Masten Gregory

Interesting facts

Masten Gregory was nicknamed the 'Kansas City Flash' for his daredevil driving style, and Carroll Shelby called him the fastest American ever to race a Grand Prix car in Europe. He was famous for jumping out of moving cars just before they crashed - a trick that saved his life in a 1958 sports car crash at Silverstone, a 1959 Lister-Jaguar accident that broke his leg and shoulder, and again during 1960 German Grand Prix qualifying at the Nürburgring. On his F1 debut at the 1957 Monaco Grand Prix, he finished third - the first-ever podium for an American driver in Formula One history. Over his career he took 46 F1 starts, typically with privateer teams, his best result a second place at the 1959 Portuguese Grand Prix in a Cooper. After his early, reckless years, his driving style gradually matured into something far more elegant and careful. His greatest triumph came in 1965 at the Le Mans 24 Hours, sharing a Ferrari 250LM with Jochen Rindt - his only outright win in motorsport. Masten Gregory made his Formula 1 debut in 1957 and raced until 1965, 8 seasons in total as an American driver. He scored a total of 21 championship points over his career.