February 10-11, 1962 Riverside International Raceway - Dave MacDonald & the Corvette Special head to Riverside

These were the first sports car races of the 1962 season and the rains would would be an unwelcomed guest

Dave took to a wet track Saturday morning (2/10) and won the prelim race in the modified class. Rain ultimately washed
out the afternoon sessions on Saturday and all of Sunday's (2/11) races. Photo Dave Friedman

March 3-4, 1962 Riverside International Raceway - Dave MacDonald returns to Riverside to pit his one-of-a-kind light-
weight Corvette Special against a loaded field of modifieds. This was essentially a redo of the rained out Feb 10-11, races.

Dave MacDonald & Jim Simpson hitch the Corvette Special to the back of Dave's Chevy Nomad on March 3rd and
head out to Riverside to battle a slew of Porsches, Maserati's, Ferrari's & Lotuses.

This car was the creation of Dave MacDonald, Jim Simpson and Max Balchowsky and was far ahead of it's time. They
used a mold of Jim Simpson's stock 61 Vette and manufactured a two-piece figerglass body. The Corvette Special was
over 1000lbs lighter & 17" shorter than a stock Corvette making this car brutally fast.

Saturday 3/3 - Dave MacDonald and car owner Jim Simpson just before race time.

Hollywood stuntman Bob Harris (L)(sunglasses) & his superlight tiny Campbell Special is also entered. (Tam McPartland)

Saturday 3/3/62 race - Dave MacDonald gets the hole shot and barrels into turn 6 as race leader. Photo Tam McPartland

Same 3/3 race and MacDonald continues to increase the lead in his orange Corvette Special. Photo Dave Friedman

Late in Saturday's (3/3) race Dave MacDonald drifts the Corvette Special through 6 and far out in front of the field.

Dave MacDonald flat out on Riverside's back straight goes on to win Saturday's race. Zora Arkus Duntov, legendary
"Father of the Corvette" spoke with Dave many times about the Corvette Special, even coming to Dave's El Monte
home one afternoon. The Corvette Special would turn out to be the inspiration for Zora's Corvette Grand Sport

The Corvette Special shown here after the Saturday March 3rd race. The entire front end could be removed for quick
and easy mechanical adjustments. Photo John McCann.

On Sunday 3/4/62 Dave MacDonald and his Corvette Special engaged in a fierce race-long battle with Bob Harris.
Below: Bob jumped out to the early lead as his tiny car was ideally suited to the Riverside course.

Sunday 3/4 race - On lap 3 MacDonald moves past Harris and drifts out of turn 6 in the lead. Photo Dave Friedman

Sunday 3/4 - Harris tried mightily to catch MacDonald and drove so hard his car gave out on the final lap

Dave MacDonald goes on to grab the hard fought victory at Riverside. Jack Nethercutt in a Lotus MK19 finished 2nd
and McAfee 3rd in a Porsche. Dave went round and picked up the stranded Harris and took him on the victory lap.

Dave celebrates with the family after sweeping the weekend races at Riverside International Raceway. Rare video of the
Sunday March 4th race can be seen "Dave's Racing Videos" section.

Race results for March 4th in the First Pacific Coast Championships at Riverside International Raceway in 1962.
Bob Harris #17 Campbell Special & Bill Dixon's #711 Maserati were dnf's

News articles recapping the March 2-3, 1962 races at Riverside

Interesting article about the great Bob Bondurant retiring right before this Riverside race. Of course Bob "unretired"
and went on to score many wins for Shelby in both the Cobra Roadster and Daytona Cobra Coupe.

Several months after the MacDonald/Harris duel at Riverside, Bob appears in an article making a nice comment about
Dave's driving ability.