I had the good fortune to meet Dan at Sebring in 1960 as a16 year old high school senior. He was driving an Abarth 1000 in the Friday 3 hr. race. I had an Abarth at the time. He took the time to talk with me in the garage & seemed interested in offering advice to me about driving. I ran into him again that year at Watkins Glen at the Glen Motel Dining room. He remembered me and was gracious as ever. He introduced me to Jack Brabham & Colin Chapman. The last time I saw him race was also at the Glen. Dan was driving a Barracuda in the Trans Am. I was driving a Corvette in the National. The last time I spoke to Dan was at Trenton Indy car race after he had retired from driving. He took time to join me for dinner while I interviewed him for a newspaper column I was writing at the time. Again he remembers me after all those years. From the early '60s to his final day, Dan Gurney was always the driver & the man I admired the most in auto racing.
Years ago, when I was racing on the West Coast of California, two race drivers that I tried to emulate their driving style, was Dan Gurney and Mark Donohue. They were first class drivers and first class people. They gave us more than just great driving. Miss them dearly.
They left one thing out ..... He was a genuinely sweet man. I was serving as a spotter for a cameraman, on the announcers stand, during the 1984 Pacific Coast Sprint Car Nationals at Ascot. They had just finished driver introductions, and they were getting ready to push off for the 50 lap main event. I look to my left, and Dan was coming up the steps. I looked at him and said out loud....”OMG!....Dan Gurney! And with an ear to ear grin on his face, he reached over and shook my hand...... Keep in mind, this is someone that he never even knew, or met. I have never forgotten that ..... And never will. I can’t even write this, without being choked up about it . We miss you, Dan. 😢
Nice tribute! I had the good fortune to meet and spend some time with Dan Gurney at Lime Rock park in 1992. He was a true gentleman and will always be one of the legendary icons of the sport.
Luv ya, Dan Gurney! I watched you at Sebring in 1966, you were fastest qualifier for the LeMans start, first to get across the track, first to get into your car, and second to last to get away (flooded the engine). Two hours later, you went from almost last to FIRST. What a driver! Then on the last lap of a 12 hour race, timing chain broke a short distance before the finish line and teammate Ken Miles took the victory. You would have had second place, but the idiots at FIA said you were disqualified for pushing your broken car across the finish line. You always gave 100%.
The only driver that Jim Clark feared would beat him. Feel so honored to have grown up watching you race. I'll never forget you showing all those good ol' boys from Nascar how it's done at Riverside year after year in the Wood Bros. Fords & Mercurys. Racing in Heaven just got a whole lot more interesting. RIP DAN
Flame Resistant Troll Racing really was that back then. So many manufacturers and ways to "go fast". All with using just a slide rule and your gut feeling. I remember growing up with, "If it looked right, it probably was right".
I got to meet and speak with Dan Gurney at the Mid-Ohio race track in the mid 90's where he was racing Toyota sports car. He was one of my boyhood hero's and I tied him up for too long when he had work to do. But he was polite and gracious when he could have been otherwise. A great driver, car owner, and more,... and a genuine and real person. It seems unlikely that the sport will see another like him.
As a kid growing up at Riverside International Raceway he was my first real life Hero, I think I made a good choice..All you had to do was watch him race as he drove around other cars like he was passing them on the Freeway...He even invented the Full Face helmet and even the Champaign spray...
RIP Dan! You were an extraordinary sportsman and an excellent citizen! We will never forget you. Regards from a venezuelan citizen who emigrated to Chile searching a better way of life.
@@caribman10 yeah not him but someone who actually gives a damn about cars ' if Ron did it it would be full of inaccuracies and Dan would probably be played by Ryan Gosling 'I've seen enough of him.
The late legendary race driver, Mark Donohue, had a lot of praise for Dan Gurney in his book: "The Unfair Advantage." Where Donohue said that Gurney's style of driving was very smooth, where it showed with the lack of brake pad wear on the Ford GT40s Mark II and IV in the endurance races they participated in. Donohue even wrote that some members of the Ford team jokingly made references that Gurney must change the brake pads somewhere out in the race course prior to making a pit stop; as the pit crew marveled at the little wear there was with the brake pads on the sports cars Gurney drove in those endurance races.
