Team Shelby Going Global

WHEN CARROLL Shelby founded his enthusiast club Team Shelby, his goal was to eventually roll it out internationally.

- Austin Spencer

While the organization had groups of members on just about every continent, it didn’t take root outside North America until 2016. That is when the club accelerated its rollout worldwide.

“Shelby American’s amazing story has captivated enthusiasts, especially after beating Ferrari for the world championship and winning Le Mans in 1966,” says Tracey Smith, Team Shelby’s international director. “That milestone victory and Ford’s introduction of the Mustang globally offered us the perfect opportunity to expand the club overseas.”

AMERICAN ROOTS

In 2008, Shelby founded Team Shelby to give fans an opportunity to enjoy their cars through events with fellow enthusiasts. It was designed to be an active club that would provide members with many ways to live a high-octane lifestyle.

While the club grew steadily, membership was primarily in the United States where people had access to Team Shelby events. Fans worldwide kept asking for membership, so the club began to recruit directors outside the USA and Canada.

“Carroll Shelby was a special person whose name has been revered globally ever since he began racing in Europe,” says Smith. “First as a driver and then as a manufacturer and team owner, Carroll won so many hearts with his brashness. His declaration of automotive warfare on Enzo Ferrari and the elite automotive establishment caught the imagination of the world. Carroll’s ‘can do’ attitude appealed to mavericks everywhere.”