Dan Gurney, one of racing's Jack of all trades, dead at 86.

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I was debating how to post this because Mr. Gurney is among America's greatest racers, alongside Andretti, Foyt, Hill and Shelby. There is no type of racing he didn't try his hand at. He won Le Mans in 1967, won the first Daytona Endurance race in 1962, won 8 Formula 1 races, captured 5 NASCAR victories in 16 starts, 7 IndyCar wins in just 28 starts. He also won in Can Am and Trans-Am Events. We have lost a great icon today.
 
I wanted to be the next Dan Gurney growing up. He could race almost anything, and compete for wins with it. He built his own F1 car, and won in it. An inspiration to many people, hell I still want to be even a fraction as good. Thank you, Mr. Gurney. Rest in Peace...even though you're likely already racing everyone in heaven.
 
A sad day, but better to think of his many achievements. No one has a bad word to say about Daniel Sexton Gurney. On the internet there are many glowing tributes following his induction into various motorsport halls of fame. I found this one especially moving when I first watched and listened about a year ago and just now as I watched it again. RIP Dan Gurney.

 
Dan Gurney was one of my boyhood heroes, along with Graham Hill and Jimmy Clark. I watched him win the 1962 NW GP at my home track at Kent, Washington. I had the great pleasure of meeting him at Long Beach in the 80's, having a great conversation with him. From my billfold I produced and presented to him a miniature list of Grand Prix winners and their career stats, which he was most taken with. :) He was totally a gentleman and totally an enthusiast.



From Robin Miller at Racer
http://www.racer.com/more/viewpoints/item/146727-miller-gurney-all-american-treasure

In 312 starts, he scored 51 victories and 47 podiums while driving an astonishing 51 makes and more than 100 models from Europe to California to Canada.

But as great as he was in the cockpit and as willing as he was to drive anything with four wheels, the reason we loved The Big Eagle was because he charted his own course. The All-American Racer did it his way, from building his own chassis and engines to pushing boundaries and never hesitating to run with an idea.

"He was a great race driver but what we had in common and what I liked most about Dan was that he built his own cars and engines and we did it our way," said Foyt, who was devastated to hear of Gurney's passing.

"I always respected him because he was an American in Formula 1 racing his own car and then we won Le Mans together, a couple of Americans in a Ford, and that was pretty cool. He wasn't afraid to try something different and I had so much respect for him."

It was because of that mindset that Gurney never became an F1 or IndyCar champion, because instead of going with a conventional car or engine that were reliable, he wanted something different, faster, zoomier. And something that was his.

"If Dan would have driven for Lotus or Ferrari he'd have been a multi world champion," said Mario Andretti, who also took the news of one of his heroes quite hard. "But he did it his way, be it F1 or Indy cars, and he paid dearly but you have to admire him for that. In my book he was a world champion. He just didn't have the trophy."

1962_First_F1_win_France1.jpeg
 
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Another victim, sadly, but he'll be forever remembered as a legnd, a racer, one of the few that may have changed times, forever.

I'm sure somewhere else in heaven, Daniel's racing all over there, re-living his victories.
 
I quite liked this excerpt from the statement given by AAR and the Gurney family:

"With one last smile on his handsome face, Dan drove off into the unknown just before noon today, January 14, 2018. In deepest sorrow, with gratitude in our hearts for the love and joy you have given us during your time on this earth, we say 'Godspeed.'

"...Smell the sea and feel the sky, let your soul and spirit fly into the mystic..."

RIP Dan.
 
I dropped by as I just saw the Goodwood tribute on TV in the UK. It's as part of the ITV coverage for this year's race meeting and is on their catch-up service - there was a race in his honour.

@Sick Cylinder I remember your GT6 events celebrating Dan Gurney. It's a career akin to Brabham in some ways. A time when one person could make a difference - and what a difference he made to so many series in motorsports.

Driving those diverse and wild vehicles in the game helped me appreciate this individual and the era in a new way.
 

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