Jim Farley made clear that he wouldn’t stop driving race cars just because he’s now the CEO of Ford Motor Co.
And Farley showed last week that he isn’t just content racing for fun; he’s out there to win.
Behind the wheel of his Ford Cosworth-powered 1978 Lola T298, Farley took first place in his class in the Enduro race at the Road Atlanta Grand Prix. Ford’s top executive set the fastest lap time — 1:25.592 — and highest speed — 106.832 mph — during the 70-minute race, which required one pit stop.
Some of the 13 teams competing used more than one driver, but Farley competed solo. His winnings? A medal and a bottle of champagne.
“I don’t know that a CEO from any car company has won a truly authentic auto race before,” Mark Dill, vice president of public relations for the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, told the Detroit Free Press.