Big Machine Racing To Honor Racing Legends Dan Gurney And Bobby Unser At Darlington Raceway

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Jade Buford with the No. 48 Big Machine Chevrolet car. Photo: by HHP Photo

Big Machine Racing and driver Jade Buford will honor NASCAR, IndyCar and Formula 1 legend Dan Gurney and late IndyCar icon Bobby Unser with a throwback car at Saturday’s Steakhouse Elite 200 at Darlington Raceway.

“Darlington race week is finally here! Everybody is going to be blown away when they see our Dan Gurney Throwback scheme on the track,” says Buford. “It’s absolutely beautiful and I couldn’t be more honored to get to drive it. This will be my first time at Darlington and I know it’s a tough track to learn, but we’ve been to other tracks that have also been challenging and we’ve done pretty well. I’m full of optimism and ready to see what we can accomplish this weekend.”

Buford will drive in the No. 48 Chevrolet car sporting Gurney’s classic dark blue, orange, and yellow V-stripes on the hood. The car will even sport the classic Hot Wheels logo above the rear tires. Unser, who passed away on May 2, will also be honored as he also drove the No. 48.

“We go into this weekend not only honoring the famous Gurney No. 48 but also remembering another amazing driver who took the No. 48 to many great victories, one Mr. Bobby Unser,” says Big Machine Racing owner Scott Borchetta. “Dan and Bobby were two of the GOATs and this paint scheme has even more importance to me and race fans across the world as we remember two true legends.”

“Dan would be very happy and honored to see a younger version of himself drive a younger version of the old No. 48,” says the late Gurney’s wife, Evi Gurney. “The car in its colorful livery with its provocatively outsized number looks bold and modern just like it did fifty years ago on the 1970 Trans Am circuit. It was cool then and it is cool again now. Congratulations on this marvelous ‘vintage’ racing effort and best of luck to Jade and the team.”

Darlington Raceway will be another first-time track for Buford as he continues his first full season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series competition. The seasoned road racer has been impressive on ovals this year, putting together four top-20 finishes in six career starts on those tracks. He’s coming off his best finish of the season so far, earning an 18th-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway.

The Steakhouse Elite 200 will air on Fox Sports 1 at 12 p.m. CST this Saturday, May 8.

Steven Boero
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