Automotive Icon Carroll Shelby Dies at 89

Last Friday morning I learned of the passing of Carroll Shelby. I immediately posted the news to our Factory Five Forums and community. For the first time in a long long time I was without words.

While I have fought Carroll for years, with all my effort in court over the shape of the Cobra, it was never personal and that fight is small compared to the human reality of his death. Bottom line is that after all the battles, I am left with only feelings of sadness and loss. Carroll Shelby and his amazingly talented team wrote perhaps the last great epic of American roadracing, and everything we do here at Factory Five started with what he did back then.

I hope Carroll died peacefully surrounded by his family and friends. On behalf of everyone here at Factory Five Racing, I extend our deepest sympathies to his family.

Thanks for the great ride Carroll.

Dave Smith
President

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