IMSA: Legendary team owner sues Ferrari

The 1980s spawned IMSA's rise to popularity in North America and one of the men whose cars and teams helped in its growth is making headlines for suing Ferrari.

Florida-based Preston Henn, owner of the sprawling Swap Shop flea market in Fort Lauderdale, was a pivotal part of IMSA's GTP category where his Porsches won the 24 Hours of Daytona in 1983 and the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1985. And thanks to the fortune he amassed through the Swap Shop, his rabid passion for the Ferrari brand has allowed the 85-year-old to assemble one of the most impressive collections of Prancing Horses on the planet.

But his inability to expand the pool to include a new $1.7 million LaFerrari Spider (to sit next to his closed-top LaFerrari) is where the relationship between Henn and the famed Italian marque began its downward spiral.

Ferrari's production run of 150 LaFerrari Spiders – said to be sold by invitation only – did not include Henn, whose lawyers filed a complaint against Ferrari North America on his behalf on July 29. Positioned by his lawyers as an embarrassing snub by Ferrari, Henn "seeks damages for reputational injury and the mortification caused by declaring him to be not qualified to purchase a LaFerrari Spider."

According to the complaint, Henn sent a personal letter, which included a $1 million check as a deposit for LaFerrari Spider (pictured), on July 13 to "Edwin Fenech, President of Ferrari North America, to Enrico Galleria, Ferrari's Senior Vice President for Commercial and Marketing, and to Sergio Marchionne, the Chairman of Ferrari Chrysler Automobiles, recounting his long commitment to Ferrari, seeking approval for his order."

The unconventional decision to send a $1 million check directly to the chairman of FCA was not received with the degree of enthusiasm Henn anticipated.

"On July 18, 2016, Enrico Galleria responded to Henn on behalf of Chairman Marchionne," the complaint states. "Galleria wrote that 'all units have been already sold' and '[A]s a consequence, I am sending you back herewith your deposit' and asked Henn 'not to send any of those check [sic] directly to Ferrari or our managers. We cannot be responsible for checks or advances directly provided to us which bear the high risk of being lost.'"

Henn, as evidenced by the legal complaint, believes other motives led to being denied access to acquiring a LaFerrari Spider.

"Henn enlisted friends in the Ferrari world, seeking Ferrari's rationale," it says. "They were informed by Ferrari officials that Henn was not qualified to purchase the LaFerrari Spider.

"Thus, the decision to refuse to sell a LaFerrari Spider to Preston Henn because he was not qualified has become a fait accompli, because by deeming him to be not qualified, Ferrari deprived Henn of the opportunity to purchase the automobile, demeaning him in the process.

"By deeming Henn not qualified and publishing to third parties that Preston Henn was not qualified, Ferrari, acting through its employees and agents, uttered to unrelated third parties a false and defamatory statement, harming Henn's reputation in the universe of Ferrari aficionados."

To further establish Henn's credentials as Ferrari owner dating back to the 1960s, the complaint adds: "Preston Henn is the most qualified, or at least among the 10 most qualified persons in the United States with regard to the standards that Ferrari has historically used to determine who would have 'the privilege' of purchasing unique Ferrari automobiles."

For the alleged defamation of character, which the complaint says has damaged Henn's "reputation, and holds him up to ridicule, disrespect, and disrepute in his profession, trade, occupation, avocation, and among his friends and business and social associates," he is seeking an award "in excess of $75,000 exclusive of interests and costs as compensation for the damage to his reputation."

Henn has requested a jury trial to hear the complaint.