In the past year, I was fortunate enough to have had the pleasure of meeting Carroll Shelby several times at one of his offices in Gardena, California. Our last meeting took place in September of last year. Carroll was reviewing our Spring / Summer collection. As I showed him our blue and white striped denim jacket, his face lit up. A huge smile crossed his face, and the man just beamed with excitement as the memories came flooding back. "I love it", he said, and then he eagerly proceeded to try it on and make it his own.
We did extensive research in order to help us create a collection that truly represented Carroll Shelby - what he wore, who he was, the lifestyle he represented. We wanted to be as authentic as possible, and our efforts were not in vain after the genuine and heartfelt response we had from Shelby himself. With our hand-made jackets and tees, carefully distressed and faded to evoke that nostalgia of the past, we brought him back to his Chicken Farmer roots (they called him "the Chicken Farmer—turned race car driver", and he wore his over-alls in his early racing days). Through all of Shelby's success and fame, he never forgot his Texan roots.
As we walked around the office, talking about what he wore back in his racing days, the excitement and the lifestyle of his youth, there was no way you could miss the fire in Carroll's belly for his beloved sport. He was energized, as if the 50's and 60's were yesterday, and his career was just beginning.
It was truly a pleasure to have met and worked with this great racing legend. Everyone here at Wicked Quick is saddened by his passing, and we will remain in awe of his remarkable achievements and his contribution to American automotive culture. He worked hard until the very end, and I can't imagine Carroll saying anything other than "Keep Going"!
Tarran Pitschka CEO/ Founder
Wicked Quick
See photos of Carroll Shelby with Tarran
here
Wicked Quick's CEO & Founder recounts his last meeting with Carroll Shelby.
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