Gurney Cars To Be Exhibited At The 50th Rolex

DAYTONA BEACH - Dan Gurney is one of the icons of motorsport, who used his success at Daytona International Speedway as a springboard to legendary status.

Gurney won the inaugural race sports car at Daytona in 1962 and returned 30 years later to claim the 1993 Rolex 24 At Daytona as owner of the team, with support from the Toyota plant.

The cars, which made the glory Gurney, will race for the 50th anniversary of the Rolex 24 in January. The circuit has invited all previous cars back on track for the show once in a lifetime.

"Dan Gurney is one of those names synonymous with the event," Joie Chitwood III Speedway president, said on Thursday afternoon. "For the Lotus won his first Rolex 24, it is exciting to see the car at Daytona. I could not be satisfied."

Gurney took the open cockpit Arciero Racing No. 96 Lotus-Climax 19B to victory in 1962. In those days it was a race called the three-hour Daytona Continental. The end was dramatic.

The pilot held a minute of California singles, 40 seconds ahead in the final moments of the race when the engine blew.

To win the race, Gurney realized he would have to cross the finish line after the deadline. If he crossed the line before three hours had passed, he would have to run another lap, as he was unable to do so.

Gurney was waiting for a great career in 18-degree tilt of the tri-oval, and when you look at the success for three hours, he coasted the final five feet to take the checkered flag and win.

"Flagman was perched just above me, and I looked at my watch and looked at his watch and wondered if in fact we thought we had an advantage," said Gurney.

"Finally, he swings the flag, and I left and coasted to the side and it was victory."

Gurney's victory in 1993 was a runaway victory. His No. 98 Toyota Eagle's car may have been the most competitive sports ever built.

PJ Jones, Rocky Moran and Mark Dismore led the Eagle. The team once again bring the last 96 minutes remaining in the race and completed 698 laps, 2,484.88 miles of an average of 103.503 mph.

In addition, profit, No 98 Toyota remains the record books with the Jones' record pole-winning lap of 136.520 mph, which is the all time fastest lap at Daytona sports car.

"When you think about the history of the Rolex 24, we can not help but admire the success of Dan Gurney, and that has made this race exhausting and challenging," said Chitwood.

2012 Rolex 24 is scheduled for January 28 to 29 in Daytona road course is 3.56 mil.