The spirit of the Mustang is no better represented then by Rick McGraw and his girl Dixie, a 1965 Mustang GT350. McGraw has been on a 7,000 mile journey for the memory of a friend. McGraw and Dixie galloped into Jaskson, Mississippi on Tuesday hurt and injured but with the spirit of the Mustang to visit with Mr. Carey in the memory of a man they love.  Mr. Carey is the 82 year old father of Rick McGraw’s best friend Jimmy Bankston. McGraw and Bankston both shared a love for Mustangs and had met years prior in their youth in a road race that consisted of both their Mustangs. On this special day a lasting Mustang friendship began.

McGraw years later went on a search for his best friend Bankston after having lost contact with him. Sadly McGraw found after talking with Mr. Carey his friend had lost a battle with cancer thirteen years earlier. McGraw also learned that Mr. Cary was the owner of a 1966 Mustang Coupe that was sitting in his back yard rusting away and hardly ran. Mr. Carey refuses to part with the Mustang and keeps it as it reminds him of his son and the love his son had for this car.  

We previously told you about McGraws effort to restore his own Mustang project car and take Carey on a drive in memory of Jimmy. On Monday only 170 miles from Mr. Carey the journey almost ended due to a blown engine. McGraw not willing to give up was determined Mr. Carey would get his ride in a Mustang one way or another. So McGraw devised a plan. Part of the Mustangs Across America Herd continued on to Mr. Carey’s home to meet with him and give him the ride in a Mustang he was promised. McGraw not down for defeat stayed behind to arrange for a truck and trailer to take he and Dixie onward to Mr. Carey the following day to finish this journey and to share a Mustang moment with Mr. Carey in the memory of Jimmy Bankston.

On Tuesday McGraw and Dixie loaded up and headed out and by mid afternoon arrived in Jasckson, Mississippi. Mr. Carey believing at this point he would not see McGraw was extremely overwhelmed and surprised when McGraw and Dixie though injured came knocking at the door. As you can imagine tears were shared during these moments as the two men hugged, reminisced, and shared a Mustang moment in the memory of the man they loved, Jimmy Bankston. A journey with a purpose fulfilled through the Mustang Spirit.