CAR OWNER

CAR NAME–YEAR & MODEL INFO

TWIZZLER –2012 SHELBY GT500

MEMBERS OF THE STANG MAG FAMILY ARE MORE PASSIONATE ABOUT FUN AND INCLUSION THAN THEY ARE THEIR CARS AND THAT SAYS A LOT!

Every now and then, you run into a situation where you’re sitting there, staring, eyes wide open, like a deer in the headlights. In 2012, there was an organization that was raffling off a car - a 2012 Race Red Shelby GT500 convertible, with all of the bells and whistles. SVT Performance Package, Leather Recaro Racing Seats, Shaker Sound System, the works. We all know how these car raffles work. You buy tickets at $25 a piece, they raffle them off for months on end, no one knows if anyone wins, etc. Well there was a gentleman who bought 1 ticket for the raffle at Carlisle Ford Nationals. Coincidentally, that’s also where they drew the winning ticket – and he won it.

If you asked me if I thought I’d be writing an article for STANG Magazine for my car this time last year I would’ve said no. If you asked me if I would be writing it about a different car than the 2005 Roush Mustang I had I would’ve said hell no. I loved that car but acquiring this one reinvigorated my passion for car shows and events!

2012 is a very special year for Shelby, as it’s the year Carroll Shelby passed. So here is a GT500 from the year of Shelby’s passing, one of the last ones signed by Carroll Shelby himself (vehicle manufacture date is July, 2011) and the gentleman wins it for a $25 raffle ticket. What would you do? I’m not sure what I would do, but I know what he did. He parked it in a climate controlled garage for almost a decade, and would drive it around the block every now and then just to keep it moving.

He decided to sell the car since it was just sitting there, and a good friend of mine who is his neighbor, told me about the car. Of course, I had to go and at least see it. I go over, walk in the garage, and there was the deer in the headlights look. The car was immaculate, not a scratch, dent, ding, imperfection, or anything on it. That was in 2021, the total mileage on the car at that point was – sit down for this one – 264 miles. That’s total odometer reading. So this is one of those once in a lifetime moments. Lightning never strikes twice. When would I ever have the opportunity to get my hands on a 2012, Carroll Shelby signed, GT500 convertible, with less than 300 miles, again? Short answer – NEVER. So I made the move and bought it from him.

I met Daniel Ramey at a Beltway Mustang show and won my spot with STANG Magazine in their Carlisle Ford Nationals display. Needless to say I wasn’t sure what to expect being that I didn’t know the people attending and was going by myself.

My first car at 16 years old was a ‘73 Mustang Fastback. Since then, which sadly has been decades, I’ve never been without a Mustang. Sure, I have my daily drivers. Ford Focus, had Ford Probe for a while, but there’s always been a Mustang in the stable. This one is extra special though. The stars and planets aligned, or something, because I fell into the right place at the right time. I love this car, but more importantly, the history and heritage behind it.

The STANG Mag family welcomed me in from the very start and made me feel like one of their own!

Members of the STANG Mag family are more passionate about fun and inclusion than they are their cars and that says a lot! I can’t wait to see what’s to come in 2022!