Original Shelby crew reunites for new GT350
On Feb. 15, 1965, at the Green Valley Raceway just outside Smithville, in Carroll Shelby’s home state of Texas, Ken Miles drove a GT350 Competition Model in the BP Division to the first of what would be a long line of racing victories for Shelby Mustangs. It was during this historic race that an image was captured with Miles at the wheel and all four wheels off the ground, forever tagging that car as the “Flying Mustang.”
One of the “kids” that worked on that winning car back at Shelby’s home port of Venice, Calif., was Jim Marietta, who had officially joined the original Shelby crew in early January 1965. Marietta came to Venice from North Royalton, Ohio, where he had become quite adept at turning a wrench, having been taught the basics by his father. Back home, Marietta had honed his skills on Dad’s Classic Auburn 854 supercharged convertible sedan, a Cord 812-SC Beverly sedan and even an original Reo Speedwagon. Marietta left high school to employ his natural skills as a
