I've always been asked, 'What is my favorite car?' and I've always said 'The next one.'

The Cobra is my personal favorite car. The original 289 Cobra is the car I respect the most. I like to drive the 289 better than the 427.

It's a massive motor in a tiny, lightweight car.

I had a lot of fun driving race cars, but it wasn't my No. 1 priority.

In 1964, when Lee Iacocca said, 'Shelby, I want you to make a sports car out of the Mustang,' the first thing I said was, 'Lee, you can't make a race horse out of a mule. I don't want to do it.' He said, 'I didn't ask you to make it; you work for me.'

I don't think I'm a celebrity. I'm just a guy from east Texas who loves cars and airplanes.