Carroll Shelby: Son of a mail carrier revolutionizes American racing

“Shelby American” directed by Nate Adams and co-produced by Adam Carolla, offers an in-depth look at the life of Carroll Shelby. (Photo: Shelby American, Shelby American)

After release of the Oscar-nominated “Ford v Ferrari,” America’s appetite for stories about the race cars involved and those who made them has been insatiable. Matt Damon played Shelby in the film, which tells the story of the powerful Ford GT40.

“To me, personally, Carroll Shelby is like Bob Dylan or Muhammad Ali,” said author A.J. Baime, who is featured in the film. “Even a really bad documentary about him is going to be entertaining. But this one is made by the guys with a proven record of making the best new docs about motor racing, and there’s a significant amount of footage on Shelby from the 1950s and 60s that has never been seen, even by the big time Shelby fans, and they are legion.”

Baime, author of “Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans,” played a key role the sold-out screening of the documentary film “The 24 Hour War” in Grosse Pointe in 2019.

Common thread: Nate Adams, and co-producer Adam Carolla, made that film, too.

The film presents life’s challenges and doesn’t sugar coat conflicts or real-life drama. Shelby didn’t have an easy life. Nothing was handed to him.

The prime time slot makes the film available for free due to the COVID19 pandemic, which has postponed the documentary film festival and moved some screenings online. Then after the screening, around 9:30 p.m. Eastern, director Nate Adams will talk about the project in a Q&A.No movie theaters? No ticket prices. No problem. The documetnary is also available on Netflix.

“We are really excited to get more of our grandfather’s story out for all to hear and see. What he accomplished, along with the team at Shelby American, defines the American entrepreneurial spirit,” co-producer Aaron Shelby, 48, now a Dallas banker, told the Free Press Friday.

Car designer Carroll Shelby is hired to create an innovative machine in

This is the third documentary film from Adams that has screened at the Freep Film Festival, all of the automotive.

“Obviously, we would have preferred to be screening in theaters, and watching films with fans and friends. But all things considered, we’re very pleased we could pull off a virtual festival. The early returns have been good. Lots of people are showing up to watch the films — from the comforts of their homes. And the post-film discussions have been really engaging. It’s a model that works.”

Source: Freep.com