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Was Shelby a pace car driver at any vintage racing events in the last few years?

Discussion in 'Shelby History and Miscellaneous Topics' started by bitzman, May 5, 2012.

  1. bitzman

    bitzman Well-Known Member

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    I found a picture of him in a Maserati birdcage at Laguna Monterey event, red car with Texaco decal
    It might have been in the '80s when maserati was the honored marque but he wasn't in a driver's uniform so I think he was just checking the seating position, etc.
    I earlier remember when Aston Martin was the honored marque seeing Roy Salvadori, his partner when they won at LeMans in '59, driving him around the track in a green Aston Martin, maybe the same one they won in but I don't think Shelby then drove it as well (maybe they only had a limited time for the honored marque parade). I think Salvadori continued to race occasionally in vintage racing long after Shelby retired from driving. I also remember at the Palm springs historic races produced by Rick Cole and marty Yocoobian, of Shelby going out in practice in a GT350 but I heard he didn't race because he thought too many drivers were over-eager to cause mayhem. That was the event when he had the first of his aluminum bodied continuation cars, but that didn't race.

    Back when he was the Chrysler spokesman on the Viper and they had the Viper as the Indy 500 pace car, Shelby took many journalists for rides in the car around the Brickyard (and the general that led the first gulf war), but I can't remember if he actually paced the race in it. I generally think it would be a good idea to put an age limit on when famous drivers should be asked to drive their old race car on the track-- I remember when Fangio was driving something at Laguna there was some problem he had; not the car and everyone was worried for a few minutes. But I guess every driver thinks he can still put the pedal to the metal like the good old days. Thank goodness at Air shows they don't ask WWII pilots to take up the P-51 and see if they can still fly it! I go to the Blackbird reunion at March AFB every year and I'd hate to see some pilot in his '60s asked to take a few loops around the base in an SR-71 Blackbird at 2000 mph!
     

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