REMEMBERING DAN GURNEY: A racing hero who was the epitome of cool

January 16, 2018
Posted by Barrett-Jackson

Dan Gurney | 1931 – 2018

Dan Gurney and Craig Jackson in 2014.

On Sunday afternoon, the team at Barrett-Jackson learned of the passing of a legend: Dan Gurney. He was the first man to win the world’s four major racing classifications: Formula One, IndyCar, Sports Cars and NASCAR. His incredible career behind the wheel spanned 312 events in 20 countries, and saw him head to the podium 98 times, with 51 wins under his belt. The son of Metropolitan Opera star John Gurney, Dan’s movie-star good looks could have easily landed him a role on the silver screen, but he chose the racetrack as his theater.

For Barrett-Jackson CEO Craig Jackson – who owns the last car Gurney raced before retiring, a 1970 Plymouth Barracuda – the news of Dan’s passing hit particularly close to home. “I initially met Dan at a young age, traveling with my brother Brian to Phil Hill’s races,” he recalls. “I learned a lot from Dan and admired him. I was honored to call him a friend, and cherished the times we spent together. He will be greatly missed.”

“Dan Gurney was larger than life,” says Barrett-Jackson President Steve Davis. “As a kid, I thought he was awe-inspiring. Dan epitomized the spirit of what this entire hobby has evolved into. His passing is a huge loss to us all.”