9th – 15th June 2025. Photos courtesy of Ryan Hardwick
Ryan Hardwick had been awake for nearly 30 hours and had just finished driving his Porche 911 at 200 miles per hour through the French countryside in the dark. Eight and a half hours behind the wheel of a race car during the 24 Hours of Le Mans would break most people. For the 44-year-old Buckhead resident, it was the culmination of a dream that started with dirt bikes at age four.
This past June, Hardwick didn’t just finish the world’s most grueling race—he dominated it. He and his Manthey Racing teammates led for most of the second half of the race, something he notes is “uncommon” with characteristic understatement. When the checkered flag finally fell, Hardwick had become the first Atlantan to complete motorsport’s Triple Crown, a feat only 12 drivers in history have achieved.
“The 24 Hours of Le Mans is the toughest race to win globally,” Hardwick explains. “Even Formula 1 drivers struggle to conquer it. Winning such a competitive race, especially in my third attempt, was unexpected.” During those final two hours, after his driving duties were complete, he stood in the garage with his family, watching his teammate seal their victory—too nervous to sit down, but confident in the preparation that had brought them this far.
But here’s what makes Hardwick’s story remarkable: He didn’t start racing cars until he was 35. By day, he runs Mountain Motorsports, the powersports empire he co-founded straight out of high school. By night—and on weekends across five continents—he’s battling former Formula 1 drivers and factory racing teams for world championship points.
As he sits for an interview fresh off his Le Mans triumph and with one race remaining in his quest for a world championship, Hardwick doesn’t talk like a typical race car driver. He talks like what he is: a Buckhead dad who coaches flag football, an entrepreneur who is passionate about his business, and a husband who credits his wife as his anchor in a life lived at 200 miles per hour.
“I started racing dirt bikes when I was four,” Hardwick explains, tracing an unconventional path to international racing glory. “Then jet skis as a teenager, where I won amateur and world championships.” It wasn’t until 2015—at an age when most professional athletes are retiring—that he seriously drove a race car for the first time.
His late start hasn’t hindered him. This June, Hardwick and his teammates at Germany’s legendary Manthey Racing dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans, leading for most of the second half of the race—”which is uncommon,” he notes with characteristic understatement. The victory completed his Triple Crown, adding to previous wins at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
“Very few people have won all three of these major endurance races,” Hardwick explains. To put it in perspective: winning any one of these races is like winning a Super Bowl. Winning all three is like winning Super Bowls in three different sports.
For non-racing fans, Hardwick breaks down what he does: “We compete in the FIA World Endurance Championship, the top level of sports car racing. It’s similar to Formula 1 but uses production-based sports cars like the Porsche 911 GT3.” In a 24-hour race, he personally drives about eight and a half hours, sharing duties with two teammates.
Hardwick continues, “It’s not about pure speed—it’s about consistency and avoiding mistakes. So many things can go wrong over 24 hours.”
Mountain Motorsports began in 2000 when Hardwick and his childhood best friend Justin Price decided to turn their passion for motorcycles and jet skis into a business. Hardwick was still in college at the time. “We started with one dealership and 17 employees,” he recalls. “Today we have 12 dealerships across three states with over 300 employees, representing 13 top brands.”
The company’s philosophy reflects its founders’ passion: success isn’t measured in revenue but in experiences created. “During COVID, demand for our products surged,” Hardwick notes. “People wanted to get outside, to have adventures with their families. That’s what we’re really selling—not just motorcycles and jet skis, but the experiences they provide.”
It’s this business success that enabled Hardwick’s racing career. “While I initially self-funded my amateur racing, the success of Mountain Motorsports was crucial for attracting sponsors and advancing in the sport,” he acknowledges. “There are strong similarities between high-level racing and business. Both require persistence, consistency, and a willingness to do hard things repeatedly. Success follows consistent effort.”
Hardwick and his wife Whitney moved to Buckhead in 2012, drawn initially by practical considerations—his motorcycle dealerships are located around Atlanta’s perimeter, making Buckhead an ideal base for commuting. But they stayed for entirely different reasons.
“We loved the city life, the restaurants, living close to Chastain Park,” Hardwick says. “It’s an ideal place to raise our two boys.” His sons attend Holy Innocence school, and the family has become deeply rooted in the community. Ask about his favorite local spots and he rattles them off like a true local: “St. Cecilia’s, Lion’s Head, Canoe, and Umi.”
But it’s the community itself that Hardwick values most. “Buckhead has this community of successful young entrepreneurs. The professional connections I’ve made here are incredible. My wife has a strong group of friends through our children’s school and social circles. We’re deeply involved in the Buckhead community—there are so many great causes to support.”
He’s particularly struck by Buckhead’s entrepreneurial culture. “The culture of like-minded successful entrepreneurs in Buckhead is unique. It’s a significant factor in why we choose to live here. There’s an energy, a drive, but also a real sense of community. People here understand what it takes to build something while raising a family.”
Like many successful entrepreneurs, Hardwick has indulged his automotive passion with an impressive car collection housed at his corporate office. But even this has Buckhead roots. “I was 29, and I saw a Lamborghini Aventador in person for the first time here in Buckhead,” he recalls. “It was a pivotal moment. I’d had posters of exotic cars like the Lamborghini Countach on my wall as a kid, but seeing one here, in my neighborhood—it made it feel attainable.”
He and Price now use car acquisitions as business milestones. “We focus on acquiring historically significant and rare cars. We enjoy the process of finding, owning, driving, and eventually selling them. It’s another form of experiencing passion, just like our business.”
Ask Hardwick how he manages the pressure of running a multi-million dollar business while competing at the highest level of international motorsports, and his answer is immediate and heartfelt: “My wife and two boys are my primary source of calm.”
“I love being a father,” he says, his voice warming noticeably. “I coach my son’s flag football team. I’m actively involved in both boys’ sports activities. Yes, I’m racing in Bahrain next month for a world championship, but I’m also making sure I’m at flag football practice.”
He’s quick to acknowledge the real hero in his story. “I’m grateful for my wife’s patience and support. She carries a lot of stress while I pursue these racing dreams. When I’m in France for 24 hours driving a race car, she’s here managing our family, our life. She’s my anchor.”
This gratitude extends to how he sees his success. “The financial success of Mountain Motorsports enabled my racing career, but it’s my family that makes it all worthwhile. You can have all the success in the world, but if you don’t have people to share it with, what’s the point?”
As our conversation wraps up, Hardwick’s mind turns to November 8th, when he’ll race in Bahrain with the world championship on the line. He’s currently leading the FIA World Endurance Championship, locked in a tight battle with Corvette and Ferrari. “Winning the world championship would be the crowning achievement of my racing career,” he admits. “I’ve won championships in North America, but a world championship? That’s the ultimate goal.”
Win or lose in Bahrain, Hardwick has already achieved something remarkable: building a life where passion, business, family, and community intersect seamlessly. He’s proof that you don’t have to choose between boardroom success and personal dreams, between global achievement and local roots.
“People ask me how I balance it all,” Hardwick reflects. “But when you’re doing what you love, when you have a supportive family, when you’re part of a community like Buckhead that understands and encourages ambition—it doesn’t feel like balance. It feels like living.”
Ryan Hardwick races for the FIA World Endurance Championship title on November 8th in Bahrain. Mountain Motorsports operates five locations in metro Atlanta, including stores in Marietta, Roswell, Conyers, Buford, and Lithia Springs.