June 7,8,9 1963 - Shelby American brings a three Cobra contingent to the USRRC Championships at Laguna Seca Raceway.
Dave MacDonald will drive Cobra Roadster CSX2128, famously known as "Hey Little Cobra".

Dave MacDonald, Ken Miles & Bob Holbert were all entered to drive Cobra Roadsters in this combined Modified/GT race. (Dave
MacDonald also ran Cobra CSX2128 in the Production races)

Race Time! The Cobra's ran with the Ferraris, Lotuses, Porsches, Genies, Chaparrals and other modified cars. Photo Don Westor

Jerry Grant gets a tremendous start and has his Lotus out front early. Photo Dave Friedman

Shelby's GT class Cobras started in the back 2 rows of this modified race but already Dave MacDonald is beginning to move through
the field. Here he goes by Corvette star Paul Reinhart driving Red Faris' Corvette Stingray. Paul's Stingray developed transmission
problems towards the end of the production race and Red offered his car to Paul for the modified race. Photo Dave Friedman

Next up is Ed Leslie as MacDonald moves in behind his Jaguar at the top of the hill. Photo Dave Friedman

Dave storms by Leslie as he continues moving toward the front. Photo Dave Friedman

Skip Hudson in a Chaparral and Chuck Parsons in a Lotus are running 2-3 on lap 10, Grant still leads. Photo Dave Friedman

Dave Ridenour and Paul Reinhart fighting for position at the top of the hill. Photo Dave Friedman

Race fans line the scenic road course on the beautiful Monterey Peninsula. Photo Dave Friedman

Bill Sherwood running his Corvette Stingray in the GT class rumbles around a turn and back in the pack. Photo Dave Friedman

Lap 15 and Dave MacDonald prepares to move on Stan Peterson's Ferrari Berlinetta 250 GT. Photo Dave Friedman

After passing Peterson (top), Bill Molle's Lotus (166) & another car, MacDonald overtakes Doug Theim's Ferrari (L) on the next lap.

MacDonald blasting through a turn after passing Don Westor's Porsche 718 & Pedro Rodriguez's Genie Chevrolet. Dave is now
running 6th behind Grant, Parsons, Hudson, Holbert & Miles. Westor is 7th & Rodriguez slipping bact to 8th. Photo Friedman

After a strong start Mexican superstar Pedro Rodriguez retires on lap 18 after his Genie blows a water pump. Photo Dave Friedman

Dave Ridenour's Genie MK8 Oldsmobile in hot pursuit of Stan Peterson's Ferrari on lap 25. Photo Dave Friedman

Lap 30 and Skip Hudson (92) comes round to lap Harry Heuer - both drivers running Chevrolet Chaparral 1's. (Heuer would retire
on lap 44 with a broken half shaft). Photo Dave Friedman

Dave MacDonald's Cobra is still running strong as he blasts through a turn at Laguna Seca. Photo Dave Friedman

Leader Jerry Grant puts a lap on Bill Boldt's Kurtis Pontiac Special. Photo Dave Friedman

Chuck Parsons now running 2nd, comes up on Boldt and prepares to lap him too. (Boldt would go out on lap 36). Photo Friedman

After getting a second wind, Don Westor continues moving back toward the front. Photo Dave Friedman

Jerry Grant laps another competitor, this time it's Stan Peterson and his Ferrari. Photo Dave Friedman

Midway through the race Holbert #196 & Miles #198 are tearing through the scenic Monterey California course. (Armando Atumba)

Bob Holbert & Dave MacDonald, with their Cobra Roadsters bumper to bumper continue to run through the field. (Dave Friedman)

Westor blazing back through the field slings his Porsche past the Cobras of Holbert & MacDonald. Photo Dave Friedman

47 laps in the books and so far Jerry Grant (#8) is having it his way as he laps the Lotus of Frank Monise. However on lap 51 rod
bearings in Grant's Lotus shattered and he was forced to pull his car off the track and park it for the day. Photo Dave Friedman

With Grant out the lead is inherited by Chuck Parsons in his Lotus 23. Photo The Gravelle family

Skip Hudson running 2nd prepares to put a lap on Ed Cantrell's Ferrari 250 GTO. Photo Dave Friedman

Hudson closes on Parsons as both drivers put a lap on Stan Peterson's #7 Ferrari. Photo the Peterson family collection

Couple laps later Dave MacDonald laps Cantrell too. (Cantrell went out on lap 61 with transmission problems). Photo Dave Friedman

Don Westor has his Porsche flying and now in 3rd behind Parsons and Hudson. Photo Dave Friedman

Chuck Parsons laps Jim Parkinson and now prepares to do the same to Jerry Titus' Genie MK5 Chevy. Photo Dave Friedman

Bob Holbert (#196) and Dave MacDonald (behind Leslie's Jag) run up on slower traffic. Photo Dave Friedman

Dave MacDonald catches and passes Stan Peterson's Ferrari again and puts him back 4 laps back. Photo Dave Friedman

Late in the race Skip Hudson, now 3rd behind Parsons & Westor, puts another lap on the Cobra of Ken Miles. Photo Dave Friedman

Hudson's Chaparral is running beautifully and now laps MacDonald too with only a few laps to go. Photo Dave Friedman

Don Westor holds 2nd position behind Parsons and prepares to lap MacDonald's Cobra. Photo Dave Friedman

Parsons holds off Westor and storms "hands free" across the line to win the June 9, 1963 USRRC at Laguna Seca. Photo Pete Biro

Race results for the June 9, 1963 USRRC Championships at Laguna Seca Raceway.

Holbert, MacDonald & Miles place Cobras 1-2-4 in the GT class and 4-7-9 overall

News articles recapping the June 7-8-9, 1963 US Road Racing Championships at Laguna Seca

Team notes of the 1963 USRRC race at Laguna Seca gives some interesting insight on race operations at Shelby American

Dave's pit pass for this Laguna Seca race

Cobra Roadster CSX2128 - famously known as "Hey Little Cobra" beautifully restored to its 1963 Sebring livery. This historic Cobra
is owned by Dave & Debi Furay (2012). Cobra CSX2128 first-ever win was at Pomona in July '63 and driven by Dave MacDonald

Album by the Rip Cords featuring CSX2128 on the cover. Two little known facts. 1) The Rip Chords were not actually a "real"
group. All songs on the album were performed colaborativly by the Beach Boys and Jan & Dean. 2) "Hey Little Cobra" lyricist
Carol Connors' real name is Annette Kleinbard.

Hey Little Cobra lyricist Annette Kleinbard - aka Carol Connors. Photo Dave Friedman

Photo Dave Friedman

Model of CSX2128

Model of CSX2128

The mighty Cobra Roadster knocked Ferrari off its perch and wound up winning the 1963 USRRC Championship! Photo Pete Brock

2011 Shelby Hauler with Dave's image on the side. Hauler travels the country transporting various Shelby vehicles to auto shows

The MacDonald family at the Pomona Fairgrounds for the Shelby-Ford-Cobra 50yr Anniversary Reunion in 2012