Dan Gurney
Daniel Sexton Gurney (April 13, 1931 – January 14, 2018) was an American racing driver, race car constructor, and team owner who reached racing's highest levels starting in 1958.[1]
.jpg) | |
| Nationality American | |
| Formula One World Championship career | |
|---|---|
| Active years | 1959–1968, 1970 |
| Teams | Ferrari, BRM, Porsche, Lotus, Brabham, Eagle, McLaren |
| Races | 87 (86 starts) |
| Championships | 0 |
| Wins | 4 |
| Podiums | 19 |
| Career points | 133 |
| Pole positions | 3 |
| Fastest laps | 6 |
| First race | 1959 French Grand Prix |
| First win | 1962 French Grand Prix |
| Last win | 1967 Belgian Grand Prix |
| Last race | 1970 British Grand Prix |
Early life
Gurney was born in Port Jefferson, New York, but moved to California as a teenager.
Racing career
Gurney won races in the Formula One, Indy Car, NASCAR, Can-Am, and Trans-Am Series. Gurney is the first of three drivers to have won races in Sports Cars (1958), Formula One (1962), NASCAR (1963), and Indy Car (1967) (the other two being Mario Andretti and Juan Pablo Montoya).
In 1967, after winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans together with A.J. Foyt, he spontaneously sprayed champagne while celebrating on the podium. Apart from starting this tradition, he also was the first to put a simple right-angle extension on the upper trailing edge of the rear wing. This device, called a Gurney flap, increases downforce and, if well designed, imposes only a relatively small increase in aerodynamic drag.
At the 1968 German Grand Prix he became the first driver ever to use a full face helmet in Grand Prix racing.[2]
Death
Gurney died from complications of pneumonia in Newport Beach, California on January 14, 2018, at the age of 86.[3] He was survived by his wife Evi and their four sons, Justin, Alex, Dan Jr. and Jimmy.[4]
Dan Gurney Media
Gurney's car after his accident at the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix, which killed a young spectator
Gurney after his accident at the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix, a defining moment in his life
A GT40 with a Gurney Bubble
An Eagle Mk1. This car is the early, four-cylinder Climax-engined T1F, later replaced by the V12-engined T1G cars.
Gurney in 1962 Indy 500 car during practice. Designer John Crosthwaite working on car
Gurney's 1963 Riverside 500 Ford Galaxie
Gurney at the 2008 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona
References
- ↑ "Dan Gurney's Biography - Dan Gurney's All American Racers". allamericanracers.com. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
- ↑ "Dan Gurney – Formula One Gallery - Dan Gurney's All American Racers". allamericanracers.com. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
- ↑ Racing legend Dan Gurney dies from complications of pneumonia. January 14, 2018. http://beta.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-dan-gurney-obit-20180114-story.html.[dead link][dead link]
- ↑ Malsher, David (14 January 2018). "Tribute to Dan Gurney, 1931-2018". MotorSport.
Other websites
Media related to Dan Gurney at Wikimedia Commons
- Dan Gurney's All-American Racers Archived 2006-03-22 at the Wayback Machine
- Official Gurney-Weslake home page
- Dan Gurney at Le Mans
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