Jo Schlesser/Bob Bondurant, CSX 2299, '65 Sebring
Photo by: Joseph Farkas
Jo Schlesser/Hal Keck, CSX 2299, '65 Daytona.
Photo by: David Friedman
World Champions:
1965 was a banner year for the Shelby Racing team. A total of 6 coupes were built for the assault on Europe. The Daytona coupes placed 1st in seven and 2nd in two of its nine starts. On July 4th at Reims, France, they clinched the FIA World Manufactures Championship, the first time for an American team.
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Jo Schlesser/Bob Bondurant, CSX 2299, '65 Sebring Photo by: Joseph Farkas |
Jo Schlesser/Hal Keck, CSX 2299, '65 Daytona. Photo by: David Friedman |
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Left: A coupe gets its guardsman blue paint.
Right: '65 Castrol Ad |
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Left: SAI poster celebrating their championship |
This scanned poster image is used with the permission of Curt Scott of Crown Publishing Company and the CobraCountry website. |
End of the Line:
In the fast pace of auto racing, cars quickly become obsolete. In total six "official" coupes were made. Three months after the coupe's "assault on the salt" (next page), the Shelby racing team was shut down and all that remained was sold off at the now famous "fire sale" in February 1966. Included in the sale were three of the Daytona Coupes. An invitation to the sale by Competition Sales Manager, Lew Spencer read: "Own a "World's Champion" for only $8700.00"
A summary of their history is presented below.
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CSX 2287 |
Built completely at Shelby American, Venice, California - 2/16/64: Daytona: Holbert/MacDonald: DNF - 3/21-22/64: Sebring: Holbert/MacDonald: 1st GT III - 4/17-18/64: Le Mans (Test day): Schlesser - 5/17/64: SPA: Hill: DNF - 6/20-21/64: Le Mans: Neerpasch/Amon: DQ - 7/4-5/64: Reims - Neerpasch/Ireland: DNF - 8/29/64: Oulton Park TT: Hill: 11th - 9/11-20/64: Tour de France: Simon/Dupeyron: DNF - 6/19-20/65: Le Mans: Johnson/Payne: DNF - 11/6/65: Bonneville Salt Flats: Breedlove/Tatroe/Greatorex: 23 USAC/FIA world records. 1965: Russel: street driven - 1966: Koveleski - 1968: Spector: street driven - 1971: OHara: street driven. 2001: Dr. Fredrick Simeone |
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CSX 2299 |
1st Italian body built - 6/20-21/64 : Le Mans Gurney/Bondurant : 1st GT III - 7/4-5/94 : Reims : Gurney/Bondurant : DNF - 8/29/64 : Goodwood TT : Gurney : 1st GT III - 9/11-20/64 : Tour de France : Trintignant/de St Auban : DNF - 2/28/65 : Daytona: Schlesser/Keck : 1st GT III - 3/27/65 : Sebring: Schlesser/Bondurant : 1st GT III - 5/1/65 : Le Mans : Sears : 4th GT III - 6/19-20/65 : Thompson/Sears : 2nd GT III - 8/15/65 : Daytona - Sears : 2nd GT III - 1965/69 : Shelby American, Inc, - 1969 : Shoen - 1995 : Baus 2000: Larry H. Miller and resides at the Shelby American Collection in Colorado |
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CSX 2300 |
2nd Italian body built - 2/28/65 - Daytona: Leslie/Grant: 3rd T III - 3/27/65: Sebring: Leslie/Grant: 3rd GT III - 5/23/65: Nürburgring: Schlesser/Simon: 3rd GT III - 7/3-4/65: Reims - Sears/Withmore: 9th GT III - 1966 Koveleski, Nichols, Sakai - 1975: Shoen - 1976: Shelby - 1984: Nagel - 1985: Shelby. 2000: Sold at Monterey auction for 4million. - 2000: Jim Spiro |
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CSX 2601 |
3rd Italian body built. 28/2/65: Daytona: Johnson/Payne: DNF - 3/27/65: Sebring: Johnson/Payne: 2nd GT III - 4/25/65: Monza: Bondurant/Grant: 1st GT III - 16/5/65: SPA: Bondurant: 2nd GT III - 5/23/65: Nürburgring: Bondurant/Neerpasch: Fastest GT qualifier - 6/19-20/65: Le Mans: Grant/Schlesser: DNF - 7/3-4/65: Reims: Bondurant/Schlesser: 1st GT III - 8/15/65: Enna: Bondurant: 1st GT III - 1966: Used in Paramount Movie "Redline 7000" - 1966: Bondurant - 1969: Simonsen - 1973: Dyson - Late 80's: Rubin - 1991: Livanos - 1993 : Schaevitz. |
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CSX 2602 |
4th Italian body built - 2/28/65 : Daytona : Muther/Timanus : 2nd GT III - 3/27/65 : Sebring : Spencer/Adams/Hill : 6th GT III - 4/25/65 : Monza : Sears/Whitmore : 2nd GT III - 5/16/65 : SPA : Whitmore : DNF - 5/23/65 : Nürburgring : Sears : 2nd GT III - 6/19-20/65 : Le Mans : Sutcliffe/Harper : - DNF - 1965 : Shelby American - 1966 : Jones - 1971 : Shoen - 1980 : Nagel - 1987 : Sheehan - 1990 : Maruyama |
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CSX 2286 |
Last Italian body built - 6/19-20/65 : Le Mans : Gurney/Grant : DNF - 1965 : Shelby American - 1966 : Kozlow - 1967 : White - 1970 : Mullens - 1974 : Gaffney - 1976 : Megibow - 1978 : Soprano - 1983 : George Stauffer - 2000: Rob Walton |
