One of a baker’s dozen of American citizens to have won the 24 Hours of Le Mans overall, Carroll Shelby accomplished the feat 50 years ago this month, driving an Aston Martin DBR1 in company with Roy Salvadori. Shelby had begun racing back in his native Texas shortly after returning from service in WWII. He first drove a car owned by his friend Ed Wilkins in a local drag race, and shortly thereafter won a road race in Ed’s MG-TC…

Despite an excess of cockpit heat around the pedals, Shelby still donned a jacket to cover his signature bib overalls and ward off the overnight chill as he drove his Aston Martin ever onward toward the victory that would change his life and essentially enable everything he accomplished thereafter.
Photo: Carroll Shelby Collection