Car Guy Magazine Car Guy Magazine Issue 914 | Page 27

Great storytelling is a disappearing art. You have to be witty, eloquent and
convincing. And it never hurts to have a voice where chuckles, pauses and
imitations flow effortlessly. Artist Bill Neale possesses all of these, along
with another attribute that makes his tales legendary – he was there.
As a celebrated automotive artist, entrepreneur, amateur racer and companion to some of the industry’s most influential figures, Bill has experienced
first-hand enough auto history to never tell the same story twice. He was
known for taking impeccable notes, whipping up sketches on the spot and
snapping plenty of photos to help recall these once-in-a-lifetime occurrences.
The accuracy of his work demonstrates that fact.
His paintings, which hang in private collections and museums worldwide,
evoke passions from Le Mans victories and sharp turns at the Colorado Grand,
as well as the tranquility of soft summer evenings on the Monterey Peninsula.
Bill’s passion for the craft led him to help establish the prestigious Automotive
Fine Arts Society in 1983, which now consists of more than 20 of the world’s
foremost automotive painters and sculptors.
Recognized today for his ability to master multiple mediums such as watercolors, acrylics and oils, it was Bill’s tenacity that drove him up the ranks in
the business world. His quick rise from illustrator to creative director at powerhouse ad firm TracyLocke was followed by the founding of his own agency,
Point Communications. After selling the business in 1988, Bill’s art career took
center stage.
Whether he’s buried deep into his latest painting in his Dallas studio or
behind the podium at a social gathering or press conference, Bill’s recollections are truly engaging. One of his favorite subjects, both in conversation and
on canvas, is his dear friend and cover man of this American Driver Magazine
issue, Carroll Shelby.
As part of the original Shelby “rat pack” that dominated the American performance scene in the 1960s, Bill rode shotgun for some of Carroll’s most unforgettable moments. It was during Carroll’s heyday as a racer that Bill recalls
how fabulously talented the legend really was.
“People today just don’t realize the phenomenal talent that Shelby possessed as a driver,” says Neale. “After watching him navigate an ‘S’ curve in an Aston Martin at Sebring one afternoon, I finally asked him for his secret to driving
such smooth curves and always coming out on top. He strategically explained
that he picks an apex and enters the turn a little slower to come out fast with
maximum traction. Then he chuckled and said, ‘If that doesn’t work, I just make
sure I have a bigger engine than everyone else’.”
In the mid-‘60s, Bill and Carroll, along with racing buddies Dave Witts, Tom
Tierney and David E. Davis Jr., formed the renowned Terlingua Racing Team, a
grassroots squad that enjoyed life both on and off of the track. To represent
the team’s lifestyle and anti-establishment attitude, Bill designed a black and
yellow logo with a rabbit holding his paw in the air.

ABOVE Racing Shelby Mustangs and flying P-51 Mustangs; Neale’s enthusiasm for performance ranges the
gamut.
LEFT Neale has remained close to Carroll Shelby since he
was part of the leg