Dan Gurney’s iconic 1961 Chevy Impala will serve as the pace car at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion this coming August. The Chevy is set to lead the pack for the Dan Gurney Saloon Car Trophy race at Laguna Seca Raceway in California with Dan Gurney’s son at the wheel. The Impala recently returned to California after a six-decade journey around the world, as GM Authority covered previously.
Gurney originally purchased the 1961 Chevy Impala in California, after which it crossed the Atlantic to compete in the British Saloon Car Championship at Silverstone. Facing off against motorsport legends like Bruce McLaren, Gurney’s Impala ultimately retired from the race due to a wheel failure. A controversial ban followed, with rumors of pressure from Jaguar’s team forcing Gurney’s exit.
However, the Impala’s journey was far from over. Gurney later sold the car to Australian racer Laurie O’Neill, who swapped its original 409-cubic-inch V8 engine for a straight-six and used it as a tow vehicle. Decades later, British journalist Ed Foster restored the Impala with a replacement 409 engine, while the Chevy also served as the pace car for the 2018 Goodwood Revival. Interestingly, the Impala was eventually restored with the original numbers-matching 409, which was found powering a boat before it was reintroduced under the hood of the Chevy.
Following the restoration, Justin Gurney, Dan’s son, brought the Impala back home to California.
“I’m not going to race the car, but to participate as the pace car in the Dan Gurney Saloon Car Trophy races is going to be both exciting and sentimental,” Justin said. “The deep guttural 409 big block engine should turn quite a few heads.”
The Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will run between August 13th and 16th, playing host to roughly 400 historic race cars. This year’s event will also include a tribute to the 75th Anniversary of Formula 1, as well as the IROC series.
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Ahhhhh, a ’61 Impala 409… Is there a Chevy fan out there who wouldn’t love to have one of these in their garage?