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Las Vegas' 427 event has Shelby's stamp of approval

Discussion in 'Shelby News Forum' started by rshelby, Feb 27, 2009.

  1. rshelby

    rshelby ShelbyForums Admin Staff Member

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    Las Vegas' 427 event has Shelby's stamp of approval

    By Gary Graves, USA TODAY
    When you consider that Carroll Shelby's legend was built on giving street rods that stock-car muscle for the last 50 years, it seems logical that his name is attached to Sunday's NASCAR race in Las Vegas.

    But why did it take so long?

    "I never really wanted to before, because it's a lot of work," the Shelby Mustang Cobra architect said of the namesake Shelby 427 Sprint Cup Series event. "But this was different, because one of my best friends is (Speedway Motorsports Inc. chairman) Bruton Smith (who owns Las Vegas Motor Speedway). I've known him for over 50 years and have worked on other projects with him at the speedway and I build cars there, so it was natural to do this. I said, 'Let's go for it.' "

    The native Texan's iconic status among muscle-car enthusiasts and as a racer is such that the speedway added 18 laps to the race to equal 427 miles (actually 427.5 miles) in his honor. That number, synonymous with the 86-year-old and the 427-cubic-inch V-8 engine he began building for Ford in the 1960s, will be prominent this weekend with the track and Shelby's adjacent factory offering 427 limited-edition Shelby packages for GT500s and other high-performance Mustangs that boost output to between 750 and 800 horsepower (by comparison, a Sprint Cup car generates 850 horsepower).

    Ford is expected to unveil other high-end engines by the end of the year, and Shelby said plans are in the works to build a 1,000-horsepower model.

    Shelby's multimillion-dollar sponsorship of the race also ties in with Sin City's subculture of high-six-figure luxury cars. It's common to see Lamborghinis, Bentleys, Maseratis and Ferraris tooling down The Strip at any given moment, the latter of which can be found at Cup team owner Roger Penske's museum-like Ferrari-Maserati showroom in the Wynn Las Vegas hotel/casino.

    Shelby said he understands the perception that such extravagancies conflict with automotive industry woes and the economic downturn but said interest in his machines remains strong among car enthusiasts and those who simply want an escape. Speedway President Chris Powell added he wasn't about to turn down any race sponsorship in a down climate.

    "Despite challenges, Shelby continues to have a reach and he still has ties to the old Mustang," Powell said. "We were very fortunate to sit with him and put down a deal that's good for Shelby and the speedway, and it's a very effective marketing tool.

    "We also like the attention it has deservedly thrown on Carroll. Oh, the stories he can tell …"

    Shelby's favorite is how the 427 came to be. Originally designed for racing, its origin was a 390-cubic-inch engine he and other engineers took to Ford's Cleveland Engine plant in Ohio and bored out the cylinders to 427. Ford eventually put the engines in fastback Cobras and Mustangs, and a legend was born.

    He also had a hand in designing the V-10 Dodge Viper and lent his name to other Chrysler Corp. vehicles before returning to Ford and reinventing the Shelby Mustang for another generation. Shelby's eyesight limits him to daytime driving, and he said he occasionally takes one of his Super Snakes out on I-15 and "stands on it" for fun.

    This weekend, legions of fans will no doubt tell him how they've done the same in his cars.

    "People always ask me what's my favorite car, and I say, 'the next one I build,' " Shelby said. "I've been very lucky to do what I loved, and not many folks are fortunate to do that."

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  2. rsimkins

    rsimkins Well-Known Member

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    ?? Never heard of that one before. I always thought that the the 427 was a derivative of the 406 which in turn was developed from the 390. A little nakeoil perhaps?
     
  3. rshelby

    rshelby ShelbyForums Admin Staff Member

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    Kyle Busch wins the Shelby 427 race in Las Vegas.

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