plished, they quickly disappeared
along with the two GT350R prototypes
(inexplicably painted red and yellow –
another example of turning their back
on history).
Before the 60-odd GT350s could be
dispersed, another photo opportunity
was seized. A pair of “GT350R2” cars,
tributes built last year on Mustang
fastback unibodies by former Shelby
American mechanic Jim Marietta and
other Shelby employees from the
Venice days, and built to Peter Brock’s
reimagined R-Model specifications,
were deftly parked up front, replacing
Ford’s prototypes. More photos were
taken, demonstrating that you never
want to waste a once-in-a-lifetime
photo op like this.
As the GT350s were being driven
off and heading back to the paddock or
parking corral, about a dozen owners
of cars with real 1960s racing history
were slow-walking and shuffling their
feet. They were determined to make a
statement, as futile is it might be at
this point, to gather these cars to-
gether for one final photograph which
would capture the essence of GT350
racing history fifty years later. Once a
few photos were taken they blended
back into this year’s Monterey Motor-
sports Reunion spectacle.
The SHELBY AMERICAN
Red and yellow? Seriously? Nowhere was it demonstrated that Ford lost sight of a his-
torical perspective than by the color choice of the R-Models they brought. They could
have specified any colors. Anyone ever heard of...white? With twin blue stripes?
Fall 2015 313