Ed Leslie

Ed Leslie in Carmel, took up the position of sales manager for Monterey’s Beattie Ford in 1954, and by 1957 was competing in local sports car races. In 1959, Leslie opened his own dealership, Leslie Motors, which specialized in Triumph, Lotus, Isuzu and, eventually, Shelby Cobras. Throughout this period, Leslie campaigned a wide variety of sports and racing cars, including an MGA, an MGB, a Triumph TR4, a Cooper, a Gemini, a Lotus and an Austin Healey. Racing for Kjell Qvale in 1963, Leslie and his co-driver, Frank Morrill, drove a lightweight Jaguar XKE to 7th overall and 1st in class in the 12-Hours of Sebring. This and other fine performances brought Leslie to the attention of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles, who offered Leslie a 289 Cobra to drive in the 1964 USRRC series, which he went on to win. The following year, Leslie was part of the famous Shelby team that drove the Cobra Daytona coupe to victory in the 1965 FIA World Sports Car Championship. Leslie would later go on to race Cougars and Camaros in the Trans-Am championship for both Roger Penske and Jim Hall throughout the late ’60s, and was part of James Garner’s American International Racing team that drove a Lola T70 to 2nd place overall in the 1969 24-Hours of Daytona.

Subject ID: 37404

More

Ed Leslie in Carmel, took up the position of sales manager for Monterey’s Beattie Ford in 1954, and by 1957 was competing in local sports car races. In 1959, Leslie opened his own dealership, Leslie Motors, which specialized in Triumph, Lotus, Isuzu and, eventually, Shelby Cobras. Throughout this period, Leslie campaigned a wide variety of sports and racing cars, including an MGA, an MGB, a Triumph TR4, a Cooper, a Gemini, a Lotus and an Austin Healey. Racing for Kjell Qvale in 1963, Leslie and his co-driver, Frank Morrill, drove a lightweight Jaguar XKE to 7th overall and 1st in class in the 12-Hours of Sebring. This and other fine performances brought Leslie to the attention of Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles, who offered Leslie a 289 Cobra to drive in the 1964 USRRC series, which he went on to win. The following year, Leslie was part of the famous Shelby team that drove the Cobra Daytona coupe to victory in the 1965 FIA World Sports Car Championship. Leslie would later go on to race Cougars and Camaros in the Trans-Am championship for both Roger Penske and Jim Hall throughout the late ’60s, and was part of James Garner’s American International Racing team that drove a Lola T70 to 2nd place overall in the 1969 24-Hours of Daytona.

Subject ID: 37404

Less