Dan Gerber started racing in midwest SCCA events in an Austin-Healey in 1961, while in 1962 he also started racing a Ferrari Testa Rossa. In 1963, he began racing Cobras and Shelby GT350s with support, and from time to time as a member, of the Shelby American Team. During his career, Gerber also competed in the Trans-Am, World Manufacturers’ Championship, USRRC and in the SCCA/CASC Fall Series of unlimited sports car racing, the ancestor of the later Can-Am series. Driving a Ford-powered McKee Peregrin racer he raced against Lotus 19s, Chaparrals and the first McLaren sports racing cars. After a horrendous accident in 1966, he left racing for a long while to concentrate on the world of letters where he both taught and still writes professionally. Gerber is the author of 13 books of poetry, novels, short stories, and non-fiction. He has also won numerous awards for his works. Gerber now resides in Santa Ynez, California, where he continues to write and to race in vintage events, principally in a sister of the Cobra he drove in the USRRC races for Shelby in 1965. The Cobra is even still decorated with the “Prune Mush” logo painted on, as a prank, in the dead of night by Augie Pabst. John Wright caught up with Gerber at the 2005 Monterey Historics to learn more about his short but interesting career.
Dan, describe the circumstances, which led you into racing your Austin Healey. Was that car the first sports car you ever owned?
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