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Shelby Terlingua Racing Team Returns to the Spotlight


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Shelby Terlingua Racing Team returns to the spotlight

 

StangsUnleashed.com – July 18, 2007 – Shelby Automobiles, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc., and designer/artist Bill Neale are returning the legendary Terlingua Racing Team to the forefront of the grassroots racing community. The team will explore opportunities to develop products similar to the Shelby program in the mid 1960s.

 

“We were a bunch of young hot rodders when we formed the Shelby Terlingua Racing Team,” noted Carroll Shelby, Founder of Shelby Automobiles. “Most people think our group disappeared because we took our activities underground when my company stopped building GT350’s and GT500’s. Now that Shelby Autos is working with Ford again to build high performance cars, its time to put the Shelby Terlingua Racing Team back into the spotlight. We asked Bill Neale, who was a co-founder of the group, to help us create cars and products for serious young enthusiasts who want both fun and performance.”

 

An avid enthusiast, Bill Neale has competed in SCCA and other sanctioned races throughout his life. He was part of the Shelby “rat pack” that dominated the American performance scene in the 1960’s.

 

“We loved to race and raced to win,” said Neale. “And we’ve continued to quietly compete in events worldwide over the past four decades. Just look around at most motorsports events and you’ll spot Terlingua Racing Team logos. Through the years, new young members have been initiated into the group. Working with Shelby Automobiles, we’ll go public again to introduce a new generation of racers to this irreverent lifestyle with the cars and stuff they need to blaze their own path on the track.”

 

The Terlingua Racing Team’s roots began when Ford Motor Company asked Carroll Shelby to turn its Mustang into a race winner. His team created a competition version of the Shelby GT350 for that purpose.

 

About that time, Shelby and a few close friends including Bill Neale, Dave Witts, Tom Tierney and David E. Davis, Jr., were enjoying the Terlingua area of the Texas Rio Grande region. Thumbing their nose at the establishment, they lived hard and enjoyed life to its fullest between winning races. As a symbol of their lifestyle, Neale designed a logo that is black and yellow, with a rabbit holding his paw in the air.

 

Shelby said, “Some of the greatest racers in the world competed in Terlingua Shelby Mustangs. Ken Miles was the first to put the ‘prancing rabbit’ in the winner’s circle when he won the race at Green Valley Raceway in 1965. Then things really broke loose when he introduced Jerry Titus to the team.”

 

Titus became one of the most iconic Terlingua racers when he drove for the Shelby team in the 1967 Trans-Am series. He piloted the first “official” Terlingua Racing Team car.

 

According to Neale, “Jerry was a bit of a maverick and Shelby wanted his car to really show up on the grid, so we painted it ‘Gawdawful Yellow’ with a black hood. The combination of outrageous looks and serious performance in a car driven by such a cocky, talented driver made the team very popular. And it seems the Terlingua Racing Team is even more admired today by drag racers, drifters and road racers.”

 

Throughout the decades, drivers put Terlingua Racing Team badges on more and more cars; some were official Shelby entrants while many were not. When racing moved upscale and Shelby ceased building GT350’s in the early 1970s, Terlingua Racing Team drivers carried their anti-establishment attitude in competition piloting whatever vehicle they could put on the track.

 

“The Terlingua Racing Team symbolizes a time when racing was less structured and more pure,” noted Amy Boylan, President of Shelby Autos. “It was a poke at the seriousness of racing by some people who had the clout to make such a statement. It’s time to bring that attitude out of the shadows and give the next generation of racers their fair share of the fun.”

 

About Bill Neale

Bill Neale is a successful business owner, automotive fine artist and lifelong Shelby associate. A founding member of the prestigious Automotive Fine Arts Society, Neale’s paintings are the centerpiece of exclusive private and museum collections worldwide. A contributing artist for many national books and magazines, Neale also founded and managed advertising agency Point Communications. The owner of Racy Thangs and an avid racer, Neale has been involved with high performance cars and aircraft his entire life.

