50 years to the day following the '66 Le Mans 1-2-3, the No. 68 #FordGT has won the GTE Pro Class at #LeMans24 pic.twitter.com/jkMLuWlEYm
— Ford Performance (@FordPerformance) June 19, 2016
With the 2017 Fusion Sport coming this summer, Tarpon Springs drivers have a lot of performance to be excited about. The bigger news today for motorsports enthusiasts, however, is Ford's victory at 24 Hours of Le Mans this weekend (June 19, 2016).
The triumphant win comes after a 47-year hiatus from racing at Le Mans, and on the 50th anniversary of the underdog-victory of the Ford GT40 mk. II in 1966.
"This is an historic moment for the Ford Motor Company," said Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company. "We dared to dream that we could return to Le Mans, 50 years after the incredible 1966 win, and take on the toughest competition in the world. The pride we all felt when the Ford GT crossed the line at Le Mans is indescribable. The team that designed, built and raced the Ford GT has worked tirelessly to bring us to this result and I am proud of each and every one of them."
It was a different kind of pride that was responsible for that first Le Mans win five decades ago -- wounded pride.
Henry Ford II was angry at Enzo Ferrari for unexpectedly backing out of negotiations to sell in 1963. He was so infuriated, that within a span of three years, Ford Motor Company went from having no racing division, to taking the top three places at the most important motorsport event in the world, effectively shutting Ferrari out.
This year, though the new Ford GT took first and third place, it was thwarted from recreating the famed 1-2-3 finish by none other than a Ferrari. After the race was finished, both teams jockeyed for an advantage by protesting minor violations, dinging each other with just enough time penalties to have absolutely no effect on the final result (but enough to rack up several thousand dollars in fines).
Does that mean the rivalry between these two automotive behemoths is back on? Should we all gather around cheering, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"? Time will only tell, but at Karl Flammer Ford Inc, we hope so. After all, the iconic Ford GT owes its existence to that rivalry, and we would love to see new and amazing nameplates in our new inventory.