Shelby CAN AM Chassis #003

Shelby CAN AM Registry

Chassis #003

Originally Owned By: Dick Downs, Commerce City, CO.

History

Bill Dollahite says; " Interesting story on the "Equal" sponsorship. Not sure if I've ever shared it with you. I was at dinner with the Shelby CAN AM test team in Napa after a couple of days testing at Sears Point . The crew was pushing me to race a car in the debut event. I said I would if there was a good sponsor program associated with it. About that time Brian, (the crew chief) was shaking a packet of Equal and the light went on about “Equal” cars. I didn't know a thing about NutraSweet but went to grocery store and looked on the box to get their address. I called information to get the main number, tracked down the table top product manager, Susan Friestadt, and laid out the idea. This was the only deal I ever sold without even meeting the people. It would have been a cool program but SCCA put the dogs on NutraSweet to sponsor the series. They got annoyed and pulled back. SCCA also pulled me out of the race as a result of a SCCA political battle three years earlier. At the time they pulled me personally from the entry list, I was 3 seconds faster than anyone else in the field, had the only real sponsor program and was the only one who didn't own a car. I put Bob Lobenberg in the car at the last minute to satisfy the contract knowing he could do a great job. He obviously did.