 

About Shelby Automobiles, Inc. and Carroll Shelby Licensing

Founded by legend Carroll Shelby, Shelby Automobiles, Inc., (www.shelbyautos.com) manufactures and markets performance vehicles and related products. Shelby Automobiles is a division of Carroll Shelby International, Inc. Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., also a wholly owned division, is the exclusive holder of Carroll Shelby's trademarks and vehicle design rights. It also holds trademark rights for Shelby-branded apparel, accessories and collectibles. For information, visit www.carrollshelbyinternational.com.

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Thanks Coldy,....excellent news brother! :D

 

 

wow Hotrod, you dont miss anything! lol and for the record Shelby has "all things terlingua" from now on....;)

 

 

Amy

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wow Hotrod, you dont miss anything! lol and for the record Shelby has "all things terlingua" from now on....;)

Amy

You can add me to the payroll at anytime now :hysterical: I'll run the MidWest Office for the sales & conversions shop & I'll promiss not to add VB stripes to my SS when your gone & not looking ;)

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I'd like to have a little window sticker with that old logo on it logo on it.

 

Does anyone have a graphic of it?

 

 

Oh yeah....and I'll bring the chili! (for those who know) :happy feet:

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Shelby Terlingua Racing Team returns to the spotlight

 

StangsUnleashed.com – July 18, 2007 – Shelby Automobiles, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc., and designer/artist Bill Neale are returning the legendary Terlingua Racing Team to the forefront of the grassroots racing community. The team will explore opportunities to develop products similar to the Shelby program in the mid 1960s.

 

“We were a bunch of young hot rodders when we formed the Shelby Terlingua Racing Team,” noted Carroll Shelby, Founder of Shelby Automobiles. “Most people think our group disappeared because we took our activities underground when my company stopped building GT350’s and GT500’s. Now that Shelby Autos is working with Ford again to build high performance cars, its time to put the Shelby Terlingua Racing Team back into the spotlight. We asked Bill Neale, who was a co-founder of the group, to help us create cars and products for serious young enthusiasts who want both fun and performance.”

 

An avid enthusiast, Bill Neale has competed in SCCA and other sanctioned races throughout his life. He was part of the Shelby “rat pack” that dominated the American performance scene in the 1960’s.

 

“We loved to race and raced to win,” said Neale. “And we’ve continued to quietly compete in events worldwide over the past four decades. Just look around at most motorsports events and you’ll spot Terlingua Racing Team logos. Through the years, new young members have been initiated into the group. Working with Shelby Automobiles, we’ll go public again to introduce a new generation of racers to this irreverent lifestyle with the cars and stuff they need to blaze their own path on the track.”

 

The Terlingua Racing Team’s roots began when Ford Motor Company asked Carroll Shelby to turn its Mustang into a race winner. His team created a competition version of the Shelby GT350 for that purpose.

 

About that time, Shelby and a few close friends including Bill Neale, Dave Witts, Tom Tierney and David E. Davis, Jr., were enjoying the Terlingua area of the Texas Rio Grande region. Thumbing their nose at the establishment, they lived hard and enjoyed life to its fullest between winning races. As a symbol of their lifestyle, Neale designed a logo that is black and yellow, with a rabbit holding his paw in the air.

 

Shelby said, “Some of the greatest racers in the world competed in Terlingua Shelby Mustangs. Ken Miles was the first to put the ‘prancing rabbit’ in the winner’s circle when he won the race at Green Valley Raceway in 1965. Then things really broke loose when he introduced Jerry Titus to the team.”

 

Titus became one of the most iconic Terlingua racers when he drove for the Shelby team in the 1967 Trans-Am series. He piloted the first “official” Terlingua Racing Team car.

 

According to Neale, “Jerry was a bit of a maverick and Shelby wanted his car to really show up on the grid, so we painted it ‘Gawdawful Yellow’ with a black hood. The combination of outrageous looks and serious performance in a car driven by such a cocky, talented driver made the team very popular. And it seems the Terlingua Racing Team is even more admired today by drag racers, drifters and road racers.”

