Dave MacDonald wins 1964 USRRC Kent in Shelby King Cobra CM 3 63

May 10, 1964 Pacific Raceways Kent Wash. - Dave MacDonald & Shelby American return to Kent for the US Road Racing Champion-
ships. They bring with them Bob Holbert's CM/3/63 King Cobra and newly built Dave MacDonald CM/1/64 King Cobra Lang-Cooper.
Dave's good friend and Olympia Brewery heir Craig Lang financed the CM/1/64 build and he co-owned the car with Shelby and raced
under the Shelby American banner. Dave helped build CM/1/64 from the ground up, even painting it his favorite color, orange. Holbert
was tasked with qualifying both King Cobras while MacDonald was at Indy trying to work out problems with the Mickey Thompson racer.

Sidenote: In January 1964 Dave MacDonald signed a 21-race NASCAR contract with Ford factory member Bill Stroppe and he was
originally slated to skip this USRRC race at Kent and instead run Stroppe's #17 Mercury Marauder in the Rebel 300 at Darlington on
May 9th. Carroll however convinced Ford in late April that Dave was needed in the Cobra camp to stop Chevy Chaparral driver Jim Hall
from extending his lead in the US Drivers Championship - thus Dave was rescheduled to Kent. Courtesy Darlington Speedway.

The team unloads King Cobra CM/3/63 which. This car is slated to have Bob Holbert behind the wheel. Photo Dave Friedman

Ken Miles working on the Cobra Roadster CSX2128 (Dave's old team car) he'll run in this race and the GT race this weekend. Ph Ron Miller

With Dave MacDonald still at the Brickyard testing the Thompson low-profile Indy racer Bob Holbert took CM/1/64 out for practice laps.
Bob lost it on the rain soaked course and smashed into several race cars near the pit area. While Bob was not seriously injured CM/1/64
and three other cars were severely damaged and pulled from the race.

Dave MacDonald and the Carroll Shelby Lang King Cobra

Bob Holbert was injured in this crash but not too seriously. CM/1/64 was damaged beyond repair and would not run the race (Friedman)

King Cobra Lang Cooper CM/1/64. Photo Dave Friedman

King Cobra Lang Cooper CM/1/64. Photo The Henry Ford

Skip Hudson's Cooper Monaco Chevy was severely damaged in the melee and would also not run the USRRC race. Photo Dave Friedman

Ditto for Stan Burnett's Oldsmobile Harris Special. Photo Dave Friedman

On May 9 Dave MacDonald left The Brickyard and headed for Washington, arriving in Seattle at 10:25PM that night. He would be at the
track in Kent bright and early the next morning.

Race day! Shelby American was down to just one healthy King Cobra (CM/3/63) but was nonetheless ready to battle the Chaparrals and the
rest of the loaded field of modified entrants. Carroll Shelby had made the decision to put Dave MacDonald behind the wheel of the Holbert
King Cobra. Below: Jim Hall (pole) & Hap Sharp in Chaparral's take the first two grid positions while MacDonald rounds out row 1 in
CM/3/63, which was qualified earlier by Bob Holbert. Photo Dave Friedman

1964 US Road Racing Championships at Kent gets underway and Jim Hall grabs the early lead in his Chaparral. Photo Dave Friedman

“Jim

By lap 7 hard charging Dave MacDonald had slung CM/3/63 past Hall to take the lead - the fight was on. Photo Dave Friedman

Lap 8 and Ed Leslie has his Cobra Roadster in 12th but he would retire on lap 9 with overheating issues. Photo Dave Friedman

Lap 10 has Jim Hall & Hap Sharp running 2nd & 3rd and chasing down Dave MacDonald's King Cobra. Photo Julian Veovich

Cheetahs of Alan Grant (8) and Jerry Titus (16) running up on Bob Winkelmann's Lotus in turn 9. Photo Dave Friedman

“Tony

Lap 20 and it's still MacDonald & Hall fighting for the lead and the two racers are putting on a spectacular show. Photo Dave Friedman

Dave Ridenour flying down the straight in his Genie Mercury. Photo Dave Friedman

Charlie Hayes in an Elva Porsche fights off Ken Miles in the Cobra Roadster in turn 9. Photo Dave Friedman

“Charlie

Race leader Dave MacDonald in King Cobra CM/3/63 screaming down the back straight at Pacific Raceways. Photo The Henry Ford

“Dave

Lotus 23B trifecta - Tony Settember going through turn 9 ahead of Bob McLean (101) & Frank Monise (44) all driving Lotuses. Photo
courtesy of Motor Sports News

Dave MacDonald rounding a turn and still with the lead with Jim Hall on his tail. Photo Dave Friedman

“Dave

Allen Grant and Jerry Titus' Cheetahs still running together. Photo The Henry Ford

No change in the leaders on lap 25 as Jim Hall ridnig tight behind race leader Dave MacDonald. Photo Dave Friedman

“Dave

Don Wester slips his Porsche 904 GTS past the Elva of Charlie Hayes. Photo Dave Friedman

“Don

Chuck Parsons does the same to Allen Grant's Cheetah. Photo Dave Friedman

Lap 31 - MacDonald & Hall continue to pass slower traffic. In the sequence below the two come in hot to lap Dick Guldstrand and Mac-
Donald gets loose in the dirt and spins. Hall slips by as Dave does a full 360 and gets right back on it to quickly go after the new leader.