The spraying of Champagne illustrates Gurney's spirit; the joy of celebration after conquering victory with hard work. The fact it became a tradition shows the charisma he had, and the personality. There are four drivers that should have won the F1 title, but did not. All were extremelly fast, and all were great human beings; Sterling Moss, Dan Gurney, Ronnie Peterson, and Felipe Massa.
The really telling thing about this - and Dan the Man - was that he wasn't the winningest driver; he wasn't World Champion in any class; but he was the most respected and one of the most feared, yet fairest, of American drivers. What do you think Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt think about that?
Dan Gurney asked my Dad to be part of his pit crew in the late 60s but my dad had a drug record across the border for smuggling, and instead of using his gift in mechanics ,chose to be the most hated guy in town as an 1% Biker and supporter, what could have been...
It's idiotic of you not to disclose that Dan Gurney and Harry Westlake also designed and built the Formula I V-12 engine that powered his Eagle race car Dan Gurney also provided Ford with a three-valve cylinder head that won two more LeMans races in the GT-40 with a 5 liter V-8
I had the good fortune to meet Dan at Sebring in 1960 as a16 year old high school senior. He was driving an Abarth 1000 in the Friday 3 hr. race. I had an Abarth at the time. He took the time to talk with me in the garage & seemed interested in offering advice to me about driving.
I ran into him again that year at Watkins Glen at the Glen Motel Dining room. He remembered me and was gracious as ever. He introduced me to Jack Brabham & Colin Chapman.
The last time I saw him race was also at the Glen. Dan was driving a Barracuda in the Trans Am. I was driving a Corvette in the National.
The last time I spoke to Dan was at Trenton Indy car race after he had retired from driving. He took time to join me for dinner while I interviewed him for a newspaper column I was writing at the time. Again he remembers me after all those years.
From the early '60s to his final day, Dan Gurney was always the driver & the man I admired the most in auto racing.
One of my youth heroes, a super guy and a top driver of his era. Love from this Chilean.
Years ago, when I was racing on the West Coast of California, two race drivers that I tried to emulate their driving style, was Dan Gurney and Mark Donohue. They were first class drivers and first class people. They gave us more than just great driving. Miss them dearly.
One of the absolute icons of motorsports - RIP Dan
They left one thing out .....
He was a genuinely sweet man.
I was serving as a spotter for a cameraman, on the announcers stand, during the 1984 Pacific Coast Sprint Car Nationals at Ascot.
They had just finished driver introductions, and they were getting ready to push off for the 50 lap main event. I look to my left, and Dan was coming up the steps.
I looked at him and said out loud....”OMG!....Dan Gurney!
And with an ear to ear grin on his face, he reached over and shook my hand......
Keep in mind, this is someone that he never even knew, or met.
I have never forgotten that .....
And never will.
I can’t even write this, without being choked up about it .
We miss you, Dan. 😢
A True racing LEGEND. In every sense of the word. Legends live on in those inspired by them. Dan Gurney will live FOREVER.
A very respected Icon here in NZ for his great career on and off the track and featured in many of our car magazines with utmost love and respect
Nice tribute! I had the good fortune to meet and spend some time with Dan Gurney at Lime Rock park in 1992. He was a true gentleman and will always be one of the legendary icons of the sport.
Luv ya, Dan Gurney! I watched you at Sebring in 1966, you were fastest qualifier for the LeMans start, first to get across the track, first to get into your car, and second to last to get away (flooded the engine). Two hours later, you went from almost last to FIRST. What a driver! Then on the last lap of a 12 hour race, timing chain broke a short distance before the finish line and teammate Ken Miles took the victory. You would have had second place, but the idiots at FIA said you were disqualified for pushing your broken car across the finish line. You always gave 100%.
