39 Facts About Briggs Cunningham

Briggs Swift Cunningham II was an American entrepreneur and sportsman.

Briggs Cunningham is best known for skippering the yacht Columbia to victory in the 1958 America's Cup race, and for his efforts as a driver, team owner, and constructor in sports car racing, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

The estate was structured such that the Briggs Cunningham heirs did not receive full control of it until age forty.

Briggs Cunningham was a brakeman on the Olympic bobsled team.

The couple spent an extended honeymoon in Europe, where Briggs Cunningham won a concours with a Mercedes Benz SS delivered to him personally by Rudolph Caracciola.

Briggs Cunningham instead joined the Civil Air Patrol, flying submarine patrols off the east coast, first in a Fairchild and later a Sikorski S39B amphibious airplane, both paid for by himself.

Briggs Cunningham said that it was his wife who taught him to sail.

In 1930 Cunningham commissioned Clinton H Crane to design a new 6 meter, to be named Lucie.

Briggs Cunningham was built at the Henry B Nevins Boatyard in New York in 1931.

Briggs Cunningham spent part of his honeymoon sailing the new Lucie.

In 1931 Briggs Cunningham was a crew member aboard the Dorade when it won the race around the Fastnet Rock.

Briggs Cunningham bought the schooner Brilliant from the Coast Guard after WWII, and modified it in an attempt to increase its speed.

Briggs Cunningham was part of the syndicate that commissioned construction of the 12 meter sloop Columbia to contest the first post-war America's Cup race in 1958.

The original choice to skipper Columbia in the America's Cup was Cornelius "Corny" Shields, but when he was sidelined by heart troubles Briggs Cunningham stepped in and led the boat and crew to victory.

Briggs Cunningham began racing internationally in 1930 with brothers Cowles "Miles" Collier and Sam Collier.

Briggs Cunningham was described as one of the most successful drivers in SCCA sports car racing at the time.

Briggs Cunningham became an early member of the Road Racing Drivers Club, an invitation-only group that honors drivers, officials, and journalists that have made significant contributions to the sport.

Briggs Cunningham's racing team arrived at the track accompanied by a large transporter that was both extensively and lavishly equipped, along with the drivers, a retinue of professionals and mechanics, and the cars.

On December 31,1950, Briggs Cunningham raced an Aston Martin DB2 in the 6-hour Sam Collier Memorial Race, the first automobile race held at the Sebring Airport race track.

Briggs Cunningham continued in international competition from 1930 until 1963, when he dissolved his Le Mans team.

One of Briggs Cunningham's first racing cars, and his only sprint car, was the Number 5 Special.

Briggs Cunningham owned the car in 1933, and the next year sold it to Gil Pirrung of Missouri.

Briggs Cunningham had Phil Shafer modify the car by lowering the Buick Straight-8 engine and moving it back in the chassis.

Briggs Cunningham drove the Bu-Merc at the first Grand Prix held at Watkins Glen in 1948, where he finished second.

In 1950 Briggs Cunningham raced a cycle-fendered Healey Silverstone that he had one of Cadillac's new V8 engines installed in.

When his plan to enter a Fordillac hybrid in the 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans was rejected by the organizers, Briggs Cunningham entered two Cadillacs instead.

Briggs Cunningham had originally planned to enter a team of "Fordillacs" at Le Mans.

In 1949 Briggs Cunningham partnered with Alfredo Momo, and bought Ferrari 166 Spider Corsa 016-I from Luigi Chinetti.

At the 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans Briggs Cunningham fielded a Ferrari 375 MM with experimental water-cooled drum brakes.

In 1959 Briggs Cunningham upgraded to the Lister-Costin, still Jaguar-powered but with revised bodywork by aerodynamicist Frank Costin.

At Le Mans Briggs Cunningham entered three Corvettes and one Jaguar E-Type.

In October 1961 a Cooper T53 owned by Briggs Cunningham appeared in the US Grand Prix.

Briggs Cunningham entered two Maserati Tipo 151 coupes in the 1962 Le Mans, along with a Jaguar E-Type.

In 1964 Briggs Cunningham was co-owner and co-driver with Lake Underwood in a class-winning Porsche 904 at Sebring.

Briggs Cunningham was featured on the April 26,1954, cover of Time magazine, along with three Briggs Cunningham racing cars.

Briggs Cunningham died in Las Vegas at the age of 96 from complications of Alzheimer's disease.

Briggs Cunningham was survived by former wife Lucie Bedford Warren and their three children, Briggs Swift Cunningham III, Lucie McKinney, and Cythlen Maddock.

Briggs Cunningham was survived by his second wife Laura Cramer Cunningham and two step-sons.

Briggs Cunningham's grandchildren include former Connecticut State Senate Minority Leader John P McKinney.