HMF Honors Enzo Ferrari

Written By: Donna Rhodes | Issue: April 2025

If you’re seeing red (rosa corsa), it’s because the Highlands Motoring Festival team is in high gear. Red-dy or not, join this world-class event and learn why race cars are adorned in classic crimson!

Witness firsthand Enzo Ferrari’s timeless productions at Classics in the Park Invitational Judged Car Show on Saturday, June 14, in Kelsey-Hutchinson Founders Park 9:30 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. Also on Saturday, break out sparkles and finery for the HMF Gala at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club, 6:00 to 9:00 P.M. ($175 per guest, with proceeds going to local charities).

Even though the driving tour is sold-out, there will be plenty to experience like The Main Street Parade of Classics on Friday, June 13, and the High Octane Car Show on Sunday, June 15. It’s a Social and Car Gathering event in Kelsey-Hutchinson Park, 8:30-11:00 A.M.

In addition to the red Ferraris, there will be hundreds of other classic and collector cars in Highlands for the four days of the festival, June 12-15.

In HMF history, Ferraris are no strangers to the annual enthusiasts. HMF’s first visiting Ferrari was 1953 “Little Red”, 166MM/53 with racing history and celebrity ownership. During the 2021 Highlands Motoring Festival there was a joint venture with The Bascom Gallery. Two significant Ferraris were displayed: a 1966 275GTB/4 alloy and a 1974 Dino 246 GTS. In recent years they’ve hosted many Ferraris: 250 GT 2+2, 275 GTB, 330 GTC, 365 GTB Daytona, 308 GTB, 308 GT4, Testarossa, and F-40.

Ferrari of Atlanta became a sponsor of Highlands Motoring Festival in 2016 and has displayed a variety of new Ferraris on the HMF show field over the years.

The festival’s Grand Marshall for 2025 is Mr. Corky Coker. The Coker name is well known to the collector car world by his family’s businesses: “Honest Charlie,” a popular mail order speed shop back in the mid-century; and Coker Classic Tires. Mr. Coker will share his experiences as a lifelong gearhead at the festival’s Gala at Wildcat Cliffs Country Club on Saturday, June 14, from 6:00 to 9:00 P.M.

All proceeds go to three human-needs charities. A future Laurel issue will feature HMF’s community generosity.

 

Who was Enzo Ferrari?
(b. 1898; d. 1988)

• Son of a metal worker in Modena, Italy

• As a young man, he was rejected for a job at Fiat, a grudge that continued until 1969 when he sold a majority share of the Ferrari company to Fiat.

• 1920-1923, a driver for Alfa Romeo.

• By late 1920s, he became the race team manager for Alfa. When the factory backed out of racing, Enzo took over the team under the Scuderia Ferrari banner.

• Ferrari survived WWII with a small machine shop. The plan: make automotive components.

• Enzo’s friend and former driver, Luigi Chinetti, convinced Enzo to build his own cars – Enzo’s lifelong dream. It was agreed that Ferrari would build 20 cars, and Chinetti would sell them to wealthy Americans. This was an agreement that neither man felt confident that he could fulfill. It would become legendary.

• Chinetti’s sales skills and racing abilities helped establish Ferrari as an international powerhouse. He imported Ferraris to the United States and sold them to wealthy buyers.

• In 1947, the first Ferrari was produced and raced successfully. In 1949 a Ferrari driven by Chinetti won the Le Mans 24 endurance race, a turning point for Ferrari.

• Into the 1950s, Ferrari thrived with custom-built high performance cars and race cars.

• Ferraris become the status symbols for the rich and famous including many Hollywood stars and royalty.

• Into the 1960s, even though it was a small under-capitalized manufacturer, Ferrari successfully competed and dominated in three major motorsports venues: F1 Grand Prix, Sports Car and Prototype endurance racing. At the same time, Ferrari was producing several hundred “production” cars per year.

• It is often said that Enzo hated the production car business and did it to finance the racing end of the business.

• Over the years, Enzo employed the best drivers available. These names include Nuvolari, Ascari, Fangio, Moss, Gendbien, Surtees, Graham Hill, Shelby, Bandini, Phil Hill, and many other greats.

• Ford vs. Ferrari: After the Academy Award winning movie, this David and Goliath story is now folk lore. In 1962 Ford Motor Company’s attempt to purchase Ferrari was answered with Enzo insulting Henry Ford Jr. That provoked Ford to beat Ferrari at any cost. It took three years for Ford to win the Le Mans race and break Ferrari’s 10-year domination.

• Interesting sidebar: When Enzo Ferrari was young, he wanted to be an operetta tenor, a sports journalist, or a racing driver.

For more info, visit HighlandsMotoringFestival.com.