Spray it Again Dan

The Holiday Season is in full swing, so while you're sipping your cocoa, opening gifts and sharing time with your family, we wanted to share a little Historical Holiday Cheer from all of us at l'art et l'automobile.  You may want to have a seat by the fireplace and pop open a bottle of the bubbly because today we learn about how the Tradition of Spraying Champagne After a Race Began.  

Though it may seem like the tradition of spraying champagne after a race is as old as motor sport itself, the story has more intricate roots. This integral part of the trophy ceremony only began in 1967, and the first driver to spray champagne on the podium was Dan Gurney. Gurney left us in January 2018, so looking back at his career, let's remember how the tradition that has graced and stained countless podiums began.

After winning the 1967 Le Mans for Ford with A.J. Foyt, Gurney saw that Ford CEO Henry Ford II, team owner Caroll Shelby, their wives, and a few journalists, who predicted a bad race for the duet, had gathered at the podium. In a move that caught everyone by surprise, he shook up the bottle of Moët that he had been given and sprayed them with champagne. This made him the first driver to spray champagne while celebrating on the podium, starting a new tradition.

If you want to learn more about the incredible story, or hear what the man himself had to say about it, Follow the link to our Blog, where we have a fantastic article by Eoin Young detailing the momentous day.  

We also have gathered a collection of Dan Gurney Artwork, Collectibles and Memorabilia, including a poster commissioned especially to commemorate Dan's contribution to racing tradition.  Feel free to tour the gallery here.