Shelby, SAAC Legal Battle Brewing

The announcement of Shelby's new club, Team Shelby (see below), begs the question, "What about the Shelby American Automobile Club," an organization that has been dedicated to the preservation, history, and enjoyment of Shelby vehicles since 1975? Well, it's getting ugly.

On November 18, 2007, Carroll Shelby Licensing issued notification to SAAC that its licensing agreement would not be renewed upon expiration in January 2008. The letter requires SAAC to cease using Shelby intellectual properties (including "Shelby"), return all documents obtained from Shelby, provide documents about the Shelby Registry, and return all material and merchandise bearing Shelby's intellectual properties. This means SAAC would no longer be able to operate using its longtime and well-established name.

SAAC responded with a press release, dated November 25, stating that it will fight Shelby's demands. "We have not worked for 33 years to suddenly allow this to happen. Initial indications from SAAC's legal counsel are that Shelby's many demands are without legal merit. As a result, SAAC has no choice other than to vigorously defend the clubs' and its members' proprietary information, property, and rights."

SAAC has created a legal defense fund at its Web site, www.saac.com <http://www.saac.com/> , so members can help defray some of the expected costs from an anticipated legal battle.