Shelbys at Miller Motorsports Track

Larry H. Miller, owner of the Miller Motorsports Track, exhibits his two Ford GTs at the Annual American Shelby Association Race and Show.

Red, blue, silver and black paint gleamed in the desert sun as engines purred, then revved from all eight cylinders to signal their arrival on the track.

Parade laps around the Miller Motorsports Track are a treat for each car owner, giving them a chance to flaunt the vehicles they restored or recently purchased to enhance for racing performance purposes.

"It's great to be here and see all of these cars," said Mike Morley from Sandy. "It's nice to see them out here running and not just sitting in someone's garage or showroom."

Hundreds of performance Mustang GT 500s, Shelbys, Cobras and GTs were presented in the Annual American Shelby Association race and show in Utah.

Racers, dealers and muscle car enthusiasts from around the country traveled to Tooele to be part of an exhibition centered on the celebrated heritage that Shelby holds in many Americans' hearts.

Shelby Mustangs became an American icon in 1966 when Ford Motors hired Carroll Shelby to redesign the previous lackluster 1964 Mustang model. Shelby was a prominent, retired international sports car racer with a keen eye for sleek design and vast knowledge about how powerful European motors operated, according to Carroll Shelby's official Web site.

In 1964, Shelby designed his own motor with inspiration from the Ford's Falcon engine configuration and created a body design from scratch. Shelby called it the Cobra and it was wildly successful. In 1965, Shelby's Cobra won the FIA Manufacturers Grand Touring World Championship, becoming the first American company to ever do so.

Shelby gave Ford's Mustang a face-lift and introduced Shelby's signature engine under the hood. Ford then began winning international racing competitions and winning America's attention.

Consumer drivers were so impressed by the Mustang's sporty look that they couldn't tell the difference between the racing cars and stock models. In 1967, production had to be moved from an abandoned Los Angeles airport hangar to Ford's factories in Detroit to begin mass production of the Shelby Mustang to meet the public's ever-growing demand. Shelby became a household name synonymous with speed, power, agility and the best Mustang money could buy.

Forty years later, the Ford Mustang is the No. 1 sports car in America, according to the MSN Autos Web site, followed by the Chevrolet Corvette in second place.

Gordon Oliver, a retired Indy racecar official from Costa Mesa, Calif., said he bought his first Mustang 40 years ago and refuses to buy any other type of car.

"I own nothing but Mustangs; I can't help but like them," Oliver said. "I can't break them either."

What about the monetary benefits of the hobby? "This is all just for fun," Oliver said "There's no money to be made. It's all for fun."

Like many of the other participants in Tooele's show, Oliver belongs to a county or other regional Cobra or Shelby club. Members travel around the country showcasing their vehicles and the 5.4-liter, 450-horsepower engines found within.

Brenda Seargent from Tooele joined the Shelby Car Club in 1975, where she met her husband, Brent. She and her daughter, also named Shelby, own two Mustangs together while her husband owns four more. Seargent said racing and showing off the "genuine American muscle car" is exciting and fun.

"I've been around it and been enjoying it all of my life," Seargent said.

Racing, restoring and showing these muscle cars have been life-long and family traditions for many individuals. Jay Bittle from San Diego cleaned the grille of his cream-colored 1967 Mustang Shelby GT 500 in the 100-degree weather while still in his well-insulated red and white racing suit. Bittle bought the very '67 Mustang he was cleaning in 1968 in a cornfield for $800 when he was 18.

"I've had my car longer than my wife," he said.

Bittle said his fascination and love for racing was present when he was born, but really kicked into high gear with that first '67 Mustang.

"A few days after I bought it, some stupid kid wanted to race me," Bittle said. "We raced in front of the cheerleaders, and I wasted him. It was so cool!"

Bittle owns a number of Mustangs and Cobras, but brought only two to the track. He races a vintage, original Mustang that has a pair of sparkling dark blue racing stripes running the hood, cab and tail end of the car. The other, a fire engine red 2006 Mustang Shelby Cobra, is the car Bittle's 19-year-old son races.

"My favorite car, the one I drive around town, is a 2003 Mustang Cobra," Bittle said. "It's blue, sonic blue."

Although some have been in the Mustang and racing business from their first car, some are just catching on to the thrilling nature the sport and program provides.

Mike Brewer and Susan Ferro from Eau Claire, Wis., just purchased their first Mustang, a black 2007 Cobra, in April. They worked feverishly to have "the American muscle" ready in time for this year's annual Shelby show and race. Both have had a great time improving and enhancing their car.

"This experience is just great," Ferro said. "It is such a beautiful car."