After nearly six decades of carving through Texas backroads, Black Betty heads to Mecum Oct. 24 no reserve and no fees, with all proceeds benefiting Americans for Ibogaine (AFI).
FORT WORTH, TX / ACCESS Newswire / October 10, 2026 / Meet Black Betty, a 1968 Mustang. She is not a restored garage queen; she is a survivor, recently updated into a daily driver. She has spent her entire life in the great state of Texas, making amazing memories for those who have driven her.
On October 24, Black Betty will add a new chapter to her story when she crosses the Mecum auction block at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth (Lot N403).
She crosses the Mecum block at high noon with no reserve and no fees. 100% of all proceeds will go to Americans for Ibogaine (AFI) so that it can continue working to help bring the medicine of ibogaine mainstream.
AFI Chairman and former Texas Governor Rick Perry, a lifelong muscle-car enthusiast with a particular affection for Black Betty, sees October 24 as something much bigger:
"It's about the lives that are in jeopardy, and we literally have the way to save their lives, to heal them. That's the powerful message of what Americans for Ibogaine is all about."
- AFI Chairman and former Texas Governor Rick Perry
AFI's work has drawn national attention and gained millions of views on The Joe Rogan Experience, Theo Von's podcast, This Past Weekend, the Netflix documentary In Waves and War, and Fox Nation's Ibogaine: The Fight of a Lifetime.
Black Betty is the first time AFI has rolled onto a collector-car auction block, and AFI believes she will be the first of many.
Black Betty's Full Spec
Click to here to see her full spec.
How to Bid
Black Betty crosses the block at noon Saturday, Oct. 24, 2026, during Mecum Dallas/Fort Worth (Oct. 21-24) at Dickies Arena, 1911 Montgomery St., Fort Worth, Texas, as Lot N403. The sale is no reserve. Bidders can register to bid in person or online through Mecum's Bid From Anywhere platform at Mecum.com, and the auction streams live on Mecum.com. The Saturday auction will also be live on ESPN+. Supporters who are not bidding can give directly at AmericansForIbogaine.org and follow the car's road to the block on Instagram at @afiblackbetty.
About Americans for Ibogaine
Americans for Ibogaine (AFI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit advancing responsible medical access to ibogaine for addiction, traumatic brain injury and co-occurring mental health conditions. Co-founded by former Texas Gov. Rick Perry and W. Bryan Hubbard, AFI works across three fronts: advancing state legislation that funds ibogaine research, driving the federal rescheduling pathway with the FDA and HHS, and building international partnerships in research and cultural preservation. AFI was the leading advocate behind Texas Senate Bill 2308, which created the largest state-funded ibogaine research initiative in U.S. history, and convenes the annual American Ibogaine Meeting. Its board includes retired Navy SEAL and Lone Survivor author Marcus Luttrell and Melanie Luttrell.
Learn more at AmericansForIbogaine.org.
Media Contact
Christin Slough
christin@americansforibogaine.org
High-resolution photography of Black Betty, b-roll, and interviews with Gov. Perry, Bryan Hubbard, the donor and AFI ambassadors are available on request. Gov. Perry is expected to attend on auction day.
Before Auction Day Media.
Black Betty is available for photos, videos and media tours before the auction.
Please contact for further details.
SOURCE: Americans for Ibogaine
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/black-betty-rides-for-americans-for-ibogaine-a-1968-mustang-survivor-1235439
