Dave MacDonald
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Dave MacDonald (July 23, 1936 – May 30, 1964) was a Corvette and Shelby Cobra sports car driver in the early 1960s. He was one of two drivers killed during the 1964 Indianapolis 500 in a fiery crash that directly led to a change in fuel type from gasoline to methanol.
He was born in El Monte, California. MacDonald became noted on the West Coast for his performance in the sports car circuits. He competed in seven NASCAR Grand National races, finishing second in one race each in both 1963 and 1964.
In 1964,he was hired by Mickey Thompson to drive the radical #83 "Sears-Allstate Special", a Ford-engined Thompson.[1] Mickey Thompson also entered a car for Masten Gregory (#82, was 2nd alternate, failing to qualify) as well as the #84 for Eddie Johnson 84, which lasted 6 laps before retiring.
It was a rear-engined car that first raced in 1963, updated with a streamlined body for 1964. The car was designed to start with enough fuel to run the full race, housed within a rubber bladder in an enclosed tank that ran between the tires on the left side. The car also featured Sears tires.[2]
Many drivers turned down this ride before MacDonald was hired. It was far ahead of its time, but was badly designed, poorly built and difficult to drive. [3] It handled badly, a condition made worse when the body was modified to accommodate the USAC-mandated 15 inch tires. Graham Hill tested the vehicle before Indy, but refused to drive it in 1963. Masten Gregory crashed earlier in the month due to aerodynamic lift. Other drivers took the advice of Gregory, and stayed away from the Thompson cars. Jim Clark told MacDonald on Carb Day, "Get out of that car mate, just walk away." The ride also offered to Mario Andretti, who turned it down due Andretti's concerns over his lack of experience and the fact that the ride was only for Indy.
According to long-time motor sports journalist Chris Economaki, MacDonald never practiced with a full load of fuel due to Thompson's focus on high speeds.[4]
In the first lap of his first Indy 500 race in 1964, MacDonald passed at least 5 other cars. As MacDonald passed Johnny Rutherford and Eddie Sachs, Rutherford noticed that MacDonald's car was very loose, even throwing grass and dirt up from the edge of the track. Rutherford later said that, watching the behavior of MacDonald's car, he thought, "Whoa, he's either gonna win this thing or crash."[5]
On the second lap, MacDonald lost control coming off the fourth turn. As the car began to slide, he came across the track and hit the inside wall, igniting the gasoline in his fuel tanks (approximately 70-100 gallons) which caused a massive fire. His car then slid back across the track, causing seven more cars to be involved. Ronnie Duman crashed, spun in flames and hit the pit lane wall, and was burned. Bobby Unser hit another car, and Johnny Rutherford's car on its left rear tire, and crashed into the outside wall. Chuck Stevenson and Norm Hall also crashed. Popular driver Eddie Sachs was blinded by the smoke, hit MacDonald's burning car, and died in the fire before he could be freed.
MacDonald was pulled from the wreck and taken into the infield hospital, burned beyond recognition. His lungs were seared from flame inhalation, causing acute pulmonary oedema. He died at at 1:20 in the afternoon.[6]
The crash was well-documented in film and still images, and shown world-wide. For the first time in its history, a red flag stopped the Indy 500. Partially in response to pressure from the media, USAC mandated required that cars carry less fuel, a change that also led every team to switch from gasoline to methanol prior to the next year's Indy 500.[7]
[edit] Indy 500 results
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