Blackhawk Museum Speaker Series – Brett Lunger:
Blackhawk Automotive Museum
3700 Blackhawk Plaza Circle, Danville
Saturday, February 7th, 2015
10:30am – 12:00pmBrett Lunger studied political science at Princeton University before enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1967. He served as a lieutenant in a select US Marine regiment for more than a year in Vietnam, and on his return he taught at the Marine Officers Basic School in Quantico, Virginia.
Despite coming from a very privileged background, one of the heirs of the Du Pont family fortune, he ventured into the world of big-time motor racing with a limited budget and no family support.
He began racing in 1965 with a Corvette while at Princeton, later graduating to Can-Am. Returning to the track in 1971 after leaving the Marine Corps, he took part in the L&M Formula 5000 Series in US racing alongside David Hobbs, and later joining Dan Gurney’s AAR team.
Brett’s Formula One career started alongside James Hunt in the Hesketh team in 1975, followed by a season with John Surtees team in 1976 alongside Alan Jones. He participated in 43 Formula One World Championship Grand Prix events during his four seasons in Formula One. He was one of the very last privateers in Formula One, racing during a critical period of Formula One history, and was in the middle of the most pivotal crash scene depicted in the film “Rush”.
Following his time in Formula One Brett competed in sports car racing in the US and teamed with Derek Bell and George Folmer driving a Vasek Polak Porsche 935, and co-drove a Datsun 240Z with George Alderman, the person who started him in racing.
Since retiring from motor racing, Brett has worked in marketing, sports promotion and investment management. Along the way he developed a passion for aviation. He holds two ATP ratings, flying in support of a number of charitable organizations that provide free air transport for patients in need.