
Cars made by major automakers are frequently mentioned in novels but rarely, if ever, is a specialty car maker named. That narrative changes with Counting Miracles, the latest work by acclaimed author, Nicholas Sparks.
Sparks, who purchased a Revology 1968 Shelby GT500KR in 2023, names his own car in the first chapter, as the lead character, Tanner Hughes, goes for a drive.
In Sparks’ story, Hughes walked toward his car, “thinking it looked fast even while parked in the driveway. A reproduction 1968 Shelby GT500KR from Revology Cars, it was candy-apple red with Wimbledon white stripes; even though it was brand-new, it looked identical to the ones that rolled off the line more than half a century earlier.
Sparks’ book continues: “It was the most extravagant thing Tanner had ever purchased for himself, and when it had arrived, he’d wished his grandpa had been alive to see it. They’d both loved American muscle cars, and while this wasn’t an original, it was made to be driven, not stored in a collector’s garage, which suited him just fine.”
Sparks’ successful writing career took off in 1996 with the publication of The Notebook, a novel that became a New York Times best seller and went on to be turned into a movie, as have 11 of his subsequent novels.
At his home in North Carolina, Sparks says that while he is not a full-blown car collector he has owned some fine vehicles including a Porsche, Ferrari and Bentley. He still owns the Ferrari and Bentley, and a Mercedes SL 600 he bought in 1997 to celebrate the success of the Notebook.
“I had a ‘66 Corvette Stingray and loved the car but I was afraid to take it any distance.” says Sparks. “These old cars look great on the outside but things break on the inside. They are not very reliable. I want to be able to drive around the country and not have it break down. That’s what I was looking for.”
Sparks’ search for a car with the visual appeal of a classic but the reliability of a new car eventually led him to Revology Cars. “It has all the style of those old cars but I feel I could drive it anywhere, anytime.”
Today, Sparks has six cars in his garage including the Revology GT500KR. Now and again, he takes the Shelby out for a drive in the area for a few hours. On a trip to High Point University in North Carolina, Sparks says that “every dude in a pick-up truck gave me a thumbs up. In the parking lot they were taking pictures of it and asked if I would open the hood so they could look at the engine. It draws a lot of looks and drives great.”
In the book, Counting Miracles, the Shelby GT500KR plays an important role in the story line. Without giving away too many details, Hughes’s car is damaged in a collision and the incident leads him into a romantic relationship.
Sparks reveals that Amazon will be making a film version of Counting Miracles, with Alan Ritchson in the lead role. The author says he will lend his car to the film production if needed, although not for the crash scene.
“We were thrilled to learn that Nicholas had put his Revology 1968 Shelby GT500KR in his latest novel,” says Yoshi Amano, VP of marketing, sales, and service. “We didn’t ask him to do this, he just did it. It was so generous of him and a nice surprise for our team, many of whom are ardent fans of his work.”

Revology offers a complete lineup of restored original 1967-1968 Mustang and Shelby GTs. Detailed specifications including content and pricing can be found on the Revology Cars website at www.revologycars.com, or by contacting Revology Cars directly at (800) 974-4463.
Media inquiries only: John McCormick | 734.604.4768 | john@revologycars.com