Dave MacDonald recovers quickly and is right back on Hall's tail. Photo Tom Lebo courtesy Bill Lebo

Lap 40 and Ken Miles powers his Cobra Roadster through turn 9 ahead of Jerry Titus and Charlie Hayes. Photo Dave Friedman

Lap 55 - Mike Eyerly running a strong race currently has his Porsche 904 GTS in 7th just ahead of Don Wester in another Porsche

10 laps to go and even though Jim Hall and Dave MacDonald had a two lap lead on the rest of the field they continued to run their cars
hard for a chance at victory. Nine valueable points in the US Driver's Championship race would go to the victor. Photo Julian Veovich

On lap 66, with just two laps to go Jim Hall held a slim lead over Dave MacDonald when the fuel pump on his Chaparral gave out. Mac-
Donald flew past Hall to regain the lead as Hall coasted off the track. Photo Dave Friedman

With Jim Hall out and Hap Sharp 2 laps back Dave MacDonald cruises thru turn 9 all alone with 1 lap remaining. Photo Dave Friedman

Hap Sharp has his Chaparral now running 2nd behind Dave MacDonald with one lap to go. Photo Dave Friedman

Crew chief Wally Peat signals to Dave MacDonald that he has one lap to victory! Photo The Henry Ford

On the final tour Dave Ridenour his Genie Mercury in 3rd place and one lap ahead of Ken Miles' Cobra Roadster. Ken fought mightly to
get that lap back but Ridenour held him off. Photo Dave Friedman

“Dave

Tony Settember has his Lotus running 5th overall and 1st in the under 2 liter class and blasting toward the finish. Photo The Henry Ford

“Tony

Dave MacDonald streaks across the line in CM/3/63 to win the May 10, 1964 USRRC Championships at Kent Washington. Hap Sharp
finished 2nd in the other Jim Hall Chaparral and was two laps behind Dave. Photo courtesy of Dave Friedman

After crossing the finish line Dave showed his sportsmanship by scooping up Jim Hall from the track and bringing him back to the start
line. During the ride back Dave invited Jim to share in the victory lap. Dave tells track stewards to hand the checkered flag to Jim and
away they went. (Chief mechanic Wally Peat is standing over the car to the left and racer Richie Ginther is in hat). Photo Friedman

Dave gives a wave of thanks to the crowd on the victory lap. Photo courtesy Julian Veovich and Motor Sports News

Dave & Jim return from the victory lap. Photo Dave Friedman

Track stewards begin to push the King Cobra toward the winners circle. Photo Dave Friedman

Little known fact - these two racing icons were both born on July 23rd, Jim in 1937 & Dave in 1936. Photo Dave Friedman

Chief mechanic Wally Peat jumps aboard the King Cobra and the three decide to drive over to the winners circle. Photo Dave Friedman

The celebration continues as Dave MacDonald get a kiss from the Trophy Queen. Photo Dave Friedman

Photo Dave Friedman

Overall winner Dave MacDonald (R) and under 2-liter winner Tony Settember celebrate together. Photo Dave Friedman

“Winners

Photo Dave Friedman

Dave gives a final toast to the crowd. The US Road Racing Championships at Kent Washington on May 10th, would be Dave MacDonald's
final race before his death three weeks later in the Indianapolis 500 ... it's fitting that Dave would be victorious. Photo Dave Friedman

Results for the 1964 USRRC Championships at Kent Washington

News articles recapping the 1964 US Championships at Kent WA.

Article continued

Sports Car Graphic magazine

Motor Sports News magazine

Associated press newswire

Bob Holbert was hurt but escaped serious injury when he lost control of the King Cobra Lang-Cooper during a practice run

USRRC driver standing after the Kent race show Dave MacDonald & Jim Hall tied for the lead

Dave MacDonald's paycheck for this race

These are the latest Dave MacDonald inspired die cast models out in summer 2011. One of these beautifully crafted models captures Dave
and Jim Hall as they shared Dave's final victory lap

Below is the original Bob Holbert CM/3/63 Shelby King Cobra displayed at Amelia Island Concours d'Elegance in 2007. It's been fully
restored to it's late '64 race livery. Dave MacDonald ran this car only the one time at Kent. (Dave's wife Sherry is standing next to the car).

Back

Home