October 20, 1963 - Fresh off his victory at the LA Times GP, Dave MacDonald comes to Laguna Seca Raceway for the Monterey Pacific
Grand Prix. For the 2nd consecutive week Dave & the Shelby King Cobra will take on the world's best cars & drivers.
This race would boast essentially the same field of international drivers that dave outdueled the week before in the LA Times GP at Riverside.
Track layout for the 1963 Monterey Pacific Grand Prix - A record 67,000 fans would turn out for this race.
Dave talks with the Shelby crewmember Wally Peat (L) & friend/fellow racer Roger Subith before his final qualifying attempt. Dave had slid
off the track in a previous qual run and he and the crew worked round the clock to get it ready for this final attempt. Photo Dave Friedman
Dave on his final-day qualifying run clocks a 1:15.6, good enough for the show but well back of the leaders. Photo Dave Friedman
Indy 500 champion AJ Foyt relaxes back in the Mecom camp after his 1:14.7 qualifying run. Roger Penske's (#6) Zerex Special that he
drove to a 2nd place finish behind MacDonald in the LA Time GP a week earlier is in the background and his Mecom Chevy Special that
he chose to drive in this race is in foreground. Photo Jimmy Laws
MacDonald's time was tied for 12th best with Chuck Parsons, but since he qualified late, he will start the Pacific GP in the 13th grid position.
Dave MacDonald out on the grid getting final refreshments before the start of the race. Wally Peat again and King Cobra Lang-Cooper
owner Craig Lang in glasses behind Dave. Craig was also heir to Olympia Brewery. Photo Dave Friedman
MacDonald settles into his Shelby King Cobra for the start of the 200-mile Pacific Grand Prix. Ed Leslie in #18
1963 Monterey Pacific Grand Prix goes green and the field of world class drivers put peddle to the metal! Photo Ed Brandt
Bob Holbert in the other King Cobra grabs the hole shot and MacDonald slips to 17th right at the start
Dave MacDonald flat out on lap 3 & working his way towards the leaders. The crew did a great job getting the car in race shape but it
was never right. From the 4th lap on Dave had to hold the lever in third gear. His hands were raw & blistered at the end. (Allen Kuhn)
Lap 6 and Masten Gregory pulls his Elva Mk VII Porsche past Jack Flaherty's Genie Climax. Both are well back in the pack at this point
and running 21-22. Photo Allen Kuhn www.vintage-sportscar-photos.com
After a slow start Jim Hall finds his groove and is up to 8th on lap 10. Photo Allen Kuhn www.vintage-sportscar-photos.com
Dave MacDonald's teammate Bob Holbert had built a nice lead by lap 21 but was then forced into the pits after running into the back of
Masten Gregory's Elve Porsche while trying to pass him. The impact closed the nose of Holbert's King Cobra and caused slight radiator
damage as well. The crew hastily opened the nose and sent Bob back out. When he returned to the track he had only lost 1 position.
Jimmy Clark takes the lead during Holbert's stop and here he drifts thru turn 9 ... MacDonald style! Holbert, Foyt & Ruby run 2-3-4.
Despite the car's problems, Dave is charging hard and moving through the field. On lap 25 he goes by Roger Penske's Mecom-Cooper &
moves into 5th. Dave now sets his sights on leaders Jimmy Clark, Bob Holbert, AJ Foyt & Lloyd Ruby. Photo Pete Biro
AJ Foyt has his Mecom Scarab hitting on all cylinders and still running 3rd behind Clark & Holbert. Photo Warren Cameron
On lap 28 MacDonald goes by Lloyd Ruby and into 4th place. At this point running 1-2-3-4 are Clark (1963 World Driving Champion),
Holbert (1963 US Driving Champion), Foyt (1963 USAC Driving Champion & Indy 500 winner), and MacDonald (1963 Los Angeles
Times Grand Prix Champion). Photo Allen Kuhn www.vintage-sportscar-photos.com
On lap 32 Jim Clark hits a course marker puncturing his oil pan. The '63 World Champ was done for the day & Holbert reclaimed the lead.
