New Ford CEO Jim Farley is well-known as a classic car enthusiast, but champion-grade race car driver? Now that’s something else entirely.
Last week, Farley flew to California to participate in the Trans Am SpeedTour at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca series, which is organized by the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, in order to celebrate a first-quarter earnings report that far exceeded investor expectations.
"I can't remember a time in my life, in my career, to have had so many hot products in one market like North America as Ford does right now,” Farley said. “I mean, Mach-E sold out. Bronco Sport sold out. Super Duty sold out. ... I do know it feels like we're going to be chasing demand for quite some time."
The pressures of being the CEO of a majorly prestigious American company like Ford can often seem insurmountable. In order to relax, Farley regularly heads to the track.
This past Saturday, he suited up and climbed behind the wheel of his 1966 Ford Cobra in Salinas, California, winning his class and placing second in the series overall.
"Jim Farley had another great weekend of racing. Jim drives that Cobra the way it was meant to be driven," Tony Parella, president of the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association, told the Free Press on Tuesday.
Farley wasn’t the only major business titan to take to the track this past weekend, as music industry mogul Scott Borchetta of Nashville and Southwest Funding founder and CEO Don Young of Dallas were also present.
“Business executives and titans of corporations from across various industries enjoy what we call ‘throttle therapy,' " said Mike Kessler, general manager of Radford Racing School in Chandler, Arizona.
"Whether they’re participating in track days or competitive races, it’s an opportunity to step out of their high pressure jobs and relieve stress," Kessler said. "It’s astonishing how therapeutic a session behind the wheel can be. Fueled by the rush of speed and the power of the engine, it helps to clear the mind and sharpen their focus.”
Farley’s steady commitment to racing since taking up the Ford CEO mantle in October of 2020 has surprised many. This is his third event since ascending to the Blue Oval throne, and each time, he’s made the podium.
"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, said at the time.
Ford’s rich racing heritage is borne out of its incredible reputation for power and performance. To get behind the wheel of an exhilarating Ford vehicle from Haldeman Ford in East Windsor today, click here to browse our available inventory. Don’t hesitate to contact us online, by phone, or in person today for a test drive!