Price Cobb
He conquered the world's toughest endurance race, piloting a thundering Jaguar to victory at the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Born 1954 (age 72)·American racecar driver·Birthday: December 10·Baby Boomers
Biography
Price Cobb's life has been measured in speed and sound, from the roar of a Jaguar XJR-12 at full chat to the quiet turn of a page. Born in 1954, the American driver carved his name into motorsport history not just with his hands on the wheel, but with his mind on the broader landscape of the sport. His 1990 Le Mans win with John Nielsen and Martin Brundle was a masterclass in endurance, a triumph of preparation and nerve over a grueling day and night. Cobb never confined himself to the cockpit; he later channeled his expertise into team ownership in the Indy Racing League, backing drivers like Roberto Guerrero. Further proving his deep, analytical engagement with racing, he became an author, translating the visceral experience of the track into written word for enthusiasts.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Price was born in 1954, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Price Was Born
The biggest hits of 1954
#1 Movie
White Christmas
Best Picture
On the Waterfront
#1 TV Show
I Love Lucy
Price's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1954Born
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1959Started school
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1967Became a teenager
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1970Could drive
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1972Could vote
Watergate break-in; last Apollo Moon mission
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $19,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" — Roberta FlackBest Picture: The Godfather
1975Turned 21
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1984Turned 30
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 40
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 50
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 60
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2024Turned 70
AI reshapes industries; Paris Olympics
Gas: $3.31/galHome: $372,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Espresso" — Sabrina CarpenterBest Picture: Anora
2026Age 72 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Co-drove the winning Jaguar XJR-12 at the 1990 24 Hours of Le Mans with teammates John Nielsen and Martin Brundle.
- Founded and operated an Indy Racing League team in the late 1990s.
- Authored multiple books on the subject of auto racing, sharing his technical and experiential knowledge.
Did You Know?
His full name is William Price Cobb.
He drove for the factory Jaguar team during its dominant period in World Sportscar Championship racing.
His IRL team fielded cars for veteran drivers Roberto Guerrero and Jim Guthrie.
“Winning Le Mans was about managing the car's fragility for twenty-four hours.”
