1967 LE MANS

The 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans solidified Ford Motor Company's dominance in endurance racing and marked a pinnacle for Carroll Shelby's involvement in the program, delivering the second consecutive overall victory after the groundbreaking 1966 sweep. The all-new Ford GT40 Mk IV, an American-designed and built evolution of the J-Car with a powerful 7-liter V8, proved superior in a fierce duel with Ferrari's 330 P4s. American drivers Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt—paired in the Shelby American-entered #1 car—led from early on, setting new records for distance (5,221 km) and average speed (218 km/h) while finishing four laps ahead of the runner-up Ferrari. This triumph remains the only all-American Le Mans win (drivers, team, chassis, engine, and tires) and introduced the now-iconic tradition of spraying champagne on the podium, started spontaneously by Gurney. For Ford, it reinforced global prestige and sales momentum in the ongoing rivalry with Ferrari; for Shelby, whose team managed the effort, it capped his direct role in the GT40's golden era before rule changes shifted the landscape, paving the way for Ford's streak to continue through 1969.