Dan Gurney has passed away

[Coldshooter]

Dan Gurney has passed away. He was from the age when anything raced was driven. USAC, sports cars, F1, stock cars, team owner, Can Am. His AAR teams were competitive where ever they went. Makes me wish I could go for a ride in a 70 AAR Cuba in his memory.

 

[JohnRippert]

Ah, man. That's a shame. He was a true driver. I had a lot of fun driving the 1967 Eagle in the Papyrus sim "Grand Prix Legends" back in 1998 through about 2008. He drove in the days when you needed big brass ones to go all out. Safety was not the priority back then.

RIP Mr. Gurney

 

[amazingflapjack]

A motor sports icon-before they wore out that term, and by all reports, a genuinely nice guy and sportsman. Complications from Pneumonia -age 86.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

He was the Man!
once I saw him win a race at that track West of the Indy 500.
Now called the Lucas Oil Raceway.
It was a USAC race and they handed him the bottle of milk.
He held it for the pictures but didn't drink any.

 

[SC_Mike]

From what I understand he was something like 6'5'' tall and they had to "bump" out the roof on the cars for him. Hence known as the Gurney Bubble.

Gurney Bubble — Race Car Replicas

RIP Mr. Gurney.

 

[old bear]

From what I understand he was something like 6'5'' tall and they had to "bump" out the roof on the cars for him. Hence known as the Gurney Bubble.

Correct, that started with the Ford GT 40's Gurney drove at the 24 hours of Le Mens (sp).

 

[LDM]

The Mark IV he drove to victory at LeMans had the bubble in the roof. Was on display at the Ford Museum for many years and then moved to the Automotive Hall of Fame next door.

 

[ko41]

Ah, man. That's a shame. He was a true driver. I had a lot of fun driving the 1967 Eagle in the Papyrus sim "Grand Prix Legends" back in 1998 through about 2008. He drove in the days when you needed big brass ones to go all out. Safety was not the priority back then.

RIP Mr. Gurney

I will have to fire up my Grand Prix Legends system and take some laps around Spa in Mr. Gurney's honor.

KO

 

[PALADIN85020]

Sorry to hear that. One of the greats has left us.

John

 

[Watchdog]

From what I understand he was something like 6'5'' tall and they had to "bump" out the roof on the cars for him. .

RIP Mr. Gurney.

He was a big man in more ways than one. Sad to see another great one leave us.

 

[Bkreutz]

One of the true legends of racing, and a great man, I've had the privilege of meeting him a number of times over the years. He will be missed.

 

[joebiker]

Sad indeed... reminds me that my time is approaching was a great racer in my youth.

 

[tennexplorer]

Saw the Mark IV he drove at the Ford museum when I went to the S&WCA meeting in 2009. It was one of those moments in life. I watched as much as possible of that race in 1967.

 

[rbrbrb6]

I was just thinking about him last week and wondering if he ever got his "Gator" motorcycle project up and running.

 

[MCorps0311]

RIP Mr.Dan Gurney.

 

[Kurusu]

Sad news. We are loosing racing legends from our youth.

Last year, it was John Surtees that passed away.

 

[Kurusu]

RIP, Mr. Gurney, a true American hero.

He and A. J. Foyt (another tough competitor) won the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans in a Ford GT40 Mark IV, and Gurney spontaneously shook his bottle of Moët & Chandon and sprayed it on everyone in his vicinity: Henry Ford II, Carroll Shelby, and whoever else happened to be standing around the podium.

It was the second American car to win Le Mans: The 1966 24 Hour was the first Ford GT40 (MKII) and the 1967 was a Ford GT40 (MKIV).

Here's the first bottle:

If you are interested in the story of how Ford beat Ferrari on their own game you may read "Go Like Hell: Ford, Ferrari, and Their Battle for Speed and Glory at Le Mans" it's a very good read.

 

[Kurusu]

Just out of curiosity I looked up the 1967 Formula 1 pilots, when Gurney was driving the Gurney Eagle-Westlake ( one of the most elegant F1 cars of all times in my opinion). There is less than an handfull still alive today and most of them never reached the age of 50 (or much less) having being killed in race accidents.

 

[jag312]

I took these pictures at the Monterey Historics at Laguna Seca years ago. How many old drivers can you identify?

 

[yellowtr]

I was a big fan of his back in the day when I followed F1 and CanAM at Watkins Glen and Mosport.
I have many slides of his cars somewhere.