SHELBY AMERICAN - Champion racer Robert Prilika will help Team Shelby celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Shelby American, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc., (CSBI:PK), by competing in the 100th Anniversary of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in the Pierre Ford/Tuscany West Coast Shelby GT500SE on June 23-26, 2022, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. A limited number of people can participate in the event through the Team Shelby Pikes Peak Adventure, which will be integrated into the century-old test of speed.
“Carroll Shelby established Shelby American in
1962 after retiring as a Le Mans-winning driver, so the company was truly
founded with a competitive spirit,” said Gary
Patterson, president of Shelby American. “We’re honored that Shelby
dealer Pierre Ford and Tuscany West Coast placed Robert Prilika, one of the
most accomplished racers to race up the mountain, into a new Shelby GT500SE for
the 100th running of the Hill Climb. We encourage enthusiasts to join the Team
Shelby Pikes Peak Adventure with our chief test driver Vince LaViolette and
Executive Vice President Tracey Smith to cheer on the Pierre Ford/Tuscany West
Coast Shelby.”
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, also known as The Race to the
Clouds, is an invitation-only automobile hill climb to the summit of Pikes Peak
in Colorado. This year’s event, scheduled for Sunday, June 26, will mark the 100th running of
the PPIHC, which features a 12.42-mile course with 156 turns and an elevation
gain of 4,725 feet, rising to the finish line at 14,115 feet above sea level.
“Our team is excited to compete in a new Shelby
GT500SE as we represent the Shelby American and Pierre Ford banners at the
Pikes Peak International Hill Climb,” said Robert Prilika. “I was extremely
impressed when I drove a stock Shelby GT500 during Ford’s North American Track
Tour in Sonoma. Based on my race experience and given the enhancements that
Shelby American makes to the car with their Signature Edition package, I’m
confident that we should do very well at the Hill Climb this year.”
Robert Prilika has enjoyed a successful career as a driver, team owner,
sponsor and motorsports business owner. Behind the wheel, Prilika has competed
in road racing, circle track, hill climbs and endurance events across the
United States. He was a winner in major sports car racing events at Daytona and
Watkins Glenn and claimed a division championship at the Pikes Peak
International Hill Climb. He earned the 2003 championship in IMSA-Grand
American Road Racing for Daytona Prototypes. He was also a four-time National
Auto Sport Association champion in GT55 and Enduro classes, and an SCCA
Champion in GT-1 competition. These achievements put him into the 2019 class of
the Colorado Motorsport Hall of Fame.
“As a former NASCAR West driver, I was very impressed with Robert’s
racing record,” said Vince
LaViolette, Shelby American Vice President of Operations, Chief Test Driver and
Chief Designer. “His career includes competing and winning in a remarkable
array of classes while contributing substantially to the careers of many fellow
competitors and race teams. As a former class champion at Pikes Peak, Robert is
the perfect driver for the Pierre Ford Shelby GT500SE.”
Pierre Ford of Seattle, one of the top selling
Shelby dealers in the world for the past five years, is providing the Shelby
GT500SE for the race. The car is also sponsored by Tuscany West, which
distributes Shelby muscle trucks and cars across the western United States.
Introduced as the latest generation car, the Shelby
GT500SE boasts additional horsepower, new hood, wheels, tires,
suspension tuning, interior, badges, stripes and more.
“With a new pulley and coolers, the V8 can make
over 800 horsepower,” said Jason Anucinski, General Sales Manager of Pierre
Ford. “Shelby American lowers the car with more track-focused springs that
match a new aggressive suspension tune. Then they slice 30 pounds off the top
of the car with the ultra-light dry carbon fiber hood, which is also much
stronger and lighter. Competing at Pikes Peak with this amazing car
demonstrates our commitment to the serious enthusiast.”
The sale of each Signature Edition car benefits
the Carroll Shelby Foundation, which was established by Carroll Shelby. The
Foundation provides medical assistance for those in need including children,
educational opportunities for young people through automotive and other
training programs and benefitting the Shelby Automotive Museum.
Team Shelby will be a key part of the Pikes
Peak Centennial Celebration. The international club is offering a special
package that includes:
- Pikes Peak Team Shelby
Climb caravan up the mountain
- Pikes Peak International Hill
Climb Fan Fest party with a street festival, racer meet/greet, music and
VIP dinner on the world-famous Gasoline Alley rooftop
- Shelby Drive to
Adventure with a ride on The
Royal Gorge Route Train
- Pikes Peak Hill Climb Race Day
Experience
“Carroll Shelby loved adventure, so we crafted
a special experience that blends many special opportunities for the ultimate
weekend,” said Tracey Smith, International Director of Team Shelby and
Executive Vice President of Carroll Shelby International. “The intersection of
Shelby American’s 60th Anniversary with the Centennial of the Pikes Peak Hill
Climb will make it a historic weekend with memories that last a lifetime.”
Team Shelby Pikes Peak Adventure tickets are
available at https://www.shelbystore.com/product-p/z31-pikes-2022.htm. The
Carroll Shelby Signature Edition post-title packages are available through
Shelby American and select Shelby mod shops internationally. Individuals interested
in Shelby vehicles can visit www.Shelby.com.