Motorsport: Racing legend Dan Gurney passes away at age 86

Dan Gurney, who for 40 years was one of the most influential people in motorsports, first as a driver and later as an owner and a builder, has died at the age of 86.

There are few names in racing that transcend and command the respect of the entire sport. Dan Gurney’s name is one of them.

Gurney, who found equal successes as a driver, owner, and constructor, passed away Sunday due to complications from pneumonia.

His family released the following statement, as reported by Motorsport.com:

"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…”"

Daniel Sexton Gurney was born April 13, 1931 in Port Jefferson, N.Y. His family moved to Southern California shortly after he graduated high school. Gurney was a perfect fit with the car culture that was blossoming in California during the 1940s and 1950s.

After attending junior college and serving in the Korean War, Gurney began racing full-time, and his success led to a test with Ferrari, which was the beginning of his Formula 1 career. From 1959-70, Gurney competed in 86 Grands Prix, winning four times, notching 19 total podiums and finishing in the top 5 in points four times.

It was during his F1 career that Gurney began driving cars under the All-American Racers banner. The team was formed under a partnership with Carroll Shelby in 1965. Gurney raced the first of his legendary Eagle chassis in F1 from 1966-68. In 1967 Gurney piloted his Eagle 1TG car to a win at the Belgian Grand Prix.

American open-wheel success

Gurney drove in the Indianapolis 500 from 1962 to 1970 and finished second, second and third from 1968 to 1970. He began racing the Eagle there in 1966, and by 1973, 21 of the 33 cars in the field sported an Eagle chassis. Eventually his designs reached Victory Lane three times. Bobby Unser drove to victory in 1968 and 1975, while Gordon Johncock picked up his first Indy 500 win in 1973.

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His All-American Racers team posted a total of 22 Champ Car wins and Bobby Unser won the team’s lone title in 1974.

Gurney was also responsible for the formation of CART in the late 1970s. Frustrated by the leadership from USAC at the time, his “white paper” led to the formation of a new racing series controlled more by the owners and participants.

Along with his Formula 1 wins, Gurney won seven times in Champ Car and teamed up with A.J. Foyt to win the 1967 24 Hours of LeMans. He also drove in 16 NASCAR races and may have been the original “road course ringer”, with all five of his wins coming at the legendary Riverside road course.

He joins Foyt and Juan Pablo Montoya as the only drivers to win in sports cars, IndyCar, Formula 1 and NASCAR.

After leaving open-wheel racing in the late 1970s, All-American Racers competed in the IMSA sports car series, winning 51 times between 1983-93. They also won the 24 hours of Daytona and the 12 Hours of Sebring.

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Gurney’s legacy

Gurney’s success in the sport is legendary, and in some cases, without precedent. But he also leaves a legacy with the number of racers and fans he inspired. Some of the greatest names in the sport Tweeted out their condolences Sunday. He is survived by his wife, Evi, and sons Justin, Alex, Jimmy and Dan Jr.