What is the Gurney Cup?

Known to many as ‘Dan the Man’, highlights of Gurney’s career include four Formula 1 Grand Prix wins and victory at the Le Mans 24 Hours. He co-founded the All American Racers team with Carroll Shelby, and was immortalised as an engineer with the invention of the Gurney Flap, an aerodynamic advancement he conceived in 1971.

His rise to the upper echelons of motorsport began in 1959, when his raw talent propelled him into Grand Prix racing. Performances in his native America attracted interest from Ferrari for the 1958 Le Mans before later stints with BRM, Porsche, Lotus, McLaren, and Brabham. And not only was he a master at the wheel, such was his immense popularity and charm that Car and Driver magazine distributed ‘Gurney for President’ badges and bumper stickers in the mid-1960s, a beloved campaign that was revived decade after decade.

Gurney’s history with the Goodwood Motor Circuit runs deep. He made his debut here in 1959, driving the works Ferrari 250 TR in the RAC TT. He returned with BRM for the Glover Trophy, and again in 1961 to contest the Lavant Cup in a Lotus 18. By 1964, he was back with Shelby American for the RAC TT, wrestling his Cobra home to a third-place finish. Hoping to improve his fortunes the following year, he returned with Brabham for the 1965 International Trophy, but unfortunately crashed out of the race.

The biggest prize of Gurney’s career arrived two years later when, along with A.J. Foyt, he conquered Le Mans with Ford — an historic win given the fact both drivers, the team (Shelby-American), chassis and engine manufacturer (Ford), and tyre supplier (Goodyear) all hailed from the United States.

Caught up in the pure joy of the moment on the podium, Gurney spontaneously sprayed the crowd with champagne, igniting a celebratory motorsport tradition that endures to this day.

In his later years, Gurney became a regular visitor to the Goodwood Revival, which culminated in a spectacular 2012 celebration of his career that brought together a diverse grid of cars he had raced across both America and Europe. Gurney himself returned to the cockpit of the iconic Ferrari 250 TR, while Sir Jackie Stewart drove the very Porsche 804 in which Gurney won the 1962 French Grand Prix.

In tribute to Gurney’s diverse and powerful racing heritage, the Gurney Cup features a stellar field of sports-racing prototypes from 1963-66. Now adapted into a thrilling 45-minute, two-driver duel (up from its previous 20-minute, single-driver format), this extravaganza of British and American engineering promises incredible action, with Ford GT40s going head-to-head against the likes of the McLaren-Chevrolet M1A and Chevron B8.

We can’t wait to welcome crowds of passionate spectators to the banking as the roar of these infamous V8 engines echoes from a packed grid at the upcoming 84^th Members’ Meeting.

Main image photography by Jayson Fong.

The 84th Members' Meeting takes place on 10th and 11th April 2027. Tickets are now on sale to GRRC Members and Fellowship Members at the early bird price.

If you’re not already part of the GRRC, you can sign up to the Fellowship today to save ten per cent on your 2027 tickets and grandstand passes, as well as enjoying a whole host of other on-event perks.