Being involved in racing requires immense dedication. Balancing the responsibilities of managing a vehicle and running a business leaves little time to spare. However, when your business was established by the legendary Carroll Shelby, racing becomes an integral part that cannot be ignored. This year, Shelby American upheld the legacy left by Shelby by taking a F-150 Super Snake Sport Truck to Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Photography by Eliud Bautista.

Racing For A Reason

Carroll Shelby understood the power of racing as a marketing tool to showcase the capabilities of his vehicles, following the well-known adage, “win on Sunday, sell on Monday.” A strong performance in racing would undoubtedly boost sales on Monday morning. This ideology is still ingrained within Shelby American, as they continue to introduce new products to the market and promote their offerings at racing events like Pikes Peak.

Shelby American’s lineup for this year’s event included an F-150 Super Snake Sport Truck driven by Robert Prilika from Prilika Motorsports. Joining the drivers on this endeavor were Shelby American President Gary Patterson, Shelby American Vice President Vince LaViolette, Sales and Marketing Manager Kash Singh, and Aaron Shelby.

With Gary Patterson waving the green flag, Prilika unleashed the four-wheel drive F-150 Super Snake up the mountain. The roar of the Whipple supercharged 5.0-liter Coyote engine competed with the cheers and cowbells of enthusiastic spectators eager to catch a glimpse of the truck before it tackled the twisting roads of Pikes Peak. Despite the truck’s lowered stance, suspension upgrades, and a 775-horsepower powerplant, it still carried considerable weight compared to some of the ultra-light race-prepped vehicles. Nevertheless, Prilika utilized his skill set and clocked an impressive time of 13:03.579. This shattered the previous 4WD gas truck record by 3 seconds, making it the fastest Shelby American F-150 Super Snake Sport truck to conquer Pikes Peak thus far.

A Legacy Worth Keeping

While Carroll Shelby was no stranger to racing, his legacy lives on not only through his company but also through the employees and fellow racers who share his passion. Even in a Truck, Shelby American continues to do what we all love to see—go racing. We eagerly anticipate the preservation of this tradition and look forward to witnessing Shelby American’s presence at future events.