LAS VEGAS, Aug. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- Shelby Automobiles Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc., , Carroll Shelby and designer/artist Bill Neale are celebrating the rebirth of the famous Terlingua Racing Team with the first annual "Shelby Bullrun Challenge" in West Texas on Sept. 25-28, 2008. The event includes a combination of driving events and parties for celebrities and enthusiasts that will rival the ones that gave rise to the Terlingua legend 40 years ago.
"We created the Shelby Terlingua Racing Team so our small group of rebels could have some real fun," noted Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby Automobiles. "Now, I'm inviting a new generation to return with me for a weekend they'll always remember."
The Shelby Bullrun Challenge is open to any enthusiast in an original Shelby vehicle (including a Cobra, Series 1, GT350, GT500, Shelby GT, Dodge GL-H, Tiger, etc.), a Ford GT or Mustang. Activities will include a challenging 350 mile rally, an open road 12 mile time trial, a competitive driving course on an airstrip and a 1/2 mile drag race in the Big Bend area. Other activities will include a car show, hole-in-one golf competition, Texas "shootout", chili cook off and autograph sessions with Mr. Shelby.
"This will be an exceptional automotive event deep in the heart of Texas," added Amy Boylan, president of Shelby Automobiles. "The Shelby Bullrun Challenge is a once in a lifetime opportunity to be part of a small, intimate group with celebrities like Tom Yeager and Bill Neale, who was a co-founder of the group. And we're going to have high octane fun with some of the most fantastic cars on earth. We're even bringing some new Terlingua Racing Team supercharged Shelby Mustangs to test out."
The Terlingua Racing Team's roots began when Ford Motor Company asked Carroll Shelby to turn its Mustang into a race winner. His team created a competition version of the Shelby GT350 for that purpose. About that time, Shelby and a few close friends including Bill Neale, Dave Witts, Tom Tierney and David E. Davis, Jr., were enjoying the Terlingua area of the Texas Rio Grande region. Thumbing their nose at the establishment, they lived hard and enjoyed life to its fullest between winning races.
As a symbol of their lifestyle, Neale designed a logo that is black and yellow, with a rabbit holding his paw in the air. That livery, along with a host of performance enhancements are now part of a Shelby Automobiles post title package for the V6 Ford Mustang and current production Shelby Cobras.
"Though the Terlingua Racing Team flew under the radar after Shelby stopped building GT350s and GT500s in the 1960s, its flying high again today," noted Neale. "With Shelby Autos creating Terlingua Racing Team edition versions of the Ford Mustang and Cobra, it was time to bring back some of the extracurricular activities that make racing, and life, so much more meaningful."
The event package includes a stay at the Lajitas Resort, one of the most exclusive locations in the Southwest, all meals, drivers' welcoming dinner, final awards party, charity auction for special Terlingua and Shelby memorabilia and exclusive Team Shelby gifts. The price for the weekend is $2,500 (based on two drivers in shared accommodation). The package also includes a Team Shelby membership.
To participate in the event, contact samantha@bullrun.com or visit http://www.teamshelby.com.
About Shelby Automobiles, Inc. and Carroll Shelby Licensing
Founded by legend Carroll Shelby, Shelby Automobiles, Inc., (http://www.shelbyautos.com) manufactures and markets performance vehicles and related products. Shelby Automobiles is a division of Carroll Shelby International, Inc. (CSBI.PK). Carroll Shelby Licensing Inc., also a wholly owned division, is the exclusive holder of Carroll Shelby's trademarks and vehicle design rights. It also holds trademark rights for Shelby-branded apparel, accessories and collectibles. For information, visit http://www.carrollshelbyinternational.com.
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