 

Throughout the decades, drivers put Terlingua Racing Team badges on more and more cars; some were official Shelby entrants while many were not. When racing moved upscale and Shelby ceased building GT350’s in the early 1970s, Terlingua Racing Team drivers carried their anti-establishment attitude in competition piloting whatever vehicle they could put on the track.

 

“The Terlingua Racing Team symbolizes a time when racing was less structured and more pure,” noted Amy Boylan, President of Shelby Autos. “It was a poke at the seriousness of racing by some people who had the clout to make such a statement. It’s time to bring that attitude out of the shadows and give the next generation of racers their fair share of the fun.”

 

About Bill Neale

Bill Neale is a successful business owner, automotive fine artist and lifelong Shelby associate. A founding member of the prestigious Automotive Fine Arts Society, Neale’s paintings are the centerpiece of exclusive private and museum collections worldwide. A contributing artist for many national books and magazines, Neale also founded and managed advertising agency Point Communications. The owner of Racy Thangs and an avid racer, Neale has been involved with high performance cars and aircraft his entire life.

 

About Shelby Automobiles, Inc. and Carroll Shelby Licensing

Founded by legend Carroll Shelby, Shelby Automobiles, Inc., (www.shelbyautos.com) manufactures and markets performance vehicles and related products. Shelby Automobiles is a division of Carroll Shelby International, Inc. Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., also a wholly owned division, is the exclusive holder of Carroll Shelby's trademarks and vehicle design rights. It also holds trademark rights for Shelby-branded apparel, accessories and collectibles. For information, visit www.carrollshelbyinternational.com.

 

Great find, Coldy!! thanks!!! Should be interesting to se what happens... Amy did drop a hint about 6 month ago on a "back burner" return-to-racing project, if you recall ;-)

 

Here's a few links that expand on the history of Terlingua/Shelby/TransAm, etc.:

Terlingua (check out each tab under the page title) ...and the longer story

 

Group-2 TransAm/GT350Rs Check out the tabs down the left side for a great summary of the TransAm history and the Evolution of the Ford/GM battle from 28s to Boss302 to Boss351s.

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ahhhhhhhhhhh come ON!..... :banghead::banghead::banghead:

 

I just ordered about $80 worth of stuff.... :doh:

 

So you're telling me none of that stuff is available?

 

Surely you can resurrect it.... PURDY PWEEAZZZZZZZZZ!!!!! :dreamy:

 

Heck, send me the stuff and I'll maintain it and do the sales.

 

 

 

(one hour later edit) OK....it's official....I'm pouting now!!!! :soapbox: :tequila: :ohsnap:

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I'll be there eating chili in November

 

I know...

 

You mean there are some people sober enough to eat?

 

We have a great time when we go down. I may head down there this year....

 

Don't know if I'm going to enter the Bayou Sam's Chili yet... Depends on how many Samaritas we have. :headspin:

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You mean there are some people sober enough to eat?

 

We have a great time when we go down. I may head down there this year....

 

Don't know if I'm going to enter the Bayou Sam's Chili yet... Depends on how many Samaritas we have. :headspin:

Hey, now! Let's watch our language here. :hysterical2:

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:rockon::banvictory: :elefant: :woohoo:

 

I got my order confirmation...and a free tshirt...

 

Heck I could almost drive over and pick them up (that is, if I was in the country) I just might next week for the fun of it, that is if it ever quits raining in the desert. :banghead::banghead:

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There is a whole new program being developed. New items, everything. That is why the old stuff has been stopped. They will be up again once we have the full plan finished.

 

 

Amy

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There is a whole new program being developed. New items, everything. That is why the old stuff has been stopped. They will be up again once we have the full plan finished.

Amy

 

So does that mean I can return mine for the new stuff when it's available? :happy feet:

 

:hysterical2:

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Well it went really fast on Ebay....

 

But I got all confused and ended up buying from myself :banghead::cry:

 

Actually Amy, if you have any stroke in the new TRT department, you should have them make the removable window decal like the S197ShelbyOA stickers are. Just in the yellow and clear.

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