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Camp County native Carroll Shelby became world-renowned as a sports car driver and designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He was born in Leesburg to (Warren) Hall and Etoise (Lawrence) Shelby. Neighbors recalled his early racing exploits, riding in a wagon tied to the back of his father's car. When he was about seven, Carroll developed a serious heart condition which proved problematic in later life. Warren relocated the family to Dallas, where Carroll graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School he joined the Army Air Corps during WWII and served as a flight instructor and test pilot. He and his first wife, Jeanne (Fields), had three children.
Carroll found his true passion in 1952 in his first automobile race. By 1954, he was racing around the world and setting speed records at Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats. In the 1950s he was noted as driver of the year by the Sports Car Club of America, Sports Illustrated and The New York Times. He considered the 1959 win in the 24 Hours of Le Mans his highest achievement. Carroll retired from racing in 1960 due to health concerns and founded a performance driving school in California. He then worked with Ford Motors and others to design iconic 1960s American-designed racing and sports cars, including Shelby Cobra, Daytona, and Mustang models. He later produced models with Dodge and through Shelby American. He returned to Camp County frequently to oversee two area ranches. Other business interests included a West Texas ranch at Terlingua and the start of a famous chili cookoff there. Carroll's charitable work included establishment of a foundation for pediatric transplant patients and an automotive technology program at Northeast Texas Community College. The Northeast Texas Rural Heritage Museum in Pittsburg has a permanent display of his racing memorabilia. He is buried in the family plot in Leesburg Cemetery. (2022) |
