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But, in essence, it’s all about the triumph of these misfits having completely unrealistic dreams, but just passionately pursuing them. And how when these incredible events happen — throughout all mankind — it always comes down to these rather eccentric, somewhat unrealistic individuals who really move the world forward and achieve progress… They would have been voted most unlikely to succeed. For Miles it was certainly his last chance and for Shelby it was the beginning of hopefully a new era for him as the famous car designer that we all know him for now.

How much did you know about the real story?

Not much. I knew of Shelby. I knew of the Cobra (car). I certainly knew of Le Mans. But I wasn’t aware of what occurred in 1966 and I certainly wasn’t aware of the unsung hero Ken Miles. So I hope his name, which is very well known in motor racing circles, gets more public recognition. I hope this film changes that.

Were you able to find parallels between Shelby and Miles to your own work in the film industry?

I think everybody did. In the film business, we require the belief of sometimes large corporations, sometimes single investors. We’re looking to fulfil our dream to create the absolute best story that we can. But it’s in our history. Take the great masters of painting. No one would have heard of them if they didn’t have some benefactor behind them. It’s essential.

What was the training regimen like to be able to drive these cars?

Well, let’s not get carried away. The racing sequences would not have been some of the best I’ve ever seen if it was just me driving the whole time … I did as much as I could. I spun that thing out a bunch of times from pushing it too hard. But it was exhilarating beyond belief.