Benjamin Edward Keating (born August 18, 1971) is an American amateur racing driver and business owner operating out of Victoria, Texas. Keating is the owner of 28 car auto dealerships across Texas, The Keating Auto Group. Since starting auto racing in 2006, he has competed in many auto races worldwide, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, 24 Hours of Daytona, Twelve hours of Sebring, and most recently the World Endurance Championship. He is the only American driver to have won multiple World Championships. Keating began racing in 2006 after receiving a weekend track driving course as a Christmas present from his wife.
Business life
Ben Keating has been surrounded by the car industry his entire life. Growing up, he washed cars and parked them on the front line at the Ford dealership owned by his father, which provided Keating an inside look into the dynamics of auto dealerships. Keating eventually found himself in an internship at Service Group during his junior and senior years at Texas A&M University.
During his internship in Service Group, Keating trained staff and managers at multiple dealerships. In 1996 when he graduated from A&M with a degree in Engineering, Keating sold cars at Covert Ford in Austin, Texas. Soon after he became the Used Car Sales Manager at Tomball Ford and later became a minority owner.
Keating purchased Port Lavaca Ford in 2002. That was followed by Port Lavaca Dodge (2002) then Port Lavaca Chevrolet (2004). As of 2022 Keating owned 28 dealerships, generating about $3 billion in annual revenue and selling over 50,000 cars annually. In 2023, the Keating Auto Group was ranked 1st in Texas as well as the 9th Top Privately Held Dealership Group in the United States.
At each of his stores the general manager is also a minority partner of the business.
Racing
2023
WEC
Sebring 1000 miles – Winner P1 GT-AM
6 Hours of Portimão – Winner P1 GT-AM
6 Hours of Spa – P2 GT-AM
24 Hours of Le Mans – Hyperpole Winner P1 GT-AM
6 Hours of Monza – P4 GT-AM Clinched 2023 World Championship
IMSA
Rolex 24 at Daytona – Pole position, P7
12 Hours of Sebring – Pole position, P4
Weathertech Laguna Seca – P2
Sahlen’s 6 Hours at Watkins Glen – P3
Road America – Winner P1
2022
IMSA
Rolex 24 at Daytona – 3rd Overall in Dpi Class with JDC Miller Motorsports in a Cadillac DPI 12 Hours of Sebring – Started on Pole, Winner P1 with Mikkel Jensen and Scott Huffaker Sahlen’s 6 Hours at Watkins Glen – Started on Pole, Winner P1 Michelin North American Endurance Cup – Winner P1
WEC
Sebring 1000 miles – Started on Pole, Finished P2
Spa 6 Hour Race – Started on Pole, Finished P2
24 Hours of Le Mans – Started 19th, Finished WINNER P1 with Marco Sorensen and Henrique Chaves Monza 6 Hours – Started P2, DNF 6 Hours of Fuji – Winner P1 8 Hours of Bahrain – Clinched driver's championship in LMGTE Am class with Marco Sorensen and Henrique Chaves as first American to win a class title since the resurrection of WEC in 2012.
2021
IMSA
The LMP2 is in the classic WYNN’S livery. The team for LMP2 consists of Ben Keating, Mikkel Jensen, and Scott Huffaker.
The LMP2 results as of Nov 14, 2021:
Rolex 24 at Daytona, Started on the Pole, finished P7. (Keating raced in two different cars for Rolex 24, LMP2, and Aston Martin) 12 Hours of Sebring – Started 2nd, finished WINNER P1 Sahlen's 6 Hours at Watkins Glen – Started at the back, finished P2 Watkins Glen 240 – Started on the Pole, finished WINNER P1 Road America – Started on the Pole, finished P3 Laguna Seca - Started P7, finished WINNER P1 Petit Le Mans - Started on the Pole, finished P2. (P1 at checkered flag, P2 after applying penalties post-race)
Ben and his team won the IMSA Championship and the Michelin North American Endurance Cup for LMP2.
WEC
Ben is competing in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) in a Corvette C8.R with Corvette Racing. The Corvette is running in the GT-Am class of the WEC. It is a GTE spec car.
The WEC results as of Nov 07, 2021:
Spa 6 Hour Race – Started on the Pole, finished P2
Portimao 8 Hour race – started P11, finished P8
Monza 6 Hour race – Started on the Pole, finished P14
24 Hours of Le Mans – Started P6, finished P2
Bahrain 6 Hour – Started P6, finished WINNER P1
Bahrain 8 Hour – Started P5, retired
Ben and his team finished P2 in the WEC Championship for GT-Am.