Dan Gurney Passes At 86
Great Innovator; Good Man
Sunday afternoon marked the passing one of the icons of the Golden Era of motorsports, when Daniel Sexton Gurney left this plane of existence. I had an opportunity to talk to Dan several times during my time with On-Track Magazine, since his All-American Racers shop in Santa Ana was just around the corner from the former publisher’s offices in Fountain Valley; so any time I needed to understand the practical impact of some racing technology, he was close by, and usually available to discuss whatever element was confusing me.
Whenever we’d conclude a conversation, I usually found myself more impressed with him as a person, rather than a shiny memorial to the ‘good old days’, because he was always looking forward, always driving toward the next corner. And he was always, always curious – particularly relating to any thing that associated itself with the premise of ‘high speed; low drag’.
In those days, I was still flying, and had some direct experience with military jets and helicopters, but more importantly, the people who made them go. Consequently, as a writer, aside from actually having a conversation with ‘The’ Dan Gurney, it was somewhat problematic trying to stay focused on what I wanted to garner from him, since more times than not, I found myself answering ‘his questions’ about flying, and how this or that applied to piloting, or some other element of aviation. As I said, he was an active thinker, and curious about everything and everyone, even my rudimentary takes as a journeyman writer/pilot.
After On-Track was sold in the 90’s, then ultimately disappeared entirely, I rarely had a chance to talk to him, but it didn’t matter since I continued to follow his path wherever it went from his Alligator two-wheel design, to the delta wing project, or the numerous other projects he was involved in between then and last Sunday. For a schlub like me to have had an opportunity to be even slightly involved in what he was doing, was both an honor and a pleasure, and the mere thought of him leaving the planet has left me at a loss for words. Consequently, in closing I will simply say; ‘Bon Chance’ Daniel, we’ll sure miss you, and hope to meet you again once the rest of us cross over the river.
