- Spirit of Competition panel to feature Bob Bondurant, Adam Carolla, Allen Grant, John Morton and Gary Patterson
- Topics to include the 1965 World Championship, Le Mans and racing today
- The Ford GT40 piloted to victory by Mario Andretti and Bruce McLaren in 67 on display
- Segment from the upcoming GT40 documentary THE 24 HOUR WAR to be debuted
GARDENA, CA - Carroll Shelby International and the Carroll Shelby Foundation will host an exclusive Spirit of Competition discussion panel at noon on Sat., May 21, with motorsports celebrities Bob Bondurant, Adam Carolla, Allen Grant, John Morton and Gary Patterson during the fourth annual Carroll Shelby Tribute and Car Show. An exclusive clip from an upcoming racing documentary will be shown during the panel inside the Gardena, California, corporate headquarters.
The spirit of competition has always been a critical part of the Shelby culture, beginning with Carrolls dominating career as a driver, said Joe Conway, Co-CEO of Carroll Shelby International, CEO of Shelby American, Co-Trustee of the Carroll Hall Shelby Trust and Board member of the Carroll Shelby Foundation. This will be a great opportunity for the public to hear legendary personalities to regale them with tales and personal insights into racing.
The panel which will also honor Ford Motor Company's return to Le Mans 50 years after the Shelby American team won the race in a Ford GT40 with one of the 1967 factory team cars.
We worked closely with the Larry H. Miller Total Performance Museum and Reliable Transport to arrange the display of the Ford GT40 that Mario Andretti and Bruce McLaren drove to victory at Sebring in 1967, said Neil Cummings, Co-CEO of Carroll Shelby International, CEO of Carroll Shelby Licensing, Co-Trustee of the Carroll Hall Shelby Trust and Board member of the Carroll Shelby Foundation. A few months later, Shelby American fielded several Ford GT40s at Le Mans. Shelby won the race again for a second consecutive year, this time with Dan Gurney and AJ Foyt driving the first place GT40.
During the panel, speakers will examine the past, present and future of racing, including the Shelby legacy. The battles with Ferrari at Le Mans will be a focal point for factory Shelby drivers Allen Grant, Bob Bondurant and John Morton, along with Shelby American test driver Gary Patterson and famed comedian and actor Adam Carolla. His production company will debut a segment from the upcoming GT40 documentary THE 24 HOUR WAR.
In the early 1960's, Henry Ford II and Enzo Ferrari went to war on the battlefield of Le Mans and tested the limits of international racing, said Adam Carolla. While this epic battle saw drivers lose their lives and the near collapse of family dynasties, it also set the bar for future competitive racers and paved the way for racing developments like the Ford GT40 race car that would go on to racing history.
During this exclusive event, attendees will find plenty of full-throttle excitement including an opportunity to see some of the rarest Shelby and Ford cars from the past five decades. Shelby American will display its latest lineup of vehicles including all-new Shelby Terlingua and Shelby Super Snake. Carroll Shelby's Store will offer its latest line of merchandise for Shelby enthusiasts.
Panel members will be available after the discussion for photos, autographs and media interviews. To learn more about the Spirit of Competition discussion panel or the Carroll Shelby Foundation, please visit http://carrollshelbytribute.com/index.asp.
About The Carroll Shelby Foundation
The Carroll Shelby Foundation was created by legendary racer and automotive manufacturer Carroll Shelby. Headquartered in Gardena, Calif., the Foundation is dedicated to providing medical assistance for those in need, including children, educational opportunities for young people through automotive and other training programs and benefitting the Shelby Automotive Museum. For more information, visit www.shelby.com.
About Shelby American, Inc. and Carroll Shelby Licensing
Shelby American (www.shelby.com), a subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International, Inc., manufactures high performance vehicles created by automotive entrepreneur Carroll Shelby. The company is involved in vehicle manufacturing, design and engineering projects under a license agreement with Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc.
Carroll Shelby founded his licensing company in 1988 and Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc., is the exclusive holder of Shelby's trademarks and vehicle design rights for all automotive products, which include some of the world's most famous muscle cars and high- performance vehicles, including the car that brought home to the U.S. its first and only FIA World Manufacturers Championship in 1965, the famous Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe. It also licenses Shelby-branded apparel, accessories and collectibles for all things automotive. For additional information, call (310) 914-1843, fax (310) 538-8189, wri