Shelby began driving professionally at age 29. Shelby beside his 1957 Maserati 450S at Virginia International Raceway in 2007 Īfter the war, he started his own dump truck business, worked briefly as an oil-well roughneck from 1948–49, and then as a poultry farmer before going bankrupt. He went on to fly the Douglas B-18 Bolo, the North American B-25 Mitchell, the Douglas A-26 Invader, and finally the Boeing B-29 Superfortress at Denver, Colorado, before being discharged following V-J Day. In December 1942, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant after undergoing air students' training, later serving as a flight instructor and test pilot in the Beechcraft AT-11 Kansan and Curtiss AT-9 Jeep. He graduated with the rank of staff sergeant pilot in September 1942 at Ellington Field. After enlisting in the United States Army Air Corps, Shelby began pilot training in November 1941. He later enrolled at The Georgia Institute of Technology in the Aeronautical Engineering program. Shelby honed his driving skills with his Willys automobile while attending Woodrow Wilson High School in Dallas, Texas, graduating in 1940. Prior to racing and building cars, Shelby made a living raising chickens, which he continued until 1952. Shelby's education as a pilot began in the military at the San Antonio Aviation Cadet Center, later known as Lackland Air Force Base, in November 1941. Eager for a car of his own, at age 15 he was driving and taking care of his father's Ford. He moved to Dallas, Texas at age 7 with his family, and around age ten, he would ride his bicycle to dirt tracks nearby to watch races. From a young age, Shelby had a fascination in speed, leading to an interest in cars and airplanes. Shelby suffered from heart valve leakage problems by age 7 and experienced health complications from this throughout his life. 12.3 Complete 12 Hours of Sebring resultsĬarroll Shelby was born on January 11, 1923, to Warren Hall Shelby, a rural mail carrier, and his wife, Eloise Shelby (nee Lawrence) in Leesburg, Texas.12.2 Complete 24 Hours of Le Mans results.12.1 Complete Formula One World Championship results.
As a race car driver, his highlight was as a co-driver of the winning 1959 24 Hours of Le Mans entry. His autobiography, The Carroll Shelby Story, was published in 1967. He established Shelby American in 1962 to manufacture and market performance vehicles. Shelby is best known for his involvement with the AC Cobra and Mustang for Ford Motor Company, which he modified during the late 1960s and early 2000s. Carroll Hall Shelby (Janu– May 10, 2012) was an American automotive designer, racing driver, and entrepreneur.