a year of dealing with Ford Racing, two directors from renowned Ford enthusiast club have been awarded the rights of ownership of the Ford-founded Special Vehicle Team Owners Association (SVTOA).  Ken Eber and Rick Kopec, from the Shelby American Auto Club (SAAC), have founded their own enterprise, the Specialty Performance Vehicle Club LLC to handler operations of SVTOA as well as new ventures that the entities may encounter.

"High performance vehicles like those created and sold by the Ford Special Vehicle Team deserve a high performance owners club," said Eber, new head of Business Operations for the SVTOA. "Just as we have helped promote the passion for Shelby's cars all these years, we plan to put together the right group of people to help fuel the same kind of Ford passion for the thousands of enthusiasts who own SVT vehicles."

In the year 2000 Ford's SVT division spawned the SVT Owners Association with the motto, "Drive Safe and Have Fun," as a way to enhance the SVT ownership experience and foster the core values of Ford performance vehicles.  That in force, the SVT tangent was able to channel ideas and excitement through its network of regional chapters across the United States and Canada.  Opportunities were in abundance for members to get out and drive with other SVT vehicle owners during road trips and cruise nights.

The biggest difference between the SVTOA and other car clubs was that the Ford-sponsored On Track High Performance Driver Events flowed into open-track sessions guided by experienced instructors and all drivers (regardless of skill) were encouraged to participate and race.

The new SVTOA is "dedicated to the enjoyment, care and history of all SVT vehicles produced by Ford Motor Company."  The new operating directors of Specialty Performance Vehicle Clubs bring more than three decades of club experience to bear on enhancing the SVTOA and seek to include anyone with a divine passion for  high-performance Ford SVT vehicles – although ownership of Ford SVT or other Ford performance vehicles is NOT required to join.

"This is great news for Ford and SVT enthusiasts," said Mickey Matus, Ford Performance marketing manager. "We've worked out a way to keep the SVTOA operational – with the same name, mission and organizational structure that has served it so well since its inception – while also positioning it for continued growth so that it may become one of the largest auto enthusiast clubs of its kind in the world."

"With the all-new SVTOA now officially up-and-running in the hands of proven enthusiast leadership, Ford Motor Company – through Ford Racing – can now turn its attention to creating an even stronger bond with current and future Ford performance owners," Matus said. "Ford enthusiasts should look forward to the very first joint SAAC / SVTOA National Convention this July at Miller Motorsports Park in Utah. Ford Racing is planning a special relationship with events like this to bring additional value to membership in a Ford enthusiast car club."

As a limited-production Ford Mustang engineered and developed by SVT, the new 2007 Shelby GT500 qualifies for inclusion in the official registry of either club, so owners are encouraged to join the SVTOA by visiting www.SVTOA.com, or learn about membership in the Shelby American Automobile Club at www.SAAC.com.