Legendary Zora Arkus Duntov handpicked top Corvette racers to test drive the all-new 1963 ZO6 Corvette Stingray. He chose Dave MacDonald and Dick Thompson.
On June 29 through July 1, 1962, Zora held a three-day media event. This historic test was used in a GM promotional video titled Biography of a Sports Car and was distributed around the globe as part of GM’s ’63 sales campaign.
First Four 1963 ZO6s Given to Racers
Two months later GM presented the first four 1963 Z06 Corvettes off the line to renowned Corvette racers Dave MacDonald, Bob Bondurant, Doug Hooper & Jerry Grant – it was decided MacDonald would receive VIN#684, the very first. All four Stingrays would debut at Riverside International Raceway on Oct 13, 1962. Also debuting that day was Carroll Shelby’s iconic Ford Cobra.
Dave MacDonald’s Memory
The video we are looking at is posted to YouTube by the MacDonald family. They have an entire website dedicated to Dave MacDonald’s memory. Here’s a little history on him you can learn more by following the link below:
“1960’s racer Dave MacDonald ran Corvettes, Cobras, NASCAR and the Indy 500 during the glory days of racing – the early 1960s. He competed in a total of 118 races with 52 victories and 75 Top 3 finishes. During his brief but brilliant 4-year career he made significant contributions to motor racing history, including driving all of Carroll Shelby’s legendary Cobras – Cobra Roadster, King Cobra, Cobra Daytona Coupe – to their first-ever victories. His star was on a meteoric ascent when he was tragically killed in the 1964 Indianapolis 500. He was 27 years old.” Source: http://www.davemacdonald.net/
The video you’re viewing is an edited version of a GM copy
that Zora Duntov personally gave to Sherry MacDonald at a 1992 banquet dinner
in Palm Springs California.
In 2014 the National Corvette Museum Inducted Dave MacDonald into the Corvette Hall of Fame. You can read more here.
If you enjoyed this video we have four more of the 1963 ZO6 Corvette
CORVETTE GRAND SPORT’S RACING LEGACY
Our next video is a 1963 Corvette Commercial 1963 Chevrolet Super Sport Commercial
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