Shelby GT350R With Iconic Racing History to Sell at Mecum
Legendary snake raced by iconic Le Mans GT40 driver Ken Miles is the first Shelby GT350R entered in a race, & we can’t imagine anything cooler.
Ken Miles is a household name thanks to the 2019 blockbuster hit Ford Vs. Ferrari. The movie outlines the story of Ford’s attempted acquisition of Ferrari and the resulting feud at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Though the film does a great job of that story, it doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of Miles’ racing career. He spent countless hours behind the wheel of many cars. Among those cars are several GT40s, a GT-X1 Roadster, a handful of Shelby Cobras, and this very Mustang GT350R.
This GT350R, Serial number 5R002, will cross the auction block a Mecum’s Indianapolis 2020 event in May. Given the insane amounts of money we have seen rare mustangs go for lately, we fully expect this old girl to climb high into the seven-figure range. The lovely folks at Auto Blog were kind to point out that Hagerty values a GT350R at around $1 million. However, this isn’t just another GT350R. This is a prototype with an insane amount of racing heritage. It’s a standout piece of Ford, Shelby, and overall racing history.
“The Flying Mustang” is this legendary monster’s nickname, and the above picture tells you all you need to know about why. While we previously made mention of Miles having driven it, that is only just the beginning. Joining him on the list of former pilots are racing legends Peter Brock, Bob Bondurant, Chuck Cantwell, and Jerry Titus. Indeed, this lineup is nothing to look away from. Brock has over 30 career wins, Titus has seven, and Bondurant runs his own racing school. Oh, he also won his class in a Cobra at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. This Mustang has done it all.
Setting aside the stars behind the wheel, this car’s heritage runs deeper still. This Mustang is the first GT350R ever to race. Additionally, it is the first to tie a win to its belt. It took more than ten wins in the 1965 SCCA season. To top it all off, it isn’t just a GT350R. It is the GT350R. This exact car is the test mule that brought Shelby American to the final design and specs of the GT350R. It truly is one of a kind in every single way possible.
It hasn’t stopped collecting awards, either. This GT350 is the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance 2015 Best in Class award winner. Furthermore, it was dubbed Road and Track’s “Car We Would Most Like to Drive.”
The chance of buying this car within this decade will come and go at the Mecum Indianapolis event in May 2020. Typically, we hope to see cars of this caliber driven from time to time. While we don’t pray it will be locked up forever, we hope the new owner will put it somewhere everyone can appreciate its pedigree.
Photos: Mecum Auto Auctions