Quote:
Originally Posted by Kane Rogers
Shelby contested the GT championship, not the prototype class. I've never seen that quote ever from Alan Mann. I'd love to have confirmation of that. Fact is, Ferrari never stood a chance in a straight-up GT fight against Shelby in 1965. Or in 1964 for that matter. That's why Ferrari had the Italian sanctioning body cancel Monza that year.
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Page 115 of F. Wilson McComb's book AC (Shelby) Cobra. He knew Alan and many of the racers who were there for the 1965 GT Division III Champion ship. Carrol was banned by Ford from all the European FIA races except for Le Mans, where Mann's entry, piloted by Gentleman Jack Sears and Dick Thompson, The Flying Dentist, was the only Cobra and only Ford to finish! Their car had been in two crashes and would show
oil pressure for only a few seconds each time the driver accelerated! Sears finally pitted, and said it was hopeless, Mann responded, "but we've got to try and finish one Ford at least," then said, "you can do it, just drive the bloody thing on it's
oil pressure." Sears replied, "I totally disagree with you, but of course I'll do what you say." Mann later said of Jack, "he could have blown it on the Mulsanne any time, but he just sat there doing what he was told for the rest of the race," Alan added, "now that's discipline."
Ford and Shelby bragged about the 65 season, clamming the Cobra had won the FIA Championnat du Monde des Constructeurs, only one problem with that, the series had ceased to exist some 6 months before the first tube was cut for CSX2000. Then again, they claimed they "beat Europe's best!" Winning 9 races outright. Only one Cobra won an FIA race outright, at Bridgehampton, piloted by Dan Gurney!