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Dan Gurney: All American Racer(Part 1)
American Sports Car RacesFrom his first professional race in 1955 until his retirement in 1970, Daniel Sexton Gurney was the consummate race car driver -- skilled, dedicated, versatile, hard-charging, always in control of his vehicle, and a winner. Born on April 13, 1931, by the age of 19 he was drag racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats in a hot rod he had modified himself. But European-style road racing was always his passion. After a stint in the Army during the Korean War, Dan came back to California intent on getting back into racing. In his first pro race, at Torrey Pines, California in October 1955, he drove a Triumph TR2. Dan didn't win that day, but his first victory came not long after -- in July 1956 driving a Porsche in a race at Santa Monica, California. He won again in September 1957, driving a Chevrolet Corvette at Riverside, California -- a track he truly "owned' throughout his career. By November 1957, he had started driving for the Arciero team and, in a race at Riverside, battled future business partner Carroll Shelby in the Arciero Ferrari. Shelby eventually won, with Gurney a close 2nd. In 1958, Dan took two wins and a 2nd, still driving the Arciero Ferrari. He switched to the Arciero Lotus 19 late in 1959, and had at least five major victories in that car, including the annual races at Nassau, Bahamas in December 1960 and 1961, and races at Laguna Seca, California in October 1961 and 1962. Dan joined up with Carroll Shelby's team in 1963, driving the legendary Cobra 289 roadster to victory in the October 1963 U.S. Road Racing Championship 3-hour race at Riverside. During 1955 to 1965, Dan Gurney started 66 American sports car races, winning 23 times and placing second 6 times.
[Almost all photos in this section are from
Dan Gurney: The Ultimate Racer
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![]() 1959 - Arciero Ferrari |
![]() 1960 - Arciero Lotus 19 |
![]() 1963 - Shelby Cobra 289 |
66 Starts 5 Poles 23 Wins (14 Overall, 9 Class) 6 2nd Place Date Place Pos. Car Comments --------- ------------------ ----- ----------------- --------------------- Oct. 1955 Torrey Pines, CA ? Truimph TR-2 (First pro race) Jul. 1956 Santa Monica, CA 1 Porsche (First victory) Sep. 1957 Riverside, CA 1 Corvette Sep. 1957 Riverside, CA 6 Corvette Nov. 1957 Riverside, CA 2 Arciero Ferrari (Carroll Shelby 1st) Dec. 1957 Paramount, CA 1 Arciero Ferrari Mar. 1958 Phoenix, AZ 4 Ferrari 250GT Apr. 1958 Palm Springs, CA 1 Arciero Ferrari May 1958 Palm Springs, CA 1 Arciero Ferrari Oct. 1958 Riverside, CA 2 Arciero Ferrari Dec. 1960 Nassau, Bahamas 1 Arciero Lotus 19 Oct. 1961 Laguna Seca, CA 1 Arciero Lotus 19 Dec. 1961 Nassau, Bahamas 1 Arciero Lotus 19 Fall 1962 Kent. WA 1 Arciero Lotus 19 Oct. 1962 Laguna Seca, WA 1 Arciero Lotus 19 Oct. 1963 Riverside, CA 4 Cobra 289 (1-Hr race) Oct. 1963 Riverside, CA 1 Cobra 289 (3-Hr race) Oct. 1964 Laguna Seca, CA 2 Lotus 19B (12 Other Wins - Info N/A) ( 3 Other 2nds - Info N/A)
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