Never Stop Driving #134: Webster Road

Webster Road is not just my personal fantasy, but an actual stretch of tarmac in California. Also known as Route 229, the roughly eight-mile stretch near San Luis Obispo drives like it was made for me: A tight uphill series of bends served by smooth and cambered pavement.

Last week, a trio of friends and I met in Los Angeles for a two-day driving vacation. I’m not a sit-on-the-beach guy. We drove a route that included Hagerty’s 2024 Road of the Year, the dreamy Highway 33, and a bunch of lesser-known sections recommended by Hagerty’s Dave Hord, who establishes routes for the California Mille and other driving events we organize. Little did Dave or I know that one of my favorite stretches would share my last name. I might just have to move there.

Webster Road is only one of many reasons I love the Golden State. SoCal’s Orange County is also the home of All American Racers (AAR), the company owned by Dan Gurney and now run by his son, Justin. AAR was founded by Carroll Shelby and Dan Gurney in 1964. It’s where the 1967 Eagle F1 car, which Gurney drove to victory in the Belgian Grand Prix, was built. Gurney was the first and only American driver to win an F1 race in an American car. Shelby was, of course, Shelby.

Tom Cotter, Hagerty’s Barn Find Hunter, recently enjoyed incredible access to AAR’s historic workshops thanks to his relationship with Justin Gurney. The company is not open to the public, so Cotter produced two episodes which, in effect, bring viewers along for a private tour of AAR’s hallowed halls. The first debuted two months ago and featured Dan’s 1961 Chevy Impala which he raced in England in period, and which Justin raced recently in tribute. In the latest video, you can watch Cotter enjoy a personal tour with Justin.

The videos showcase too much motorsports lore to unpack in this space, but you’ll enjoy every minute watching them. Cars built by AAR, called “Eagles,” won at Indy, Sebring, Daytona, and, of course, Belgium. That success comes from talented people and the tour illustrates the culture that Dan Gurney, whom I long admired not just for his talent but for his decency, created. One of the most celebrated engineers of the past fifty years, Phil Remington, worked at AAR for decades. Remm, as he was known, joined Gurney’s shop in 1968 and remained at his workbench until he passed away in 2013. Remington’s workbench, a tribute to the man who could seemingly build anything and solve any problem, remains in place.

Viewers also meet the company’s long-time aerodynamicist, Hiro Fujimori, and Justin enthusiastically explains the photos and mementos that are sprinkled through the workshops. Justin even lets Tom tour the attic and the vintage car parts waiting for a restoration project. Amazing!

That episode brought back a flood of good memories. Back in 2012, when I was at Popular Mechanics, AAR was building an unconventional narrow-front race car called the Deltawing. Naturally I was keen to cover the new technology, so I finagled a visit to the shop and stopped in well past quitting time. About a dozen technicians were furiously working on the car, including Phil Remington, and I was able shake the hand of the legendary fabricator! Unfortunately, Dan Gurney was not onsite that day, but I remember feeling that the shop was something more than a workplace to those who labored there. The air was thick with the enthusiasm of a group of talented people doing what they loved: building race cars. I wished that I worked there.

That sort of positive workplace environment doesn’t happen by accident. Gurney created it and, of course, accomplished so much else, which his son proudly explains to Cotter.

I am so grateful that here at Hagerty we can bring you stories like that. Here are a few more to help you enjoy your weekend. Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletters so the latest is delivered right to your inbox.

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• Oscars Host Conan O’Brien Still Rocks a 1992 Ford Taurus SHO That He Bought New
• Protect your car with the right fire extinguisher
• Couple Conquers Cancer to Win Autorama 2025 Ridler Award with “Gray Madder” ’55 Nomad

This weekend I’ll be soaking up hundreds of interesting cars and communing with car people at The Amelia. Here’s a sample of some of the cars that will be there. If you’re in northern Florida, stop by. Otherwise, have a terrific weekend!

Larry

P.S.: Your feedback and comments are welcome.

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