By Peter M. DeLorenzo
Detroit. The sport of motor racing is filled with memorable races marked by both triumph and tragedy. It's the nature of the sport that these two extremes have left such an indelible impression that they live on for decades, leaving a legacy that is part and parcel of our collective memories. The many heroic individuals - and individual efforts - that have carved out their place in motorsport history are too often luridly offset by gut-wrenching tragedies that have torn us apart along the way. It is an unfortunate consequence of a sport that consumes everything and everyone in its path, a fevered, relentless pursuit marked by unbridled elation and devastating, soul-crushing disappointment. In this series I will try to avoid dwelling on the tragic stories, because as enthusiasts of this sport we are all too familiar with them. If, in the course of talking about a particular race mentioning a tragic event is unavoidable that will have to be, but this series will mainly focus on those memorable moments from those glory days that rivet us to this day. This week, we return to Riverside International Raceway on November 26, 1967, for the Rex Mays 300 race for USAC Indy cars - a race dominated by Dan Gurney in his beautiful AAR Eagle/Ford, against an all-star field of drivers. Dan considered this race to be one of his all-time greatest victories.
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The starting grid for the Rex Mays 300 USAC Indy car race was impressive and star-studded. Dan Gurney qualified on pole with his magnificent No. 48 All American Racers Eagle/Ford (above). Jim Clark (No. 21 Vollstedt 67/Ford) qualified second. Other notable starters? John Surtees (No. 24 John Mecom Racing LolaT92/Ford), A.J. Foyt (No. 14 Ansted-Thompson Racing Coyote/Ford), Bobby Unser (No. 6 Wilke Eagle/Ford), Mario Andretti (No. 1 Dean Racing Enterprises Hawk II/Ford), Lloyd Ruby (No. 25 Gene White Mongoose/Ford), Roger McCluskey (No. 12 Lindsey Hopkins Eagle/Ford), George Follmer (No. 17 Vollstedt 67/Ford), Billy Vukovich (No. 98 J.C. Agajanian Mongoose 67/Ford), Johnny Rutherford (No. 45 Eagle/Ford), Ronnie Bucknum (No. 22 Lotus 38 3/Ford), Al Unser (No. 5 Lola T92/Ford), Jerry Grant (No. 78 Eagle/Ford), Joe Leonard (No. 20 Vel's Ford Sales Mongoose 67/Ford), Wally Dallenbach (No. 54 Huffaker 64/Offenhauser TC, Gordon Johncock (No. 3 Gerhardt 67/Ford) and Jerry Titus (No. 11 Horton 67 1/Ford). It was a beautiful mash-up of a grid composed of all-stars from USAC, F1 and sports car racing. It would be a memorable race. And a memorable day.
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Jim Clark ran strong in his No. 21 Vollstedt 67/Ford but did not finish due to a dropped engine valve.
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Mario Andretti qualified sixth and finished third in his No. 1 Dean Racing Enterprises Hawk II/Ford).
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Bobby Unser (No. 6 Robert Wilke Eagle/Ford) qualified third and finished second that day.
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John Surtees (No. 24 John Mecom Racing Lola T92/Ford) qualified fourth but did not finish due to engine issues.
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Roger McCluskey (No. 12 Lindsey Hopkins Eagle/Ford) qualified seventh and finished fifth in the 1967 Rex Mays 300.
(Dave Friedman photo)
Dan Gurney was superb in the 1967 Rex Mays 300 USAC Indy car race, delivering one of his greatest wins, and a personal favorite. Bobby Unser (No. 6 Robert Wilke Eagle/Ford) was second, Mario Andretti (No. 1 Dean Racing Enterprises Hawk II/Ford), third, Lloyd Ruby (No. 25 Gene White Mongoose 67/Ford), fourth, Roger McCluskey (No. 12 Lindsey Hopkins Eagle/Ford, fifth, George Follmer (No. 17 Vollstedt 67/Ford), sixth, Billy Vukovich (No. 98 J.C. Agajanian Mongoose 67/Ford), seventh, Johnny Rutherford (No. 45 Weinberger & Wilsek Eagle/Ford), eighth, Ronnie Bucknum (No. 22 Gordon Van Liew Lotus 38 3/Ford), ninth, and Jerry Titus (No. 11 Diana Horton Horton 67 1/Ford, tenth. Watch a cool video here.
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If there was a Mount Rushmore for American racing drivers, Dan Gurney would certainly be on it. Dan's contributions to the sport - as a driver, constructor and team owner - are almost incalculable. None other than the great Jim Clark considered Dan his greatest rival. That pretty much says it all.
Editor's Note: You can access previous issues of AE by clicking on "Next 1 Entries" below. - WG