American Racing Legend Carroll Shelby Dead At 89

Legendary sports car racer and automaker Carroll Shelby passed away on Thursday night in Dallas, where he had been undergoing treatment for pneumonia. He was 89. Shelby is renowned for making the AC-based Shelby American Cobra and later the Mustang-based performance cars for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras, which he has done since 1965. His company, Shelby American Inc., founded in 1962, sells modified Ford vehicles, as well as performance parts. After service in World War II as a flight instructor, he launched into sports car racing and soon made his mark for the Cad-Allard, Aston Martin, and Maserati teams during the 1950s. Driving for Donald Healey, in a streamlined and supercharged Austin-Healey 100S, he set 16 U.S. and international speed records. Teamed with Roy Salvadori, and driving for Aston Martin, he won the 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans. Shelby drove in the Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race in a specially prepared Ferrari roadster, to a record run of 10:21.8 seconds on his way to victory in 1956. He was named Sports Illustrated's driver of the year in both 1956 and '57. Shelby was a force in racing beyond sports cars, too, racing in eight Formula 1 grands prix in 1958-59, as well as several non-championship races. However, heart problems led him to curtail his driving career by 1960. Yet his legend continued to grow with his company's road and racecars. According to Shelby American, Inc., Shelby considered his greatest achievement to be the establishment of the Carroll Shelby Foundation. Created in 1992 while Shelby was waiting for a heart transplant, the charity is dedicated to providing medical assistance for those in need, including children. The Foundation also supports educational opportunities for young people through automotive and other training programs and benefits the Carroll Shelby Automotive Foundation. “Carroll formed a foundation to give something back to those who have not been as fortunate as him, in both medicine and education,” explained Carroll Shelby Foundation Board Member M. Neil Cummings. “The Foundation is well endowed to continue Carroll's vision.” Shelby remained active in the management of each of his companies and the Foundation until his death, even though he endured both heart and kidney transplants in the last two decades of his life. He is survived by his three children – Patrick, Michael and Sharon – his sister, Anne Shelby Ellison, six grandchildren, four great grandchildren and his wife Cleo.