* Jacob Wallace * Informative speech * Thesis: Today I am going to give you a brief history lesson on the life of carol Shelby and also going to give a couple examples of how his innovative ideas changed the automobile and racing industry to this very day.
The life of Carroll Hall Shelby
Before there was the car, there was the man. His name is the stuff of legend. His accomplishments, the envy of every kid who fell in love with cars and driving and courage and performance
January 11, 1923 in Leesburg Texas. Carroll Hall Shelby is born to Warren Hall Shelby, a rural mail carrier and Eloise Lawrence Shelby.
Begins training at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio TX. On training missions, Carroll corresponds with his fiancée by dropping love letters placed in his flying boots, onto her farm. As a flight instructor, he did not leave the U.S. during WWll.
His passion for performance. A champion with an unquenchable desire to win. An American success story. These are among the descriptions earned by the legendary Carroll Shelby. He is an icon that embodies the ingenuity, tenacity and grit needed to win in business, competition and philanthropy.
1. He would drive his first race behind the wheel of a hot rod fitted with a flathead Ford V8.
Would break land speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 1954. Would finish a respectable second place driving an Aston-Martin DBR3 against C-type Jags at Aintree.
Would ride with the Aston-Martin team at LeMans in 1954. Would win at Torrey Pines with a 4.1 liter Mexico Ferrari. Would become Sports Illustrated’s 1956 ‘Sports Car Driver of the Year”. And the magazine’s “Driver of the Year” In 1957.
These wins led the charming, East Texas chicken farmer to a storied career that spanned the spectrum from driver to team owner, manufacturer and consultant. When Shelby’s health caused him to abandon his driving in 1960, Carroll moved from the driver’s seat and turned his attention manufacturing.
The Shelby name is synonymous with performance. It’s a part of the man’s DNA, which was molded and shaped during years of competition.
His vision of the automobile changed the rules for automotive performance forever. Today, Carroll Shelby and the companies he founded are a driving force for products and industries worldwide. * Transistion: Now that I have given you a little background of the life of carroll Shelby, I am now going to tell you how he had a impact on the automobile industry.
His racing career now over, Shelby set his sites on automotive design. On creating cars that would be faster, lighter, more nimble, and able to win against the world’s best. * A. Shelby believed in combining big horsepower with inspired engineering, which led him to take Ford’s new small block engine and shoehorn it into AC’s lightweight Ace.
Christened the Cobra, CSX 2000 was introduced at the New York Auto Show in 1962. This focus on pure performance turned the sports car world on its ear.
In 1963, Shelby took a team of Cobras to Europe to race against Ferrari, Porsche and Jaguar on their own turf. Superstars like Bob Bondurant, Dan Gurney, Ken Miles and others driving for Team Shelby captured the Grand Touring World Championship in 1965. Gurney and Bondurant returned the next year for Team Shelby to win the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Ford GT40.
The team repeated their Le Mans win in 1967. At the same time, Shelby’s operations turned out the Shelby 289 and 427 Cobras, as well as a succession of Mustang based Shelbys.
Carroll Shelby is perhaps the only person to have worked at a visible level with all three of major American automobile manufacturers. His charisma, vision and ability to build teams have made him into a master organizer and leader.
While Shelby has earned countless automotive and racing victories and accolades, his greatest achievement might be the establishment of the Carroll Shelby Foundation.
Founded in 1991, the charity is dedicated to providing support to children and medical institutions battling life-threatening diseases and promoting continuing education for today’s youth.
The Foundation has continued to aid children battling deadly diseases, while expanding its reach into the classroom through the Northeast Texas Community College’s Carroll Shelby Automotive Technology Center.
Over the past 15 years Carroll and his team has worked unceasingly to bring hope and a second chance at life to kids around the world through his Foundation. He has generously donated his name, time, vehicles and financial resources to countless deserving families and institutions.
Carroll has also funded medical facilities that provide state-of-the-art care to children in third world countries, such as Ecuador.
As A native Texan, Carroll has also made significant contributions to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas. *
Transition: Now that I have given you the background of carroll Shelby and the innovative ideas this brilliant man had, I am now finally gonna tell you how he is still impacting the automobile word to this very day.
Caroll Shelby passed away May 10, 2012 but still has a major impact on the automobile industry to this very day.
From his fire breathing Cobras, Series 1 and Ford Shelby Mustangs to his involvement in the Viper and Ford GT, he has continued to push the performance envelope. And Carroll Shelby is still making automotive history with his new CSX4000 and CSX7000 Cobras.
In 2006, he formed a new partnership with Ford Motor Company. Since then, the fantastic Shelby GT500, Shelby GT and Shelby GT500KR have moved him once again into the fast lane. His performance philosophy is as relevant and appealing to enthusiasts today as it was 50 years ago. *
Some people design cars. Carroll Shelby and his Shelby Automobiles team breathe life and spirit into them.