Ford Motor Company to Help Shelby Autos Return to Racing with Road America Team

[rshelby]

Ford Motor Company to Help Shelby Autos Return to Racing with Road America Team

• Ford's sponsorship of the 2008 Kohler International Challenge made it possible for the Shelby Automobiles Racing Team to return.
  
• The team will be assembled under the direction of Carroll Shelby and is the foundation for a new racing program.
  
• This is the first time since 1969 that an official Shelby factory racing team will be fielded.
  
• Shelby Automobiles continues to manufacture authentic Cobras.

DEARBORN, Mich.
Thanks to Ford Motor Company's sponsorship of the 2008 Kohler
International Challenge with Brian Redman at Road America, an official
factory racing team from Shelby Automobiles, a wholly owned subsidiary
of Carroll Shelby International Inc., (Pink Sheets:CSBI) will once
again roar onto the track. Four authentic Shelby 427 Cobras will
compete in the races in Elkhart Lake, Wisc., beginning July 17 through
20, 2008. This is the first factory race initiative from Shelby Autos
and Ford Motor Company since 1969.

"Ford and Shelby made racing history once, so it's very exciting
to come full circle again," said Carroll Shelby. "Now we're going to
make history again together. My goal is to return us to professional
racing and this is just the beginning."

The Kohler International Challenge with Brian Redman is one of the
largest vintage gatherings in the USA with over 30 classes of cars in
ten groups. Sanctioned by the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association,
the event features vintage race cars competing on Road America, the
world's fastest permanent road course. Tom Barnard, Vincent Dean, AC
and Tim Korzen will pilot four CSX4000 427 Cobras in Group 10.

"The partnership between Ford and Shelby put the blue oval in the
winners circle in everything from SCCA races to LeMans," said Robert
Parker, manager of Ford Car Marketing. "We're proud to sponsor the
Shelby team for the Road America Races and look forward to
participating side by side with our fans and consumers."

Shelby cars dominated the racing scene during the 1960's through
its own efforts or factory support of private teams. The 289 and 427
Cobras won road racing and drag racing championships worldwide while
Ford Shelby Mustangs trounced sedan teams under the Shelby banner.

"It was never a matter of if, but when Shelby would make it back
to the track," added Amy Boylan, president of Shelby Automobiles.
"Thanks to our relationship with Ford, we're evaluating all of our
options for a racing program. I look forward to bringing home
championships again."

Carroll Shelby, one of America's greatest race car drivers,
dominated sports car racing in the mid-1950s. His crowning achievement
as a driver came in 1959, when he won the 24 hours of Le Mans. Upon
retiring from racing, Shelby forged a relationship with Ford and
founded Shelby American to create the Cobra sports car. Today his
company, Shelby Automobiles, continues to build the Cobra as a
component vehicle in the 289 street car, FIA and 427 S/C models.

About Shelby Automobiles, Inc.

Founded by legend Carroll Shelby, Shelby Automobiles, Inc.,
manufactures and markets performance vehicles and related products.
The company manufactures authentic continuation Cobras, including the
427 S/C, 289 FIA and 289 street car component vehicles. The company
partnered with Ford Motor Company to launch the new Shelby GT500,
Shelby GT and Shelby GT500KR, which are based on the Mustang. For more
information about Shelby Automobiles and to see the build of a 2008
Ford Shelby GT500KR, visit www.shelbyautos.com.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in
Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200
markets across six continents. With more than 280,000 employees and
more than 100 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated
automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury,
Volvo, Aston Martin and Mazda. The company provides financial services
through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding
Ford's products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.

Shelby Automobiles, Inc.
Scott Black, 214-520-3430
sblack@tprm-usa.com
or
Ford Motor Company
Alan Hall, 313-594-3744
ahall32@ford.com

[DeLa1Rob]

How did the team do in their first outing?

robin

[computerworks]

Originally Posted by DeLa1Rob

How did the team do in their first outing?

robin

Group 10 is a no-points class...Group 10 is Post-Historic GT (1972-1997)

Team drivers Tom Barnard, Vincent Dean, A.C. Augustine and Tim Korzen piloted CSX4000 Challenge Cobras in Group 10.
Dean captured first place in group 10BP
Barnard won second place in group 10AP
Korzen was third in group 10BP
Augustine was sixth in group 10BP