Video: Celebrating Dan Gurney at Goodwood

05th July 2020

Ben Miles

Dan Gurney was a great friend of Goodwood. Not only an exceptional racing driver, Dan was a true gentleman of the motorsport, a pioneer and one of the best all-rounders the world has ever seen. So in 2012 we were honoured to have him as our guest at the Goodwood Revival for a celebration of his amazing career.

Dan Gurney didn’t just win the first Formula 1 race for Porsche, win five NASCAR races (in just 16 starts), finish runner up in the Indy 500 twice and win the Le Mans 24 Hours. He was the first racing driver to wear a full face helmet, he invented the Gurney Flap, a tiny right-angled extension to a rear wing that increased downforce for very little drag, and he was the first driver to spray champagne after winning a race.

And that is just his driving career. When he retired Gurney set up All American Racers, a team which would win the Indy 500, Sebring 12 Hours, Daytona 24 and more. He also led the revolution that saw the founding of CART and created Toyota’s mighty IMSA chargers of the late 1980s. Dan Gurney was a true giant of motorsport.

The driver list for this tribute to the great man is a showcase of just how well respected he was. Jackie Stewart, Tony Brooks, John Surtees and Sir Stirling Moss are just a few of the names who took part. The whole thing was topped off by a visibly moved Dan spraying the champagne again just like he had after winning Le Mans in 1967. It was a celebration worthy of a truly inspirational man.