On lap 45 Dave MacDonald continues his charge to the front and goes by AJ Foyt to take over 2nd place. Photo Charles Mitchell
Midway point and Dave Ridenour - beat up Genie and all - prepares to go by Masten Gregory's Elva-Porsche. Photo Oscar Anderson
Despite modifications, Bob Holbert's King Cobra ran way too hot and would shoot a steam geyser 20 feet into the air on lap 52. Holbert
pulled the car off the course and he was done. Photo Charles Mitchell
MacDonald inherits the lead and despite still struggling to keep the King Cobra in 3rd gear is now all alone in first place. Photo Allen Kuhn
Lap 60 and AJ Foyt moving up to lap Masten Gregory's wounded Elva Mk VII Porsche. Foyt would lap Gregory before laps end and
Gregory would retire on lap 62 with suspension problems. Photo Allen Kuhn www.vintage-sportscar-photos.com
Lap 88 has Richie Ginther & Don Wester streaking by in twin Porsche 718 RS 61's. They're running strong in 7th & 8th. Photo Don Wester
Dave MacDonald continues to lap the field and here he goes by Jim Hall to put the Chevy Chaparral 3 laps back. Photo Dave Friedman
Dave MacDonald drifts through turn 9 a final time and has the finish line in sight...only AJ Foyt is on the same lap. Photo Dave Friedman
After starting 13th, Dave MacDonald reeled in the entire field and finished 3 or more laps ahead of everyone except 2nd place finisher AJ
Foyt. This victory gave Dave back-to-back wins in the two most prestigious, and richest, road races in America: The LA Times Grand Prix
and The Monterey Pacific Grand Prix. Photo Dave Friedman
His hands blistered and bloodied, MacDonald cools off and accepts the Pacific GP trophy & winners check. Photo Dave Friedman
Dave MacDonald in a television interview after winning the 1963 Monterey Pacific Grand Prix. A humble MacDonald gave every bit of the
credit to his crew. That's the kind of man Dave was. (Both the interview and the race can be seen in Dave's Racing Video section).
Results for the 1963 Monterey Pacific Grand Prix at Laguna Seca Raceway
MotorRacing front page headline on both the 1963 LA Times GP and the Monterey Pacific GP
Closer view of the above MotorRacing front page article on the 1963 Pacific Grand Prix
CONTINUED - MotorRacing article on 1963 Pacific Grand Prix continued
Closer view of the MotorRacing front page article on 1963 LA Times Grand Prix
CONTINUED - MotorRacing article on 1963 LA Times Grand Prix continued
Competition Press front page headline on both the 1963 LA Times GP and the Monterey Pacific GP
Closer view of the above Competition Press front page article on the 1963 Monterey Pacific GP
CONTINUED - Competition Press article on 1963 Monterey Pacific GP continued
CONTINUED - Competition Press article on 1963 Monterey Pacific GP continued
San Francisco Chronicle
Los Angeles Times
The Wheel Magazine
Sports Car Magazine
Sports Car Magazine - CONTINUED
Road & Track Magazine
Road & Track Magazine - CONTINUED
San Gabrial Valley Tribune
Below is the trophy Dave received for winning the Monterey Pacific Grand Prix in 1963
Dave was now the hottest driver in the country after his victories at the LA Times GP & Pacific GP and was featured on the cover of
several magazines. Here he is on the cover of aforementioned The Wheel Magazine.
Dave was honored by the Helms Athletic Foundation as "Athlete of the Month" for October 1963. His victories in the LA Times Grand
Prix & Pacific Grand Prix - as well as his 2nd place finish in the Hawaiian Grand Prix - made Dave a unanimous choice. He was only the
ninth race car driver to receive this prestigious award since it began in 1936, and the first-ever during the US football season. Carroll Shelby
accompanied Dave to the awards ceremonies. Photo Dave Friedman
Program for the following year's Pacific Grand Prix at Laguna Seca Raceway. Dave on bottom right
This is the historic Shelby King Cobra today, restored to its original beauty by owners Bill & Evelyn Hartman
Model of Dave MacDonald in his famous Cobra helmet during his 1963 Monterey Pacific Grand Prix victory at Laguna Seca.
