Eileen “Red” Bildman didn’t start racing Ferraris until she was 58 years old, but when she did, she brought decades of grit, grease-under-the-nails knowledge, and a fierce determination forged from unimaginable loss—proving that the best drivers aren’t always the ones who started youngest.

EARLY YEARS

Bildman’s automotive education began early and hands-on. By age six, she was cleaning pistons and carburetors at Howard’s Auto Service, her grandfather’s Baltimore repair shop that opened in the 1920s[1]. While most little girls were playing with dolls, Eileen was learning the language of engines from the ground up. That foundation—understanding how cars actually work, not just how to drive them—would become her secret weapon decades later when she finally got behind the wheel competitively.

OTHER INTERESTS

In November 2001, Bildman’s son Kevin was murdered in St. Mary’s County, Maryland[2]. Out of that devastating loss, she created something powerful: the Silent Angel Memorial, founded in 2002 to honor homicide victims in the county[3]. Each year at the ceremony, families place angel ornaments in remembrance, and Eileen has stood at the center of that community healing for over two decades. She’s also an advocate for victims’ rights, speaking on Capitol Hill to push for changes in how the system treats families left behind[4]. Her Ferrari bears the number 79—Kevin’s birth year—so he rides with her on every lap[5]. Additionally, Bildman serves as a board member for the Calvert Marine Museum in Maryland, hosting events at her waterfront home in Hollywood[6].

EARLY SUCCESS

Bildman’s racing career began in SCCA competition driving a Miata[7]. Then came a crash at Summit Point in West Virginia that tore a tendon off her right arm[8]. Most people would’ve hung up their helmet. Eileen upgraded. She transitioned to the Ferrari Challenge Series in 2018, diving headfirst into one of the most competitive gentleman—and gentlewoman—racer series in North America[9]. Her first standout moment came at Road Atlanta in 2016, where she battled wheel-to-wheel for position on one of her favorite tracks[10]. By the time she reached Laguna Seca, she was holding her own against drivers half her age, and loving every second of the famous Corkscrew.

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS

• 2018: Began racing in the Ferrari Challenge Series in the Coppa Shell AM class[11].
• 2019: Competed in 25 races in Coppa Shell AM North America, her best season for points[12].
• 2020: Won the Ferrari North America Ladies Championship[13].
• 2020: Won the Saturday edition of the Ladies Cup at Laguna Seca, beating two male drivers in the process[14].
• 2022: Finished 7th in Ferrari Challenge North America Coppa Shell Am with 18 points, racing for Ferrari of Central Florida[15].
• 2022: Competed at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Race-2 on July 17th[16].
• Career: Accumulated 105 points overall across 49 races contested[17].

INSPIRATIONS

In 2017, Bildman was diagnosed with neuroendocrine cancer[18]. It took over a decade to get the correct diagnosis, but rather than let it slow her down, she turned it into fuel. Her racing nickname, “Red,” fits both her flaming red Ferrari 488 Challenge Evo and her fiery spirit[19]. She’s used her platform to raise awareness about the disease, with Ferrari Maserati Long Island hosting an annual rally to Red Tomato Artisanal Pizza in her honor to support the Carcinoid Cancer Foundation[20]. Eileen is coached by Katherine Legge, Britain’s trailblazing racer and the first woman in Formula E[21]—a fitting mentor for someone rewriting the rulebook on when a racing career can begin. She founded a Ferrari chapter that’s been active for about eight years, building community among fellow Prancing Horse enthusiasts[22].

REPUTATION

When Bildman shows up at the track in her bright-red Ferrari adorned with the number 79, people notice[23]. She races with a combination of technical knowledge and raw emotion that’s rare in motorsports. “I love the expressions,” she says about beating male competitors[24]. Her competitors respect her because she didn’t buy her way onto the grid—she earned her knowledge in her grandfather’s garage and paid her dues in a Miata before stepping up to Ferrari. Fellow racers know she’s not there for Instagram photos; she’s there to compete, data-logging every session and comparing telemetry with her teammates to find tenths of seconds[25]. At an age when most people are thinking about retirement, Bildman is thinking about apex speeds and brake points, proving that passion doesn’t have an expiration date.

FUTURE GOALS/PLANS

Bildman continues to compete in the Ferrari Challenge Series, with plans to participate in upcoming seasons[26]. She remains committed to the Silent Angel Memorial, ensuring homicide victims in St. Mary’s County are never forgotten, with the memorial now in its 23rd year[27]. Through her continued advocacy work, racing platform, and the Ferrari chapter she founded, Eileen shows no signs of slowing down—on or off the track.

REFERENCES

Driving the Ferrari 488 Challenge at Laguna Seca – The Drive
St. Mary’s murder victims remembered at memorial – The BayNet
Remembering Victims At 21st Annual Silent Angel Memorial Service – The BayNet
Murder Victims Remembered at 20th Annual Silent Angel Memorial Service
Women racers – Ferrari
Cruis Along Boats, 1958-1960 – Calvert Marine Museum
Big Red Racing
Ferrari Challenge Fast Lane: Eileen Bildman – RACER
Eileen Bildman, Ferrari Challenge Driver – Ferrari.com
Driver: Eileen Bildman – Driver Database
Women racers – Ferrari Canada
Ferrari Challenge North America – Coppa Shell Am 2022 – Driver Database
Ferrari Maserati Long Island’s Annual Rally – Carcinoid Cancer Foundation
2025 Ponte Vedra Auto Show
23rd Annual Silent Angel Memorial – The BayNet
“Life in the Fast Lane” – The Eileen Bildman Story – YouTube