[mockingbird812]

This ought to stir up some passionate responses...

Carroll Shelby may be in his mid-80s, but he is still trying to control everything associated with his name. He has created a new community for enthusiasts of the cars built by his companies.

Based in Dearborn, Michigan, “Team Shelby” is the only club officially recognized by the factory for all Shelby-built vehicles, including the 2006 and newer Shelby-based Mustangs. The club will officially launch on January 11, 2008, Shelby’s 85th birthday.

“People have asked me for years to form a club that will help them really enjoy their Shelby car,” said Carroll Shelby. “There’s a new generation of cars, new faces at Shelby and people who want to enjoy their vehicle in new ways. The world has changed over the past 42 years, so we need a club to meet the needs of this new generation.”

Unfortunately, this means the longstanding Shelby American Automobile Club will no longer be recognized by Shelby . The SAAC began in 1975, when the newest Shelbys, just five years old at the time, were still, in many cases, daily drivers. The club, based in Connecticut, has more than 5,000 members in this country and another 500 around the world. The club is dedicated to the preservation, care, history and enjoyment of the cars built by Shelby.

Rick Kopec, one of the operating directors for the SAAC, said, “Our lawyers have advised us not to comment about this matter because it is in litigation. The facts will all come out in due time.” Stay tuned.
- By George Mattar