Remembering Dan

PHOTO BY LAT PHOTOGRAPHIC

We've made reference to one California racer who died of pneumonia over the weekend at 86.  But how good was Dan Gurney in the marketing world?

In 1964, Gurney was part of this commercial, which included the fact he had won the first of what we call the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Riverside, California a year prior, for the legendary Wood Brothers of Stuart, Virginia, a team that is still owned by the family, though they are now a satellite team to Penske.


In 1970, he was part of Chrysler's SCCA Trans-Am efforts:


In the 1980's, Dan ran the Toyota sports car efforts, and ran both the Over 2500cc and Prototype car efforts under the All American Racers platform.  Toyota did a few ads with him, his wife, and one son.





And a few current owners of Dan's great racers take their laps on contemporary tracks:

Toyota GTP:


1972 USAC MCT Offenhauser:


And the historic car at a historic track: 1967 EagleF1 Spa winner at Goodwood:


Mitchell's Note: Let's not forget when Dan was the Car and Driver candidate for President!