One of the greatest motorsports stories to ever unfold involves Ford, Ferrari, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans. After dominating the historic endurance race for so long, Ferrari seemed nigh unbeatable. But a vendetta from the Ford Motor Company goes a long way, as Ferrari found out once the famed Ford GT40 was unleashed.
Among the many famed drivers who piloted a GT40 is Dan Gurney, whom will be on hand to give a speech at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance March 8th to 10th. Motor Authority reports that Gurney will join Brian Redman and David Hobbs on a panel discussing the GT40 legend.
Gurney piloted a GT-40 to Le Mans victory in 1967 alongside co-driver A.J. Foyt. It was the second-consecutive Le Mans victory for the GT40, and once upon the podium Gurney showered the crowd with champagne, a tradition that now encompasses all sports. That was the only first-place finish Gurney racked up behind the wheel of the GT-40. However, a week later Gurney set the fastest-at-the-time race record for a Formula 1 event at Belgium’s Spa Francorchamps circuit.
Gurney’s inclusion will make an already-special event even more appealing, as he is widely regarded as one of the best American drivers in motorsports history. He has had experienced driving a wide variety of vehicles, including a Trans Am Mercury Cougar, the GT40 and Formula 1 cars, and even a Chevy Impala he took over to England to compete in “saloon car” racing. If you have the opportunity to attend Gurney’s speech, you should definitely check it out. We bet he’s got more than a few interesting stories.
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