A Big Disappointment

[Cal Metal]

One of the major features of the Ford Anniversary program at Monterey this past weekend was an autograph signing by 15-20 of former SAI employees who were responsible for the success of the Cobra/GT-40 program. Pictures of these great people were displayed inside with brief histories of their contributions to the Shelby racing program.

Names that were there include: Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Jerry Grant, Phil Remington, Sir John Whitmore, David Hobbes, Lloyd Ruby, to name just a few. The autograph sessions were typically an hour and a half. Two sessions on Saturday and one on Sunday. There must have been 1,000 people lined up to get signings.

Conspicuously absent from the gathering was Pete Brock, despite the fact that two of the Daytona Coupes were sitting outside the Ford autograph tent, and all of the Coupes (I think) were there save the CSX 2287 car. When a group of us visited the SPF tent later that day, one of us asked Pete why he wasn't included. He said that someone within the "organization" had convinced Ford that his ( I am paraphrasing here) contributions had not been an important part of the Cobra racing program; thus, no invite to Pete to gather with his peers.

As the weekend grew to a close, the worse I felt about it. It was such a low blow to one of the great innovators of Motor sport. It is such a shame that politics have to enter in to all of this. Pete's contributions are legend. and and the fun all of us have with our cars, original or replica, is due, in large part, because of Pete and his efforts, and the world reknowed success that was had by the Coupes.