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Masten GregoryAmerican racing driver
Date of Birth: 29.02.1932
Country:  Italy |
Content:
Biography of Masten Gregory
Masten Gregory was an American racing driver, best known for his victory in the 1965 24 Hours of Le Mans. He also competed in Formula 1, ChampCar, and Targa Florio. Gregory was born into a wealthy American family and tragically lost his father at a young age. However, when Masten became an adult, his mother sold the family business, providing him with a substantial inheritance. A significant portion of his newfound wealth was invested by Gregory in purchasing sports cars.
Early Racing Career
At the beginning of his racing career, Gregory owned an Allard J2X and a Jaguar C-Type. In 1954, after achieving success in American racing, he participated in the Buenos Aires 1000 Kilometers race with the Jaguar C-Type. Unfortunately, Gregory did not finish the race. However, he later acquired a winning racing Ferrari and traveled to Europe to pursue his racing ambitions.
European Racing Success
In his first European race, the 12 Hours of Reims, Masten Gregory finished fourth alongside veteran driver Clemente Biondetti. He then went on to secure a third-place finish in the Portuguese Grand Prix, second in class in the Tourist Trophy, and won the Nassau Trophy. Gregory's success continued in the following seasons.
In 1957, he was signed by Scuderia Centro Sud and achieved his first podium finish in Formula 1 at the Monaco Grand Prix, finishing third. He ultimately secured sixth place in the overall championship standings. However, in 1958, Gregory remained with the team but failed to score any points. In 1959, he became the third driver for the Cooper team and achieved two podium finishes early in the season, earning him a ninth-place finish in the championship.
Injury and Later Years
During the Tourist Trophy race at Goodwood, Gregory suffered an injury that forced him to miss the last two races of the championship. In 1960, he continued racing for Cooper but did not achieve significant success. In 1961, Gregory joined the American team Camoradi, competing in Formula 1 with Cooper and in sports car races with Maserati. He won the 1000 Kilometers of Nürburgring but later switched to the UDT Laystall team in the middle of the season, where he continued to race in 1962.
Gregory won two races in Karlskoga and Mosport and earned his final points in Formula 1 during the 1962 season. In 1963 and 1965, he made appearances in some Formula 1 races but did not achieve significant success. However, his victory in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1965 alongside Jochen Rindt allowed Gregory to continue competing in sports car racing for several seasons.
Gregory raced with notable cars such as the Ford GT40, Ferrari P3, Porsche 910, Lola T70, and Alfa Romeo T33. He retired from racing in 1972. Sadly, Masten Gregory, a heavy smoker, passed away in 1985 at the age of 53 due to a heart attack.
