Aaron Shelby: It’s All About the People
By Aaron Shelby
Meeting people is one of the things I enjoy the most about Shelby events. I guess that comes naturally as my grandfather Carroll was a genuine ‘people person.’
I witnessed his charm at various events and family gatherings, and while hanging out at the country club with him. He really liked to hear people’s stories, and he was interested in what they had to say. It didn’t matter what their background was, what their job was, how they knew him or didn’t know him, he was just a people person. He could relate to anybody.
More than once while sitting at a car event, someone from his past would come up to reminisce about a race in the 1960s or talk about family. Carroll was very good at remembering people’s families. He could recall details better than anyone that I’ve ever known. And it didn’t matter if he hadn’t seen the person in two years or 10 years, as he could still recollect the facts.
I really try to carry that forward in my role with Shelby and listen to people’s stories. It’s my job as a brand ambassador to put people at ease and make it feel that Shelby is approachable — not just me as a person, but the brand itself, because that’s always what Carroll did. I really want to make sure I’m treating everyone with respect and interest. I’m genuinely curious about what they’re doing. I want them to feel comfortable stepping up to talk with me.
My two sons have attended big car shows and smaller Shelby events through the years. They’ve watched me do it, and I think they have gotten that knack as well.
My oldest, Pierce, has been to Monterey with me and some other car races. People start asking him questions and he’s very personable about it. Pierce understands there’s a great deal of interest in the Shelby world. While he didn’t know Carroll for long when he was a child, he’s happy to pass along stories that he heard.
My youngest son, Larsen, is the same. As he has matured, Larsen has been surprised at how many of his friends like the Shelby brand or his friends’ parents understand what it is and ask questions. He tries to provide all the answers that he can.
That interest is international.
While in the Ford hospitality suite at the 24 Hours of Le Mans during June 2024, I was asked to speak to a group of Ford enthusiasts from Spain. Their hunger to understand Shelby’s heritage at Le Mans was astounding. They all understood Shelby’s importance at Le Mans and the history that Ford and Shelby had together there. It was so fun to experience. If you walk around Le Mans, France, in the middle of June wearing a Shelby jacket or hat, people recognize the brand. They understand how important Shelby has been at Le Mans.
Team Shelby is the critical part of continuing to grow the brand going forward. It attracts new people every year. The new levels of enthusiasts who come in through Team Shelby help expand the knowledge base, both nationally and internationally.
That’s especially prevalent in our European Team Shelby clubs. Whenever we go there to do an event, there’s always a lot of enthusiasm around it. Local club members do a very good job of telling the Shelby story. We can’t be there all the time, so it’s critical to have good recognition through our club to tell the Shelby story.
Team Shelby has done a great job with that in the last 10 years that I’ve been involved. As my grandfather knew, it’s all about the people.
Editor’s Note:
One of Carroll’s grandsons, Aaron Shelby has become one of the highest profile members of the Shelby community. He serves as a board member of Carroll Shelby International, the umbrella organization under which the Shelby entities operate. He is co-President of the Carroll Shelby Foundation and serves as Shelby American’s direct liaison with Ford Motor Company to create fantastic performance vehicles for enthusiasts worldwide. “It was Carroll’s wish before he passed to have a long-term agreement with Ford which he put in place,” Aaron Shelby said. “Today, between Shelby American President Gary Patterson and myself we try to maintain a strong relationship through various levels at Ford, both through the engineering and management side.”
Aaron Shelby is the ultimate brand ambassador.