In my opinion he is a genius if he is passionate about customizing cars and has found a way to spend his professional life owning his own business doing something he loves.
The pursuit of happiness and success aren’t necessarily benchmarked in a universal way that allows for one person to superimpose their values upon another.
I suspect this individual isn’t wasting their time off on some car enthusiast website bemoaning your academic ambition but instead is likely living their life doing what they enjoy.