Dan Gurney
A charismatic American racer and innovator who won in everything from Formula One to IndyCar and invented the champagne spray.
1931–2018 (age 87)·American racing driver, engineer and motorsport executive·Birthday: April 13·The Silent Generation
Biography
Dan Gurney was the quintessential American competitor in global motorsport, a tall, thoughtful Californian who raced with a cool precision. He didn't just drive; he engineered, founded teams, and shaped the culture of racing. His career was a tapestry of different disciplines: he was the first driver to win races in Formula One, NASCAR, and IndyCar, and he co-drove to a historic victory for Ford at Le Mans in 1967. Behind the wheel, his most famous moment came at the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix, where he became the first winner to spray champagne on the podium—a tradition he invented on the spot. Off the track, he co-founded the All American Racers team and designed the influential Eagle race cars. Gurney's legacy is that of a complete racing intellect whose influence extended far beyond any single checkered flag.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Dan was born in 1931, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1931
#1 Movie
Frankenstein
Best Picture
Cimarron
Dan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1931Born
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1936Started school
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1944Became a teenager
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1947Could drive
India gains independence; the Dead Sea Scrolls found
Gas: $0.23/galHome: $6,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Near You" — Francis CraigBest Picture: Gentleman's Agreement
1949Could vote
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1952Turned 21
Queen Elizabeth II ascends the throne
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,350Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Blue Tango" — Leroy AndersonBest Picture: The Greatest Show on Earth
1961Turned 30
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1971Turned 40
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 50
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 60
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 70
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 80
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2018Died at 87
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
Key Achievements
- Won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1967 with co-driver A.J. Foyt in a Ford GT40.
- Was the first driver to win races in Formula One, NASCAR, and IndyCar.
- Founded All American Racers and built the Eagle race cars, which won the 1967 Belgian Grand Prix.
Did You Know?
He originated the victory lane tradition of spraying champagne after winning the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The 'Gurney flap', a simple aerodynamic device he pioneered, is still used on race cars and aircraft.
He was offered the role of James Bond's driver in the film 'Goldfinger' but turned it down due to racing commitments.
““The checkered flag is the most beautiful flag in the world.””
