Shelbys Forever!; SAAC's 27th big wingding.(Shelby American Automobile Club convention)(Brief Article)

More than 5000 aficionados of all things Shelby trekked to the California Speedway just east of Los Angeles July 5-7 to celebrate their favorite car. The faithful have been gathering for-obviously-27 years now, from the first Shelby American Automobile Club convention in Oakland, California, in 1976, which was just a concours, to this big weekend that included races, a swap meet and tours of local Shelby shrines.

The racing has only been a part of the annual convention for the last few years and it's a big draw, said SAAC co-director Howard Pardee, who drives a 1965 GT350R.

``One shop in Connecticut sent 10 cars,'' said Pardee. ``One of the West Coast racers even hired Boris Said to drive.''

The big Cobra/GT40 race had 17 entries and the GT350/Trans-Am race had a whopping 56. Said finished third overall and first in Trans-Am in the latter race. The course wound around about two-thirds of the Speedway's big oval before dropping into the circuitous infield track for a total length of almost three miles.

For the truly devout there was the Shelby Magical History bus tour that hit all the important Southern California stops. Pilgrims got to meet the man himself when the bus pulled up to Shelby's Goodyear race tire distributorship in Gardena. Then it was off to see what used to be Shelby American in Venice where 289 Cobras were made; Shelby American at LAX where more Shelbys were ...