Arizona residents win Carroll Shelby Children's Fund rafle.
09-25-07: Gary Harlow of Bullhead City, Ariz., was awarded the keys to a new Ford Shelby GT500 last week after winning the 2nd Annual Win-a-Shelby raffle contest benefiting the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation. The 500 horsepower, Vista Blue pony car with white racing stripes was titled to automotive icon Carroll Shelby, who was on hand at Shelby Automobiles headquarters in Las Vegas to make the presentation. The winning ticket was drawn on August 18, 2007, during the Automotive Fine Arts Society’s annual reception at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation helps children worldwide battle life-threatening illnesses while promoting the importance of organ and tissue donation.
“The Win-a-Shelby raffle is a spectacular fundraiser that gives one lucky car nut the chance to drive off in one of my personal cars,” said Shelby, President of the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation. “Mr. Harlow is a true Shelby enthusiast and I’m confident that he’ll take good care of his new GT500. It’s important to remember that his donation to the Foundation and the thousands of generous ticket buyers who took part in this contest will help us aid families across the globe.”
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In addition to belonging to Mr. Shelby, the raffle prize is the only Shelby GT500 featuring white racing stripes that is fitted with a 40th Anniversary Limited Edition Package. The component upgrade package consists of distinctive visual and performance enhancements, including exclusive 40th Anniversary Shelby badges throughout the car.
The Foundation displayed the GT500 and sold raffle tickets at various events throughout the country since last August, including SEMA and Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auctions. Tickets were also available at the Foundation’s headquarters in Gardena, Calif., and by mail. Harlow purchased the winning raffle ticket through a mail donation that accompanied an item for Mr. Shelby to sign. The Foundation fulfills Carroll Shelby autograph requests by mail for a $250 donation.
“I got the call and heard, ‘Gary, my name is Carroll Shelby and you have just won a new Shelby GT500’,” explained Harlow. “Then ironically, the call was dropped. But I knew by the distinctive voice on the other line that it was really Carroll Shelby. Not only is the Shelby GT500 one of the hottest new cars on the road, this one was actually owned by the legend himself. I’ll definitely hold onto this car for a long time.”
The Foundation also announced that proceeds from the 2nd annual raffle eclipsed the amount raised during the first contest in 2005-2006. The funds will go towards the Foundation’s effort to build a perpetual endowment. The announcement of the 3rd Annual Win-a-Shelby raffle and the unveiling of the new prize car is scheduled for the 2007 SEMA show in Las Vegas.
“These raffles are instrumental in our plans to build an endowment that will allow us to continue fighting child illnesses for many years,” noted Jenni Shreeves, Director of the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation. “Visiting events across the country allowed us to witness the influence that Carroll Shelby and his creations have had on all levels of the automotive industry. Thanks to the passion surrounding the one-of-a-kind Shelby brand, the results of the 2nd annual raffle were amazing and we can’t wait to announce at SEMA the car we will give away next.”
Mr. Shelby founded the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation after undergoing a successful heart transplant in 1990. Since its inception, the Foundation has donated funds to charitable organizations and raised awareness of heart and organ donation.
Before he began his Foundation, Mr. Shelby was one of America’s greatest race car drivers; he dominated sports car racing in the mid-1950s, twice being named Sports Car Illustrated’s “Driver of the Year.” His crowning achievement as a driver came in 1959, when he won the grueling 24 hours of Le Mans.
When he retired from racing due to a heart ailment, Mr. Shelby forged a relationship with Ford Motor Company that created performance magic. Attracting talented individuals from California’s aerospace community and tapping the resources of Ford, he founded Shelby American to create the legendary Cobra sports car; a bit of this sports car’s “DNA” is a part of every subsequent Shelby vehicle. Today his company, Shelby Automobiles, Inc., leads the pack of performance vehicle manufacturers worldwide.
The Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation was created by legendary racer and automotive manufacturer Carroll Shelby, who has led a life that most have only dreamed about. Even when a series of heart ailments nearly cut his life short, he didn’t stop living in the fast lane. After undergoing a successful heart transplant in 1990, Mr. Shelby established the Carroll Shelby Children’s Foundation. Thanks to the support of the Shelby Companies, Ford Motor Company and loyal Shelby fans worldwide, the Foundation is a leading force in the fight to help children battle life-threatening illnesses and in promoting the importance of organ and tissue donation.
For more information on the Carroll Shelby Children’s foundation, visit www.cscf.org.
