Did Carroll Shelby actually win Le Mans?
In 1959, he won the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the second American to do so. It was during that race that Shelby noted the performance of an English roadster built by AC Cars called the Ace, which three years later became the basis for the Cobra. Shelby proposed his sports car to Ford Motor Company, who liked the idea of offering a sports car that would go head-to-head with the Chevrolet Corvette. Carroll, always the racer, explained his ambition to race Cobras against Corvette in the USA and against Ferrari in Europe.
Did Ken Miles win Le Mans in 1966?
They were under the impression that miles had won the race, but mclaren was indeed declared the 1966 le mans winner. In a 1997 interview shelby lamented the aco made up rule and that indeed ken miles won the race and feelings of guilt about what had occurred. Indeed, at the start of the race mclaren was one slot / space behind miles. This was all unbeknownst to the ford team. They were under the impression that miles had won the race, but mclaren was indeed declared the 1966 le mans winner.Additionally, McLaren’s #2 started in second position behind Miles’s car and had therefore covered 8 meters more distance during the race. Regardless of the reason, McLaren’s #2 was declared the winner with Miles denied the unique achievement of winning Sebring, Daytona, and Le Mans in the same year.
Did Ken Miles actually win?
Miles won the 24 Hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1966, and he placed second at Le Mans. Miles died in a crash while testing Ford’s J-Car later that year. British-born Ken Miles was a gifted race car engineer and driver. Through his work for Carroll Shelby, Miles got involved in Ford’s GT racing program. This was all unbeknownst to the Ford team. They were under the impression that Miles had won the race, but McLaren was indeed declared the 1966 Le Mans winner. In a 1997 interview Shelby lamented the ACO made up rule and that indeed Ken Miles won the race and feelings of guilt about what had occurred.
Is Ken Miles a true story?
Ken Miles & Carroll Shelby: The True Story From humble beginnings to the infamous Le Mans race, they experienced groundbreaking achievements and heartbreaking setbacks along the way, leaving a legacy that still enthralls and inspires auto enthusiasts worldwide. In 1963, Miles went to work for Carroll Shelby in positions that yielded success after success. He and Shelby became close friends. According to Shelby, “Ken was world-class and the best test driver I ever knew. He was also helpful to other drivers.