Mustang Monthly founder Larry Dobbs received the prestigious Lee Iacocca Award during a special presentation at the Mustang and Ford Round-Up at Silver Springs on January 12.
Created so car clubs and shows can acknowledge car enthusiasts and their “passion for maintaining an American tradition,” National Parts Depot president Rick Schmidt says he chose Larry for the award based on Iacocca’s goal of recognizing outstanding merit of an individual. “We’re seeking to recognize special people who have contributed greatly, not only to our hobby but to society as well,” Rick stated. “Larry fit those criteria.”
Larry founded Mustang Monthly in 1978 after quitting his job, then convincing a banker to give him a second mortgage on his home. Not only was it the first Mustang-only magazine, it was also the first successful niche automotive title, opening the door for other magazines about Mustangs, Corvettes, Mopars, and even Volkswagens.
The Lee Iacocca Award is presented by a number of clubs and car shows each year, including NPD’s Mustang and Ford Round-Up. Created in 2006, proceeds from the Lee Iacocca Award go to the Iacocca Foundation, which has provided over $23 million to fund diabetes research. A former president of Ford Motor Company who spearheaded the development of the Mustang in the early 1960s, Iacocca has dedicated his post-automotive life to finding a cure for diabetes. Iacocca’s wife, Mary, died from diabetes complications in 1983.
Photo caption: Larry Dobbs, center, with (from left to right) NPD president Rick Schmidt, Mustang Monthly editor Donald Farr, former tech editor Mark Houlahan, and former editor Jeff Ford.