10 Ford-related Happenings You Don’t Want to Miss in 2019
Wonder what’s coming down the trail in the new year? Here’s the best of the best…
You already know how well 2018 has gone down in the history books as far as Ford is concerned. We even recapped the year for you on our fellow site, Ford Truck Enthusiasts. But what about the year to come?
And now that we’ve covered the best of 2018, it’s time to see what the new year has in store for Ford truck fans. F-150 Online has researched and compiled a list of the best Ford truck-related events that are sure to make 2019 a very memorable year. Open up your Google Calendar and add these awesome events to your calendar so you don’t miss a thing in 2019!
The Full Reveal of the 2020 Bronco
The Ranger is already rolling into U.S. showrooms after years of exploring the world. But that’s nothing compared to resurrecting a nameplate from the great beyond. The 2020 Bronco has been teased to death, so we all can’t wait to finally see the real deal. As for when, see below.
New Explorer, F-150 Will Debut Before the 2020 Bronco
According to Off-Road.com, the current plan for new model introductions goes like this: the 2020 Explorer, then an all-new F-150, and then the 2020 Bronco. The new Explorer is expected to bow at the 2019 Detroit Auto Show in January, while the new F-150 could show up as soon as the State Fair of Texas in late September through mid-October 2019. Which means the 2020 Bronco could actually be revealed in 2020. Let’s hope we don’t have to wait that long, though.
Possible Baby Bronco Full Reveal
At the same time we’ve been tracking the news of the 2020 Bronco, Ford announced there would be a small crossover/SUV slotted underneath the revived off-road Mustang. The baby Bronco was first shown to dealers (and leaked to the Internet) at Ford’s national dealers meeting in Las Vegas back in November 2018. According to Motor1, the baby Bronco could arrive as early as 2019. If it shows up in Detroit, we’ll be there to cover it.
The 51st Running of the Mint 400
Speaking of Fords and Vegas, the desert surrounding Sin City will roar to life with the sound of F-150 Raptors (and other, lesser trucks) for the 51st edition of “The Great American Off-Road Race,” the Mint 400, which jumps into Las Vegas March 6-10.
2019 Carlisle Truck Nationals
Prefer more static displays of Ford truck goodness? The 2019 Carlisle Truck Nationals should be on your social calendar, where there will be tons of trucks as far as the eye can see, plus a midway featuring our favorite truck maker (and some other ones, of course). The festivities run August 2-4 in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
Ford Trucks Only at Fall Ford Festival
Don’t want any Chevys or Dodges ruining your day? Bronco Driver Magazine has your festival, the Fall Ford Festival in Townsend, Tennessee. The 2019 edition will be the fifth annual gathering of all things Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln, which means plenty of cool trucks to check out in the Smoky Mountains. The date is to be determined, but the Fall Ford Festival has been held in September every year since the first in 2015.
Eighth Annual Galpin Car Show
For seven editions, the world’s No. 1 Ford dealership by sales volume, Galpin Ford, has thrown a big block party and car show rolled into one festive occasion, the Galpin Car Show. We expect no different for 2019, of course, especially if Ford itself decides to drop the Bronco and its baby brother on the world at the gathering.
Ford Performance Raptor Assault 2019
Got anything planned between March and November 2019? Do you happen to own a 2018 or 2019 F-150 Raptor? Then Ford Performance’s Raptor Assault is for you. Instructors from the Ford Performance Racing School will help you get the most out of your Raptor “in controlled off-road environments.” And the best part? It’s free to 2018-19 Raptor owners.
Gettin’ Dirty at the Eldora Dirt Derby
NASCAR’s Gander Outdoors Truck Series is the only national touring series to feature a dirt track on the schedule, specifically the Eldora Dirt Derby at Eldora Speedway in Rossberg, Ohio. The dirt-slingin’ begins with five qualifiers plus a “Last Chance” qualifier to create a field of 29 trucks, followed by the 150-lap feature itself. Driver Chase Briscoe brought home the win for Ford in 2018, its first feature win ever on the half-mile dirt oval since the race joined the schedule in 2013. The 2019 running of the Eldora Dirt Derby is set for August 1.
Meet the New Fords at the 2019 State Fair of Texas
With manufacturers skipping industry trade shows for different venues to show off their latest and greatest with the most attention on them, you can’t beat a state fair as the best place to debut a new truck or two. And if it’s the State Fair of Texas, you’ll definitely have the attention of every truck buyer around the Lone Star State. Ford (and other truck makers) will have their new 2020 lineup at the 2019 edition of the fair September 28 through October 20, which, as mentioned earlier, may include a brand-new F-150 (but no Bronco, alas).
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