Gurney was the sport's first 'road-course ringer' (cont'd)

Well-known for being a smooth driver and able to conserve his car, particularly the brakes, until near the end of the race, Gurney had the ability to get the most out of his machine. That skill paid off in the 1967 24 Hours of Le Mans, when Gurney and Foyt were unexpected winners -- and Gurney sprayed champagne afterwards, starting a tradition that continues to this day.

Gurney made his Formula One debut for Ferrari in 1959, one year after driving for the team at Le Mans. In four races, he scored a pair of top-three finishes but left after a dispute with management. He was involved in an accident during the 1960 Dutch Grand Prix that killed a spectator.

Moving to Porsche in 1961, Gurney scored three second-place finishes, then won the 1962 French Grand Prix. When Porsche opted out at the end of the season, Gurney teamed with Brabham, winning twice in 1964 and recording 10 top-three finishes.

Along with master designer Carroll Shelby and Goodyear as sponsor, Gurney began construction of an American racing car for the 1965 season. Calling his team All-American Racers, Gurney won his fourth and final Formula One race in the Belgian Grand Prix. In all, he made 86 Grand Prix starts, with 26 top-five finishes.

In addition, Gurney started nine consecutive Indianapolis 500s, beginning in 1962. He finished second in 1968 and 1969, and third in 1970 and was the first driver to wear a full-face helmet. By the time he retired from active driving, Gurney had raced in more than 20 countries in 51 makes of cars, winning 51 times.

Gurney has been the sole owner, chairman and CEO of All-American Racers since buying out Shelby in the early '70s. The team has won eight championships, and can count the Indianapolis 500 and endurance races at Sebring and Daytona among its successes.

He also co-founded the Long Beach Grand Prix. In 2002, Gurney introduced his revolutionary single-cylinder Alligator motorcycle, a direct descendant of the original gasoline-powered motorbike designed by Gottlieb Daimler in 1886.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer