Just a few days before I left, SVT invited me to attend a dinner the night before the unveiling of the new Shelby Mustang. While the first of us to arrive were waiting on the rest of the group, I saw Hau Thai-Tang come to the door and hold it open for the gentleman behind him. It was Carroll Shelby! I knew I would get to meet him, but to have dinner with Shelby was something I couldn’t have imagined.

There were 10 of us at dinner: Mustang Times editor Josh Bolger, Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords Editor Jim Campisano, Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords Technical Editor Evan Smith, SVT Communications Manager Alan Hall, SVT Brand Manager Tom Jones, SVT Marketing and Sales Manager George Ayres, SVT Chief Engineer Jay O’Connell, SVT Director Hau Thai-Tang, Mustang legend Carroll Shelby, and me. As we walked to our table and I pulled out my chair, Carroll walked behind me and pulled out the chair beside me. I leaned over to Mr. Jones and asked him to trade seats with me, but Mr. Jones insisted that I sit beside Carroll.

Carroll Shelby is an extremely friendly and generous person. For three hours we talked about old and new Shelby Mustangs, southern food, the automotive industry, politics, current events, and his children's foundation. In talking about his foundation and my job at Children’s Hospital I asked Mr. Shelby to consider making a donation to the hospital, and he said he’d be glad to. After we finished the first bottle of wine, Carroll autographed the label and handed it to me saying, “Hang onto this.”