So ex Racing driver and car designer Carroll Shelby has died. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-18044108
He had racing in his blood and after the war did a number of small races in both America and Europe. Other highlights include helping set a number of landspeed records in a modified Austin Healey 100S between 1954 and 1955 (the S standing for Sebring, with the 100 standing for 100mph which was the top speed of the stock 100).
He raced in 8 F1 races in 1958 and 1959, driving a Privateer Maserati 250F which he only managed two 9th and a retirement on his his own and 4th in a shared drive (which was allowed but he scored no points) and then next year he drover for the Aston Martin team with British driver Roy Salvadori, he was outclassed as he only managed a couple of 8ths where his team mate managed a 2nd and a couple of 6ths.
However with Aston Martin, he drove with Roy in the Le Mans 24 Hours in 1959 in a DBR1 and they won, a lap ahead of the other Aston Martin DBR1 car and 26 laps ahead of the 3rd place Ferrari.
He later retired from racing due to heart problems but works with AC Motors to modify the AC Cobra to accept a powerful small block Ford V8 engine (it originally had a BMW derived Bristol straight 6) which did turn AC Motors fortunes around. He made the Ford Mustang more powerful with the Shelby GT350 and GT500 and had a hand with the orignal Dodge Viper.
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