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The History of
the Ray Cuomo
Shelby Group 2 1966 Mustang Hardtop #6
The Shelby International
Registry identifies this car as number 6 of 16 1966 Ford Mustang Hardtops
purchased by Carroll Shelby. It underwent specific modifications to prepare
them for Group II competition.
Number 6 was originally
purchased from SA by Gofaster, Inc. of Long Island City. Gofaster, owned by
John Norwood, was the East Coast Distributor for Goodyear racing tires at the
time. The car was entered by the Ring Free Oil Racing Team in the 1967 24 Hour
Daytona Continental. Ray Cuomo of Gofaster along with co-driver Paul Richards,
brought the car home 1st in Class and 11th Overall.
Unlike many of its
sister cars, which competed during 1967 and 1968 seasons, #6 did not return to
competition until 1969, when John Gimbel traded Ray Cuomo of Gofaster Inc. his
1967 Shelby GT-350 for car #6, a car trailer and as a tow car, a 1963 Blue
Oldsmobile station wagon affectionally nicknamed "The Blue Whale".
John used the car for Drivers School, Regional, National and finally FIA
driver license requirements. In 1970 the car was entered in the 24 Hours of
Daytona by Ray Cuomo Racing Enterprises with John Gimbel and George (Corky)
Lisberg doing the driving. The car finished 2nd in Class and 16th. overall.
Jan Nelsen and Frank Dobias purchased the car
from John Gimbel in March of 1970. Frank used the car to attain his regional
and FIA license. In 1971 they entered the car in the IMSA Camel GT Summit
Point 4 hour Enduro. Jan and Frank brought the car home 5th in T/O. The car
was entered in and driven by Jan in numerous East-Coast Trans-Am events from
St. Jovite/Canada to Mid-Ohio during 1970, 1971 and 1972. The highest
finishing position being 16th, for the 6 year old race car, in the Schaefer
Trans-Am at Lime Rock Park/CT in 1972.
Jan Nelson and Frank Dobias car at Bryar Motorsport
Park, Loudon New Hampshire
The no. 14 was assigned by SCCA for the T/A series
Although
Jan and Frank had hopes of pulling a HAT TRICK at the 24 Hours of
Daytona, a six year old car was definitely becoming harder to qualify in
professional evetns. As teh saying goes "there is nothing slower than
last years race car".
Number 6's professional career had come to an end. Jan Frank ran the car in
numerous local club, regional and national events, the last being a 4 Hour
regional Endura at Bryar Motorsport Par in Louden N.H. in 1980.
Jan
and Frank started the restoration of #6 around 2004.
A word about the
external fuel filler on this car:
"To the best of our knowledge our car was delivered by Shelby
to Daytona for the 1967 24 Hour Daytona Continental WITH an external fuel
filler. Everyone we have been in touch with states all the '66 cars came with an internal filler.
I believe our car was fitted with the external filler since it was prepared for the 1967 event. In 1967 the external
fillers were mandatory.
A photo that we have of the car at
Daytona 1967 shows the external filler.
We are restoring it to that status 'as first raced'.
Frank Dobias and Jan Nelson 2006
#6 at the SAAC31-meeting in 2006 (VIR)
There are other photos of this car at
www.carmemories.com/submitters/dobias
With door number 72 at the Lime
Rock Festival 2006
In the streets of Watkins Glen 2006
Click here for
news about the car from Watkins Glen 2013 (PDF courtesy of
Frank Dobias)
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