George Couzens dies
A graduate of Notre Dame, where he played football for the Fighting Irish, Couzens became a police officer in his native Detroit after graduation, later serving in the FBI in the same city. Always a strong competitor in all his endeavors, George decided to pursue racing, and became a winning factory driver in offshore powerboat racing, first for Donzi and then Bertram, where he remained to become vice president of sales.
The competitive bug bit again, but this time Couzens turned to automobile racing, where he assumed a managerial role, leading a resurgence in sportscar racing as SCCA’s vice president of Pro Racing. He later moved to a more significant position as head of the club’s international racing operations, overseeing SCCA’s role in sanctioning the Formula One races held in the U.S.
George left the SCCA in 1986 to form his own firm, Motor Racing Management, co-founded by his youngest son, Brian. As president of MRM, Couzens became a leading industry authority on the safety, design and construction of temporary street circuits, most notably Detroit for the Formula 1 Grands Prix, and Miami for the IMSA GTP Championships. After retiring from motorsports, Couzens served on the Board of several charities in the Denver area.
In failing health for the past several months, Couzens died peacefully of natural causes. He is survived by three grown sons, George, Jr. (Chip), Christopher and Brian, and two grandchildren. A private memorial will be held, and the family requests that any donations be made to Howard Dental Center, 1420 Ogden St., Denver, CO 80218, or The Make-a-Wish Foundation of Colorado, 7951 E. Maplewood Ave., Suite 126, Greenwood Village, CO 80111.