Tracy Krohn
A Texas oil magnate who funds his own high-speed adventures, racing sleek prototypes at Le Mans and Daytona as a gentleman driver.
Born 1954 (age 72)·American racing driver·Birthday: August 26·Baby Boomers
Biography
Tracy Krohn didn't follow a traditional path to the world's great racetracks; he bought his way in. After building a fortune in the oil and gas industry, the Houston entrepreneur indulged his passion for motorsports by founding Krohn Racing. Unlike most team owners, Krohn doesn't just watch from the pit wall—he straps into the cockpit as a 'gentleman driver,' competing in the demanding endurance classics he loves. His green and blue prototypes have become familiar sights at the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Rolex 24 at Daytona, and throughout the FIA World Endurance Championship. While not a factory-trained ace, his commitment is absolute; he funds the team, trains rigorously, and races for the pure challenge of it. In the elite, multimillion-dollar arena of sports car racing, Krohn represents the enduring spirit of the amateur, proving that deep passion and deep pockets can create a lasting seat at the table.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Tracy was born in 1954, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tracy Was Born
The biggest hits of 1954
#1 Movie
White Christmas
Best Picture
On the Waterfront
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Tracy's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1954Born
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1959Started school
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1967Became a teenager
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Could drive
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1972Could vote
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Turned 21
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1984Turned 30
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 40
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 50
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 60
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 70
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 72 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded and races for Krohn Racing, a team that has competed in the 24 Hours of Le Mans multiple times.
- Has competed as a driver in prestigious events like the Rolex 24 at Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.
- Raced in the FIA World Endurance Championship series with his own team.
- Was listed on the Forbes 400 ranking of the wealthiest Americans in 2006.
Did You Know?
His primary business is Kronos Exploration, an oil and gas exploration and production company.
He is an avid collector of classic and exotic cars.
His racing team's distinctive livery is green and blue, inspired by the colors of the Brazilian flag as a tribute to former driver and partner, former F1 champion Nelson Piquet.
“The best view of a race is from inside the cockpit.”
