The Creamer Family’s Fox Mustang Returned Home To Race

Nearly 30 years ago, Julie Creamer purchased a 1995 Mustang GT that had never seen rain or snow. She wanted to keep it that way for as long as she could, so she stored it over winter and wheeled around town in a 1989 Mustang she got from her friend’s father. It was in good shape and powered by a 5.0-liter engine backed by a five-speed transmission. She took care of the Fox Mustang with help from her husband and fellow Ford enthusiast, Greg Creamer, with whom she shares running horse wedding bands designed to resemble Ford’s iconic Mustang emblem.

I like having the 1989 Mustang back in our family. It means a lot, and we are all going to enjoy it. — Brayden Creamer

The Creamer family’s 1989 Mustang is still motivated by the same 5.0-liter engine that the factory installed. (Photo Credit: Mary Lendzion)

She opted for new exhaust, mufflers, and wheels, and eventually a paint job to transform it from its previous color to burgundy with, as she puts it, some sparkle.

Julie and Greg had fun cruising around in the 1989 Mustang and meeting other Mustang owners around their home in Indiana.

“I love a stick-shift, and there is nothing like the sound of a Fox Mustang,” said Julie. “They are unique, and I was always proud driving that car.”

Tough Sell

While it was a tough decision, Julie eventually sold the car to her brother-in-law when she and Greg, an NMRA Open Comp and Coyote Stock racer in his Mustang, decided to start a family. Soon after, they welcomed their son, Brayden, and daughter, Shelby.

For years, Brayden Creamer asked his mom about buying back the 1989 Mustang she sold years earlier, and he was happy when she did. (Photo Credit: Mary Lendzion)

Following in his parents’ footsteps, Brayden purchased a 1985 Mustang when he turned 17 five years ago, and began racing in NMRA Open Comp followed by Street Bandit 10.10. The car is equipped with a 408 Windsor, and runs high-9- and low-10-second passes in the quarter-mile with a bit of nitrous, and high 10s and low 11s without nitrous. He is in the process of enhancing the engine.

Even though he is fully focused on his 1985 Mustang, Brayden often asked his mother if she was ever going to buy her 1989 Mustang back from her brother-in-law, and in February of 2025, that happened when he decided to sell it.

The 1989 Mustang retained the same 5.0-liter engine, and the Creamers installed a new Ford fuel system, Flowmaster American Thunder exhaust, RAM Powergrip HD clutch, and a fresh set of Mickey Thompson slicks.

Back In Action

While they had planned to just drive it around town, Brayden, who was waiting for pistons for the engine in his 1985 Mustang GT, took the opportunity to race the 1989 Mustang at the Inaugural TorqStorm Superchargers Dust Off Drag Race presented by Horsepower Depot, which was May 9-10, 2025 at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan. He entered the Open Comp class.

The interior of the 1989 Mustang is largely stock, save for the aftermarket shift handle and ashtray switch panel. (Photo Credit: Mary Lendzion)

“I made my first pass in the 1989 Mustang at that race, and it was definitely different than my 1985 Mustang,” said Brayden, who flies Cirrus SR-20 single-engine and Piper PA-44 multi-engine airplanes, and just received certification to be a commercially rated pilot. “The 1989 Mustang does not have an anti-roll bar, so there was some chassis twist on the launch, but we got it figured out. I ran a best of 12.53 in the car, and I went three rounds of eliminations on the first day, and I lost in the first round of eliminations on the second day with a -.005 red light. It was extremely fun. I loved driving with the five-speed.”

While Brayden will continue to drive his mother’s 1989 Mustang in index and Open Comp at local events, he plans to race his 1985 Mustang in Street Bandit 10.10 at the Holley Ford Festival, Sept. 26-27 at Beech Bend Raceway Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

“I like having the 1989 Mustang back in our family,” said Brayden. “It means a lot, and we are all going to enjoy it.”