Whenever Rick Moxley sees a classic Ford, he smiles, especially if he has company. Seeing one of these cars provides the Army veteran an opportunity to explain his love and devotion to anyone that will listen.
“The hobby started with me as a kid seeing the love my father and uncle had for the old Mercurys and Fords,” he said. “It brings me great joy to explain to anyone who is with me about these great cars.”
The Special Vehicle Team Owners Association member now shares his hobby with his wife, as they presently own two beautiful Fords—a 2003 SVT Cobra and a 2009 Shelby GT 500. The Cobra has a special 10th anniversary red and black interior and exterior with 8,000 miles on the engine. The vehicles have won numerous awards at the All-Ford Nationals car show, and are kept obsessively clean.
For his dedication, Pennzoil is honoring Moxley this weekend with the Pennzoil Platinum Prize at the All-Ford Nationals in Carlisle, PA. The prize honors auto enthusiasts nationwide who have made the ultimate commitment to keeping their most prized possession running strong with a clean and responsive engine. Moxley will also receive a lifetime supply of Pennzoil Platinum motor oil, and will be inducted into the Platinum Hall of Fame located at Pennzoil.com
For Moxley, going to car shows is an integral part of his life. When Moxley was in his late teens, he was at a local car show in Baltimore gushing about his hobby to woman named Gail, who did not really enjoy cars at the time. Now almost 40 years later, he and Gail are married with two children, and their dedication to cars has been nothing short of extraordinary.
“It’s funny, this past Mother’s Day, I asked my wife what she wanted to do, and she wanted to go to a drag race and car show event in our area,” he said. “Our entire family, children and grandchildren, spent the entire day at the event and we had a blast.”
Keeping his vehicles in pristine condition and going to car shows is not the only joy Rick and his wife get from their hobby. It has also allowed the Moxleys to help others.
“Our hobby has allowed us to raise money through benefit car shows organized by my wife that I helped out with for Petsmart and ALS charities,” he said.
Perhaps the toughest part of his dedication to cars was being away from them for so long while serving in the United States Army. In 1971, Moxley joined the Army and worked as a military police officer and soldier, serving all over the world, including Germany and Korea. He retired from the Army in 1992, allowing him to return to the family he adores and the cars he loves.
“It was very tough being away from the cars, and it was very tough being away from my family,” he said. “It’s good to be back.”
Moxley’s cars will be on display this weekend at the All-Ford Nationals , as he hopes his 2003 SVT Cobra and a 2009 Shelby GT 500 take home more hardware.