A great guy all around.
The only driver that Jim Clark feared would beat him. Feel so honored to have grown up watching you race. I'll never forget you showing all those good ol' boys from Nascar how it's done at Riverside year after year in the Wood Bros. Fords & Mercurys. Racing in Heaven just got a whole lot more interesting. RIP DAN
Flame Resistant Troll Racing really was that back then. So many manufacturers and ways to "go fast". All with using just a slide rule and your gut feeling. I remember growing up with, "If it looked right, it probably was right".
This Brit salutes a great American.
I got to meet and speak with Dan Gurney at the Mid-Ohio race track in the mid 90's where he was racing Toyota sports car. He was one of my boyhood hero's and I tied him up for too long when he had work to do. But he was polite and gracious when he could have been otherwise. A great driver, car owner, and more,... and a genuine and real person. It seems unlikely that the sport will see another like him.
A standing ovation for Dan!
And my best compliments for movie!
As a kid growing up at Riverside International Raceway he was my first real life Hero, I think I made a good choice..All you had to do was watch him race as he drove around other cars like he was passing them on the Freeway...He even invented the Full Face helmet and even the Champaign spray...
like the shot at 4.12 Dan with the late, great Harry Weslake.
God Bless Dan Gurney, I grew up in the 60's 70's and early 80's, he's all my uncle Vernon talked about
RIP Dan! You were an extraordinary sportsman and an excellent citizen! We will never forget you. Regards from a venezuelan citizen who emigrated to Chile searching a better way of life.
R.I.P great Dan !
I meet Mr. Gurney at Amelia in 2013. A nice gentleman with his fans. RIP Mr. Gurney
Someone in Hollywood should make a movie about this guy
Unless it's Ronnie Howard, please God no....
@@caribman10 yeah not him but someone who actually gives a damn about cars ' if Ron did it it would be full of inaccuracies and Dan would probably be played by Ryan Gosling 'I've seen enough of him.
RIP Dan . The Legend lives forever !
Gone from this Earth but not from our souls. Godspeed Daniel Sexton Gurney.
RIP long time hero of mine
Great Dan! R.I.P.
The late legendary race driver, Mark Donohue, had a lot of praise for Dan Gurney in his book: "The Unfair Advantage." Where Donohue said that Gurney's style of driving was very smooth, where it showed with the lack of brake pad wear on the Ford GT40s Mark II and IV in the endurance races they participated in. Donohue even wrote that some members of the Ford team jokingly made references that Gurney must change the brake pads somewhere out in the race course prior to making a pit stop; as the pit crew marveled at the little wear there was with the brake pads on the sports cars Gurney drove in those endurance races.
If only Dan was still here we miss you dan :(
Great man!
Dan Gurney, what a great racer, what a great American. Now God will have some real racing in heaven.
:) Clark has competition again!
RIP
The spraying of Champagne illustrates Gurney's spirit; the joy of celebration after conquering victory with hard work. The fact it became a tradition shows the charisma he had, and the personality. There are four drivers that should have won the F1 title, but did not. All were extremelly fast, and all were great human beings; Sterling Moss, Dan Gurney, Ronnie Peterson, and Felipe Massa.
Cool Video!
Dans the Man
The really telling thing about this - and Dan the Man - was that he wasn't the winningest driver; he wasn't World Champion in any class; but he was the most respected and one of the most feared, yet fairest, of American drivers. What do you think Mario Andretti and A.J. Foyt think about that?
Dan Gurney asked my Dad to be part of his pit crew in the late 60s but my dad had a drug record across the border for smuggling, and instead of using his gift in mechanics ,chose to be the most hated guy in town as an 1% Biker and supporter, what could have been...
3:10 , 4:44 , 2:23 ,
It's idiotic of you not to disclose that Dan Gurney and Harry Westlake also designed and built the Formula I V-12 engine that powered his Eagle race car Dan Gurney also provided Ford with a three-valve cylinder head that won two more LeMans races in the GT-40 with a 5 liter V-8