Jeff & Ben Francis walk away with Dick Smith Award at Tower
Classic

Jeff Francis shook his head at the end of the day in amazement at what had happened.
A day in which he and his fathers 1967 Shelby G.T 350 Fastback took home two more
top awards, including the prestigious Dick Smith award at the Fresno Tower Classic Car
Show. “I don’t know what it is about this car, exclaimed an appreciative Francis, “but
there is something definitely special about it”. In the 2 years since its meticulous
restoration, the rare silver G.T 350 Fastback has been a crowd-pleaser as well as a
judge-favorite.

Francis has restored two Shelby G.T 350’s, including the 1967 Silver Fastback, and a
Blue 1968 Convertible. Both cars were impeccably detailed and entered in the show,
and provided a treat for all Shelby fans as they were proudly displayed next to each
other.

At the end of the day, the show organizers and entrants gathered for the award cere-
mony, and the first honor to be given away was the posthumously awarded Dick Smith
plaque.

Francis’ 1967 G.T 350 Fastback was the judges clear favorite and was awarded the
prestigious honor without question. Jeff and Ben Francis gratefully received the coveted
plaque and paid homage to the car that brought them the award. “ I love the fact that
other people seem to love the car as much as we do”, Jeff remarked, “It was definitely
worth the time and effort to restore it as it has brought a lot of satisfaction to my father
and I, not just as classic car restorers but also car lovers as well”.