Roy Sjoberg, known as “Father Viper,” will join Carroll Shelby’s early “employees” Peter Brock and Chuck Cantwell, as the Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance holds a “Celebration of the Snakes” at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum July 24-25, 2022.
The theme for the fifth annual Concours in the City of Brotherly Love will recognize the significance and history of the iconic Shelby Cobra and Dodge Viper in the world of collector cars, and will benefit Cool Cars for Kids.
Sjoberg, Brock, Cantwell and former Eagles coach Dick Vermeil, will participate in a panel discussion during Saturday’s Concours, and will be recognized at the event gala on Friday. Both events take place at the Simeone Museum. Tickets to both may be purchased at GALA and CONCOURS.
After 25 years with General Motors, Sjoberg joined Chrysler in 1985, becoming the first Chief Engineer of Viper, as selected in 1989 by then Chrysler Corp. chairman and CEO Lee Iacocca and Chrysler’s President Bob Lutz. He quickly assembled a team of 85 people that would take Viper from concept to production in less than 36 months.
Sjoberg also oversaw the development of the 1996 Viper GTS, an instant success, and in 1995 created the multiple-race-winning GTS-R race team before his retirement in 1997.
The nonprofit Cool Cars for Kids, Inc. (CCfK) will stage a classic car “competition of elegance” on Saturday, June 25, at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia, which in 2019 was voted the “No. 1 Car Collection in the World” by The Classic Car Trust.
The Concours will be preceded on Friday, June 24, by a Preview Gala featuring legendary Super Bowl-winning Coach Dick Vermeil, who will be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame this August, and Peter Brock, who was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America this past March. Cantwell and Sjoberg will also be recognized.
“We are thrilled to be celebrating two of America’s most iconic sports cars, the Cobra and the Viper, at this year’s Philadelphia Concours d’Elegance,” said Michael Tillson III, president and director of Cool Cars for Kids, and one of the country’s most highly regarded authorities on classic and sports automobiles. “Attendees of the Concours will not only have a chance to get an up-close look of many historic and legendary examples of Cobras and Vipers, but also see other classic cars from the Simeone Collection.
“They will also be treated to a no-holds-barred discussion about the Shelby and Viper years with Peter Brock, Chuck Cantwell and Roy Sjoberg.” The earlier press release announcing Brock and Cantwell may be found at https://conta.cc/3vDxOaY.