Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127115
Team The Profile, #39 "I like to stay abreast oflNhat's · occurring right now, so I read MOTORCYCLIST and DIRT RIDER." -Dan Gurney Riding preference: '''What I like best is just going off to the mountains exploring. I love to just get out and say, 'Let's see if we can get over there.' " Name: Dan Gurn ey Occupation: Owner and president, All American Racers, Inc. ; retired race car driver Company description: "All American Racers was founded in • 1964. We began designing and building the Eagles in 1965, and we also prepare the Toyota Celica Turbos that competein the IM SA GTO class. In fact, we just won the IMSA GTO Manufacturer's Championship" and our team won the drivers' title. We have a complete racing facility that includes a machine shop , engine R&D department, wind tunnel, compos. ite construction shop where we make bodywork, and a parts department." Track record: Started racing a Triump h TR-2 in 1955; became factory Ferrari Formula One dri ver in 1959; has won seven Formula One races, including four G rands Prix; victory in 1967 Belgian GP, piloting his own Eagle, was first GP victory by an American in an American car in 46 years; first road racing driver to ~ake switch to NASCAR Grand National stock car racing-had record five straight · wins in Riverside 500; first driver to win championship races in four major types of motorsports competition: Formula One, sports cars, stock cars. sand Indy cars; 1967; with A.J. Foyt, won LeMans 24 · Hours, 1967; placed second at Indianapolis 500, 1968, 1969, placed _ third, 1970; first racer to take a large American sedan to England and compete in "saloon". races; retired from racing in 1970 with 37 wins in 18 countries arid 25 makes of cars ; Eagles have won Indy 500 three times, USAC N ational Championship twice, Formula A Championship twice; in 1973, 21 of 33 cars on starting grid of Indy · 500 were Eagles, a first for any manufacturer; two-time winner, So·ciety of Automotive Engineers' "Builder of the Year"; two-time winner, Martini & Rossi "Sportsman of the Year" Riding history: " I've been a -rnotorcycle enthu siast since I was 12 years old, before I was allowed · to own one. The first bike I bought was a Triump h Thunderbird. I've never really raced bikes, though I rode the Big Bear run a couple of times back in the old days. In ' 58 I finished 11th in class and 21st overall out of 640 riders; I was so proud I could hardly stand it." Bikes currently owned: "I own a Hon da CR500 that I use for rides like the Colorado 500, a · Yamaha IT490, Yamaha Vision, and a bunch of singles..I'm not a real big fan of big four-cylinder bikes. Right now I'm modifying an older Honda single we call the 'Alligator' because you sit kind of low on it. I'm also modifying a 350 Yamaha trials bike for general offroad riding. it has more fuel capacity and you can sit on it and ride it like a regular motorcycle, but it's light and climbs like nobody's business." Magazines: " I'm a little bit of a nostalgia freak, but I also like to stay abreast of what's occurring · right now, so I read MOTORCYCLIST and DIRT RIDER. I especially like the racing coverage and travel -type pieces that involve endurance, exploring, or unusual places to ride, but when it comes . right down to it, I like it all." This endorsement is purely voluntary. No fee or other 'con sideration is paid. AT NEWSSTAN DS FOR $24.00 PER YEAR OR BY · .SUBSCRIPTION FOR $15.94. FOR SUBSCRIPTION ORDERS CALL (213) 854-2470.