LEGENDARY ENTREPRENEUR CARROLL SHELBY PASSES AWAY LOS ANGELES – May 11, 2012 – Carroll Shelby International, Inc., (OTC: CSBI.PK) announced today that Carroll Hall Shelby, a man whose vision for performance transformed the automobile industry, has died at age 89. Mr. Shelby passed away yesterday at Baylor Hospital in Dallas. The cause of death was not disclosed. Born on Jan. 11, 1923, Carroll Shelby was one of America’s greatest success stories. Championship-winning racecar driver, “flying sergeant” wartime pilot, philanthropist, entrepreneur, car manufacturer and racing team owner, he embodied the ingenuity, tenacity and grit to overcome any obstacle. He is perhaps the only person to have worked at a visible level with all three major American automobile manufacturers. Carroll Shelby founded Carroll Shelby International, a publicly held corporation involved in many industries. His licensing arm has agreements with industry giants, such as Mattel, Sony, Ford Motor Company and Electronic Arts. His car company, Shelby American, has a thriving parts business as well as a line of muscle cars including the Shelby GT500 Super Snake, Shelby GT350 and Shelby GTS. The Las Vegas-based company also manufactures a limited number of the 1960s Shelby 289 “street,” 289 FIA, 427 S/C and Daytona Coupe Cobras. Shelby considered his greatest achievement to be the establishment of the Carroll Shelby Foundation™. Created in 1992 while Shelby was waiting for a heart transplant, the charity is dedicated to providing medical assistance for those in need, including children, educational opportunities for young people through automotive and other training programs and benefitting the Carroll Shelby Automotive Foundation. Shelby remained active in the management of each of his companies and the Foundation until his death, even though he endured both heart and kidney transplants in the last two decades of his life. “We are all deeply saddened, and feel a tremendous sense of loss for Carroll’s family, ourselves and the entire automotive industry,” said Joe Conway, president of Carroll Shelby International, Inc. and board member. “There has been no one like Carroll Shelby and never will be. However, we promised Carroll we would carry on, and he put the team, the products and the vision in place to do just that.” Shelby is survived by his three children Patrick, Michael and Sharon, his sister Anne Shelby Ellison of Fort Worth and his wife Cleo. Funeral plans are not currently available. Donations to the Carroll Shelby Foundation are encouraged in lieu of flowers. Information about the Carroll Shelby Foundation is available at www.carrollshelbyfoundation.org. About Shelby American, Inc. Founded by legend Carroll Shelby, Shelby American manufactures and markets performance vehicles and related products. Now a subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International, Inc., the company manufactures authentic continuation Cobras, including the 427 S/C, 289 FIA and 289 street car component vehicles. The company offers the GT350, GT500 Super Snake and GTS post-title packages for the current generation Ford Mustang. For more information, visit www.shelbyamerican.com. About Carroll Shelby Licensing Automotive manufacturer and entrepreneur Carroll Shelby is one of the most famous and successful high performance visionaries in the world, and he has spent the last 50 years establishing and protecting his name, trademarks and car design rights. He founded Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., which has the exclusive right to license the Shelby trademarks and vehicle design rights for some of the most famous muscle cars and high-performance vehicles. CSL also holds trademark rights for Shelby-branded apparel, accessories and collectibles. For more information about the company or licensing opportunities, call (310) 914-1843, or fax (310) 538-8189 or write to Carroll Shelby Licensing, Inc., 19021 S Figueroa St., Gardena, CA, 90248, or visit www.carrollshelby.com, www.shelbylicensing.com or www.carrollshelbyinternational.com. About The Carroll Shelby Foundation The Carroll Shelby Foundation was created by legendary racer and automotive manufacturer Carroll Shelby. Headquartered in Gardena, Calif., the Foundation is dedicated to providing medical assistance for those in need, including children, educational opportunities for young people through automotive and other training programs and benefitting the Shelby Automotive Foundation. For more information visit CarrollShelbyFoundation.org.
Re: Carroll Shelby Passes Away To the Shelby family you have my deepest sympathies on Carroll’s passing, he was truly a great man but more importantly he was your family. In 2005 I had the distinct honor of presenting Mr. Shelby with an award from the Texas Legislature naming him a Texas Treasure. If you care to, it can be read here: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/Sear...2&QueryText=Shelby<OR>Carroll&HighlightType=1. The award recognized his lifetime achievements and was passed in the House and Senate and signed by the Governor. I drove one of my 500’s and State Rep. Mark Homer and I presented the parchments to him at his ranch in Pittsburgh, as he was ill at the time and could not make it to Austin. At the time I had worked in the Lege for 14 years and I have had to deal with a lot of requests and conditions from celebrities, Mr. Shelby’s only request was that we not make a big deal of it. What was scheduled to be a 15 min meeting turned into 4 hours of conversation, stories and great Texas hospitality from a true gentleman who cared deeply about his family, friends and others. I know we all admire Mr. Shelby's cars but I'd like to comment on another aspect of his life. About four years ago my sister was killed in an auto accident, which left my niece in a comma. When Carroll found out about this he came to the hospital to visit my niece and encourage my family. He called us monthly checking on her until she finally passed away 2 years later. Mr. Shelby was a busy man and he did not have to do this but I think it speaks volumes about the character of this great man and his desire to help others through the Shelby Heart Fund. I hope that as we remember this giant of a man, that you remember Shelby's charitable foundation and make a donation that may save a life. I know I will and I will be firing up my old blue 500 and take my son’s on a drive tonight. God bless Carroll Shelby and thanks for allowing me to share.
Re: Carroll Shelby Passes Away I just told my 14 year old son that his first true life hero, "Carroll Shelby" has died. I heard him go silent on the phone. his tears and subsequent weeping reminded me that C.S. was not just a Business giant. he truly gave us all something to believe in. something so strong, that his loss has brought great sadness to my home. and Inspiration as well. this weekend I will put the rear back in my 68 GT350 Convertible and take a ride in Carroll's honor. Thanks for the memories made and the ones to come!~ Dave
Condolences to all his family and friends. I was fortunate to be around Carroll on several occasions (even had a bowl of red he fix out at his ranch). He beat the odds on everything he did in life. His accomplishments will live on forever. I'm very proud to be the caretaker of a couple of his creations. RIP Mr. Shelby.
Hello Randall, Our sincere condolences to you and the entire Shelby family. We are deeply saddened to hear of your grandfather's passing. We had the opportunity to meet and speak with him several times over the past 15 years. We always felt lucky to be able to have a few minutes of his time. I will be forever grateful for the time he spent with me and my '67 GT500 at the Shelby American Collection Christmas party in 2007. He was a true icon in the automotive world. He will be deeply missed. Godspeed Carroll Shelby. Eric and Carrie Johnson
I met Carroll Shelby in an elevator at a Dearborn convention (SAAC-8?). I thanked him for creating the fun cars we all so love to drive. And that is what he leaves us, a legacy of fun cars and a community in which to share them. In that way he has affected us all. The greatest tribute to him will be to keep driving the cars like they were meant to be. I'm certain that Carroll wants it that way.
The Last Great Automotive Industry Character Although I heard through the grapevine that Shelby wasn't always happy with what I wrote about him, I found him an endlessly interesting person to write about, and still regret I didn't make enough effort to patch up our differences. But he was busy in the world of big business and I was just a chronicler, so I could only observe from a distance. I still remember one time from that time inbetween, in the early 70s, when for him it was after Ford but before Chrysler, when I brought a 427 Cobra over to Playa del Rey to photograph him with it and he was amazed that anyone would give a damn about writing about a car he had abandoned building years before. I subsequently wrote a book on him and he wrote the forward. I think Shelby fans will continue to be interested in his accomplishments, and, as a result, emulate him in small ways, like showing his perserverance for creating something out of nothing, and maybe even show his curiosity for everything new as much as he revered the past. I hope some of his grandchildren or even great grandchildren will pick up the mantle and go into the car business, I'd like to see a Shelby family on the scene somehow....Godspeed.
Shelby smiling and laughing Shelby laughing at my story about a kid with a 289 Mustang looking at my 500 and the kid asking why my engine looked bigger than his and I told him I had "special" valve covers
