OT: R.I.P. Dan Gurney

[72gmc]

Originally Posted by tv_vt

This thread really needs some youtube links!

I agree!

A series on the RACER channel

recollections from Peter Windsor

Gurney Eagle at Goodwood Revival

[soulspinner]

Originally Posted by GregL

Mario had more wins, but Gurney was more successful as a designer, manufacturer, and team owner. Mario was notoriously hard on equipment, while Gurney was just the opposite. Gurney's versatility was his hallmark. His success in 1967 was incredible (see bthornt's post above). Gurney and Mark Donohue were the two drivers/designers that I admired most when I was an aspiring racer.

Greg

Mario won in stock cars, Indy cars and was an F1 champ. Question was driver. Having met him, watched him race in person etc I would say his skills were un matched by any American ever. Was he Schumacher? No, but Michael was a one off.

[johnniecakes]

Originally Posted by soulspinner

Mario won in stock cars, Indy cars and was an F1 champ. Question was driver. Having met him, watched him race in person etc I would say his skills were un matched by any American ever. Was he Schumacher? No, but Michael was a one off.

I would have loved to see Michael in a USAC sprint car against Mario. And Mario never had Rubens pull over to give Michael the win (following team orders).

[parris]

I don't know how to really answer the greatest driver question. This is just my personal preference speaking but for me it would be Jim Clark followed by Mario and Sterling Moss (tie), and then either Fangio or Jackie Stewart to round out the top 3. Again it's just my personal preference.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by bthornt

Off topic, but certainly a great discussion - who was (or is) the greatest driver of all time? Mario Andretti (my choice, by the way) won at Indy, Daytona, and the F1 championship. The biggest race he didn't win is F1 Monte Carlo. He drove every type of vehicle, in every type of race, with great success. But that was a long time ago, and very similar to cycling at that time. You were expected to race all season long, in all types of races - grand tours, one day races, and the track.

Actually, the one race Mario always wanted was LeMans. Almost made it, but he admitted he brain faded in the middle of the night and locked up fresh brakes and crashed his GT40. He attempted to win that race up to almost age 60, but, the Stars weren't aligned. That would be an achievement that would never be surpassed in history, although the triple header he holds claim to won't, either. I have seen Mario in person, btw, and, for the life of me, I can't imagine a man of his small size handling an old school NASCAR stocker at Daytona. That needed size and strength, most of thos older drivers were ex football players.

I think Monte Carlo is overhyped, usually going to the best qualifier, since it's so hard to pass.

F1 drivers, and drivers in other types of racing back then did not get the incredibly lucrative contracts that they receive today, which usually restrict them to one form of racing. Drivers of the 60s and 70s were more freelance Cowboys for hire, chasing short term contracts.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by parris

I don't know how to really answer the greatest driver question. This is just my personal preference speaking but for me it would be Jim Clark followed by Mario and Sterling Moss (tie), and then either Fangio or Jackie Stewart to round out the top 3. Again it's just my personal preference.

It's pretty much impossible to name a greatest ever, due to the vast disparities in technology over the years. Look at the kind of car Fangio was driving, compared to modern day tech marvels. He had no launch control, and a steering wheel that most gamer teenagers lust over with forty buttons of all sort. Just drum brakes, skinny tires, and a little windshield, all attached to a monster engine. And they raced on essentially country roads in Europe, not modern, incredibly safe tracks.

[steelbikerider]

Mario having success on oval tracks in stock cars is a big separator for me. If only A.J. Foyt had taken up Mr. Ferrari's offer for an F1 ride. Imagine , Gurney, Andretti and Foyt in F1 together.
Andretti - no Lemans win or car designs with his name
Foyt - no F1
Gurney - no oval stock car wins or Indy 500

[bthornt]

Quote from Mr. Pink: I think Monte Carlo is overhyped, usually going to the best qualifier, since it's so hard to pass.

I couldn't agree more. Nonetheless, if you were to list all the "must have" wins in motorsports, I think you would have Indy, Le Mans, Daytona, and Monte Carlo. I don't think anyone has won all of them.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by steelbikerider

Mario having success on oval tracks in stock cars is a big separator for me. If only A.J. Foyt had taken up Mr. Ferrari's offer for an F1 ride. Imagine , Gurney, Andretti and Foyt in F1 together.
Andretti - no Lemans win or car designs with his name
Foyt - no F1
Gurney - no oval stock car wins or Indy 500

Let's not forget that Mario, in the same season, drove Sprint cars on American dirt, and then flew over to Europe to race F1. I just love that. Never happen again.

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by bthornt

Quote from Mr. Pink: I think Monte Carlo is overhyped, usually going to the best qualifier, since it's so hard to pass.

I couldn't agree more. Nonetheless, if you were to list all the "must have" wins in motorsports, I think you would have Indy, Le Mans, Daytona, and Monte Carlo. I don't think anyone has won all of them.

No, but, he's got that Championship in his pocket, so I'm pretty sure he doesn't care too much.

[bthornt]

He won Le Mans, Indy 500, and Monaco (Monte Carlo). I have a hard time imagining him in a stock car, though!

So different in cycling. We have Eddy Merckx, unequivocally the greatest cyclist ever. I don't think many other sports have an all time great like him.

[Corso]

I thought this thread was about Mr Gurney? Leave Mario out of this please.

Dan was one of the greats in American Racing. Period.

God SPEED Dan!

[Ken Robb]

I can't choose a "best" but besides all the fine drivers already mentioned I like Phil Hill, A.J. Foyt. and Parnelli Jones. There are probably lots of others I won't mention because their success came in just one kind of racing though they might have done well in many other venues too.

Off the top of my head I can't think of a successful driver who was also as successful a designer/builder as Gurney.

[Bruce K]

It was a great era for American motor sports and Gurney was a pioneer.

Few like him in today’s racing scene.

BK

[PacNW2Ford]

The Spa-winning Eagle was known as the “titanium” car as it used more titanium and magnesium parts. For the sixties, this was quite exotic and reflected the proximity to So Cal’s aerospace industry. For me he epitomized California hot rodding at he highest levels. This was also true of the world-beating Toyota GTP car.