News:

SAAC Member Badges are NOW available. Make your request through saac.memberlodge.com to validate membership.

Main Menu

Nor Cal Shelby Club Founding Members

Started by 6s2055, July 06, 2025, 12:37:34 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

6s2055

Was reading a current tribute for the Nor-Cal club on Snakebites. They mentioned those who founded the club. For some reason I thought that Don Day and Dick Smith were the original founding members also. Memory is slipping and could be wrong.

SFM5S000

#1
Hi Terry,

I haven't read the Snakebites article but wasn't Royal Krieger (sp?) in there somewhere? This is off the top of my head. My memory too is starting to slip.

Cheers,
~Earl J

6s2055

Earl, forgot about Krueger! There was a time when Nor-Cal posted a lot on the forum, but seems they are now far and few between!

TA Coupe

I'm not sure but maybe Drew Serb and possibly Gordon Gimbel?

     Roy
If it starts it's streetable.
Overkill is just enough.

SFM5S000

#4
Quote from: 6s2055 on July 06, 2025, 12:37:34 AMWas reading a current tribute for the Nor-Cal club on Snakebites. They mentioned those who founded the club. For some reason I thought that Don Day and Dick Smith were the original founding members also. Memory is slipping and could be wrong.

Also from that time period aside from Royal Krieger, Dick Smith and Don Day was Tom Georgalos, Walt Boeninger (RIP), Don Lee, Ron Tredway I think Tom Fry too. Jack Schroll, Rich Rodeck I couldn't remember everyone. How can I forget, Bill Maier of Maier Racing. (I remember when Mike Maier was born)
NorCal SAAC grew rapidly.
NorCal SAAC's MiniNats 1 was in September of 1983. SAAC 1 was in August of 1976. In 7 short years NorCal Region SAAC became the largest organized Shelby club. It seemed back then everybody was driving a 65 or 66 GT350 an occasional GT500 or a bunch of real Cobras.
I can't remember when you Terry joined in. Back in the late 70's?? You had the Cobra from S&C Ford in San Francisco the GT500 and then 2055. Forrest Straight, Fred Majorria, Ron Creger etc NorCal was huge.
All remember was Don Day in 5S003 terrorizing that GT350 on the streets around the Bay Area.
But the bottom line was track time.
Heck Sacramento had their own SAAC region, Gordon Gimbel had his Cobra parts business and car. Las Vegas also had their Shelby Club.
Then the Ferrari Club and Shelby Club Nevada City Hill Climb events. Oh those were the days...
I'm rambling at this point. It's blended into one great memory for me personally.

As for NorCal participating on the forum here. The majority of it was me and Tom Dankel when I was VP at NorCal Region and on forum 1.0. Now retired living most of the time in the 1000 Islands area of Northern New York. I'm in California in August for Carmel/Monterey car events and to check on property.

Cheers,
~Earl J

SFM5S000

#5
In later years the NorCal broke out into separate factions: Cobra Club, Sunbeam Tiger Club, Shelby Club & Ford GT.
Carroll Shelby passed on May 11th 2012. Mike Hennessy and his wife Susan got the San Jose Mercury News to host a tribute two weeks and a day after his passing.
The old Ford Motor Company plant location in Milpitas is close by.
The point I'm making here is look at the aerial photo which was made into a poster. The size and number of enthusiasts showing up in that short time frame.

This is NorCal

Cheers,
~Earl J

J_Speegle

Yes NorCal in its peek was HUGE!!!!

Recall one club meeting I attended where there were easily over 100 people in attendance - likely closer to 200. The dynamics were interesting very visible which added to the entertainment factor at times. At least the Mini-Nats continue as a annual event even though it has changed some but what hasn't
Jeff Speegle- Mustang & Shelby detail collector, ConcoursMustang.com mentor :) and Judge

6s2055

Earl, actually bought both my Cobra's from private parties in '66 & '67 but did buy the GT500 from S&C in '67. Joined Nor-Cal around 1990. The track times were great but my best memories were times with members!

TA Coupe

I've been around since 74 or 75 and started going to meetings with Jack Schroll. I think the first ones we went to were in a school portable if I remember correctly, then a meeting room at a bank. Jack and I both went to the first SAAC convention in oakland. Thanks for the memories, Earl.

      Roy
If it starts it's streetable.
Overkill is just enough.