After the resurgence of interest in Carroll Shelby this past summer it's easy to think that you might know all there is to know about the man who helped put Ford atop the podium at Le Mans in 1966.

What you don't know adds a layer of depth to the memory of one of the greatest American car builders to ever live. Late in his life, he gave a few very poignant, honest interviews that let us into the truth of who he really was.

Via - Shelby

He tells us about how he preferred an automatic truck at that time in his life. Stories from his early years abound and he really opens up in a way we don't often hear from people like him.

Let's talk about a couple of the biggest truths you've never known.

His Rivalry With Ferrari Was Personal

Via - Autoweek

In the movie, it's obvious how personal Mr. Ford took Enzo Ferrari spurning their advances. That part of the story is completely true. What you may not know is that Ferrari had courted Carroll Shelby for years at this point in history. Shelby turned him down every single time. He even told Enzo that he could make more money racing in America. When Ford asked Shelby to help them take on Ferrari his quote to the media was "Next year, Ferrari's ass is mine."

Why the animosity? He considered Enzo to be an immoral man who treated his drivers as totally disposable. In 1956 Mr. Ferrari met with his drivers for the upcoming season. 6 of the 7 drivers didn't make it through that season and included in the fatalities was Carroll Shelby's personal friend Luigi Musso. He made it his purpose to embarrass Enzo at every turn after that and was known to blame him for the deaths of drivers behind the wheel of any prancing horse.

His Company Was His Life

Via - DrivingLine

Shelby was always an entrepreneur. He began his early life as a chicken farmer of all things. When that didn't work out he went racing because he loved the idea. His first win came only a few hours before his second win. Both were dramatic as he dominated a group of drivers that were all veterans in his first race and then cars that were far faster than his in his second race.

Although he wanted racing cars to become part of his his legacy, he was taken out of the cockpit far earlier than expected. His heart wasn't up to racing. He even joked that he would've won his last race instead of coming in second if he hadn't needed to pop some medication while he was driving around Laguna Seca. That made him turn his attention to what we're used to hearing about, building race cars.

Via - GrassRootsMotorSports

He had his hands in lots of projects over the years because he knew it was good for his own personal business and brand. Cars like the Omni GLHS and Shelby Lancer were popular and still are desirable today despite their lower horsepower numbers. He got into the chili business, land development, and safari expeditions. He was a man of many passions who spent his late years focused on time with his family and his favorite animals.

NEXT: 15 Reasons They Need To Bring Back The 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 ASAP