VIN: the works Shelby Cobra Daytona chassis CSX 2601
History of chassis CSX 2601
Along with CSX 2602, CSX 2601 was one of two Cobra Daytonas built for the 1965 season after Shelby’s fleet of four 1964 cars had narrowly missed out on that year’s World Championship.
CSX 2601 was used in eight of the nine races contested in 1965 and emerged with class wins in four of them.
Its debut was at the Daytona 2000km. In the hands of Bob Johnson and Tom Payne, it qualified sixth with the sister cars fifth, seventh and eighth. However, at mid distance, the engine blew and the car was retired.
The same two drivers were in CSX 2601 for the Sebring 12 Hours a month later where it qualified slowest of the four team cars in 17th. However, problems for some of the other Cobra Daytonas saw Johnson and Payne take the GT class lead.
After surviving the famous thunderstorm on Saturday night, they came home seventh overall and second in class.
For the rest of the season, CSX 2601 was prepared by Alan Mann Racing.
At the Monza 1000km, it was driven by Bob Bondurant and Allen Grant who qualified fastest of the two Cobra Daytonas and started ninth. Up against limited opposition, Alan Mann told his drivers to take it easy and ensure they collected maximum points. Bondurant and Grant drove conservatively to eighth overall and collected the class win.
Bondurant raced single-handedly at the Spa 500km and, with only a small number of Prototype entries, he qualified fifth. John Whitmore was second in the sister car.
On lap eight, Bondurant’s machine started running on seven cylinders. With Mann’s squad unable to detect where the problem lay, CSX 2601 was sent back out. Remarkably, Bondurant not only completed the race, but finished fifth overall and secured another class win.
At the Nurburgring 1000km a week later, Alan Mann ran three Cobra Daytonas and they proved by far the quickest GT cars in the event. On this occasion, Bondurant was joined by Jochen Neerpasch and qualified CSX 2601 in eleventh with the sisters cars lining up 18th and 20th.
The American machines romped home to victory in the GT category; Bondurant and Neerpasch placed seventh overall and took another class win.
Le Mans one month later saw CSX 2601 run under a Ford France entry in its normal Shelby colours. It was driven by Jo Schlesser and Allen Grant, one of five Cobra Daytonas that started the race.
Schlesser and Grant lined up 23rd on the grid (second slowest of the quintet).
Around midnight, the car had a half shaft replaced. Clutch problems then forced it out of the race after 111 laps.
The penultimate event for CSX 2601 came two weeks later. Entered for Bondurant and Schlesser to drive at the Reims 12 Hours, the car qualified ninth with the sister machine tenth.
A largely trouble-free run saw Bondurant and Schlesser finish fifth overall to secure another GT class victory.
CSX 2601’s final period outing was at the Coppa Citta di Enna, a 500km race for GT cars. The Cobra Daytonas headed to Italy with the championship already secure. Bondurant qualified third behind a pair of Ferrari 250 LMs.
Although not homologated as GT cars by the FIA, the LMs were permitted to run in a special GT class by the Italian organisers.
Bondurant looked to be heading for outright victory, but two pit stops put him out of the running. He eventually finished third and took the over three-litre GT class win.
With the Cobra Daytonas obsolete from 1966 because of rule changes, CSX 2601 was retired from active duty.
It was flown back to Los Angeles, refreshed and sold to Bob Bondurant who retained it until 1969.
Notable History
Shelby American
Guardsman Blue Metallic with White stripes
28/02/1965 WSC Daytona 2000km (B. Johnson / T. Payne) DNF (#12)
27/03/1965 WSC Sebring 12 Hours (B. Johnson / T. Payne) 7th oa, 2nd GT5.0 class (#14)
25/04/1965 WSC Monza 1000km (B. Bondurant / A. Grant) 8th oa, 1st GT3.0+ class (#48)
16/05/1965 WSC Spa 500km (B. Bondurant) 5th oa, 1st GT5.0+ class (#20)
23/05/1965 WSC Nurburgring 1000km (B. Bondurant / J. Neerpasch) 7th oa, 1st GT3.0+ class (#54)
20/06/1965 WSC Le Mans 24 Hours (J. Schlesser / A. Grant) DNF (#12)
04/07/1965 WSC Reims 12 Hours (B. Bondurant / J. Schlesser) 5th oa, 1st GT3.0+ class (#26)
15/08/1965 WSC Coppa Citta di Enna (B. Bondurant) 3rd oa, 1st GT3.0+ class (#24)
Sold to Bob Bondurant
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Ford - https://www.ford.com
