Fans know Carroll Shelby for his undying entrepreneurial passion and as a visionary of the automotive field. Alongside his buddy Ken Miles, the famous duo redefined the idea of car racing.
We are all aware of their winning records and milestones on the tracks. But, are you sure you know everything about America's revolutionary faces in the field of automotive? Binge on these ten facts about the duo and surprise yourself!
One of the lesser-known facts about the automaker designer is that he ran a chicken farm once upon a time. The striped coverall farm dress that Shelby wore later became a trademark.
Photo Credit: www.shelby.com
Shelby has been a part of the Army Air Corps since late 1941. He graduated as the second lieutenant from San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center in 1942. Some people claim that Carroll Shelby dropped love letters onto his girlfriend's farm from his plane.
Shelby fuelled his passion for the Mexican dish, ´Chilli´ by aiding a launch for the first World Chili cook-off. He also created a brand within the next two years named “Carroll Shelby Chili.”
Photo Credit: carrollshelbyschili.com
Shelby's entrepreneurial spirit didn't stop with chilli. He launched the “Pit-Stop” deodorant in 1967. He promoted the fragrance as the “real man's deodorant.” Racers embraced it, but the deodorant is fit for non-race drivers too!
Shelby has dreamed of having that "Cobra" image on the front of his vehicle for years. To achieve his dream, Shelby filed to copyright the image. After winning the copyright claims in court, Shelby sold the logo to Ford for a mere $1.
Photo Credit: in.pinterest.com
Ken Miles loved motorbikes from quite a young age. At the age of 15, he suffered a brutal crash. Despite the unfortunate event, he spent his efforts creating an Austin 7 Special nicknamed "Nellie."
Miles was an apprentice at Wolseley Motors. However, he served as the tank commander during the war. His military career was marked by D-day landings. What's more, he was the Bergen-Belgian concentration camp's first British soldier.
Photo Credit: en.wikipedia.org
Miles was the sole brains and creator behind “The Flying Shingle,” a modified MG. He competed at Palm Springs with James Dean in Porsche 356 Speedster as a racer. And yes, Miles won the race riding his creation! But, the racer later received a dismissal on technicality grounds.
Miles dominated the tracks with “Pooper.” Pooper was nothing but a Porsche-Cooper combination. This unique vehicle had a Cooper chassis with a Porsche 550s engine. Miles won an under 1,500 cc and over 1,500 cc event with this beauty by his side!
Ken Miles participated at the Riverside International Raceway in California in 1966. During the trial for the Ford GT40 successor, the J-car flipped, crashed and caught fire. The impact threw Miles out of the car, killing him instantly when he landed on the ground. His death forced the automaker to upgrade future designs with more safety measures including a roll cage.
Photo Credit: en.wikipedia.org
Were you shocked to learn these facts about the dynamic duo? Well, so were we!
