January 19, 1964 - 2nd annual NASCAR Motor Trend 500 at Riverside International Raceway and a full lineup of superstars have entered
This was the third NASCAR event to be held at Riverside's road course and the road racing aspect helped NASCAR soar in popularity.
Racing champions from all types of motor racing came to Southern California to test their skills on the challenging road circuit
MacDonald's stock was soaring as well after back to back wins in the two biggest Grand Prix races in America and Ford inked him to a 21
race NASCAR/USAC schedule with Bill Stroppe for 1964. Dave would continue to race full time for Shelby as well. He would be busy!
Racing legend Parnelli Jones thinks teammate Dave MacDonald has a shot to win this years Motor Trend 500
Bill Stroppe loads his hauler at his plant in Signal Hill Long Beach and heads to Riverside. He has a formidable team for the '64 Motor Trend
500 with Dave MacDonald driving #14, Parnelli Jones #15, Darel Dieringer #16 and Roger Ward in #26. Photo Fran Hernandez.
Stroppe's cars are unloaded and prepped for qualifying. Dave (R) works on getting the Merc's setup right.
Joe Weatherly debriefs with Dave MacDonald after Little Joe clocked 99.508mph in his qual run. Dave & Joe are both running new 1964
Mercurys in this years race.
Dave MacDonald & Darel Dieringer right before Dave's qual run - possibly chatting about the last time NASCAR ran a race at Riverside.
It was 2 months earlier in the Golden State 400 where Darel won and Dave finished 2nd. Dave led for 92 laps before losing 3rd gear.
MacDonald is next up for his qualifying run
Dave returns to the pits after posting a solid first-day qualifying run of 100.382mph.
MacDonald is pleased with his day one qual time and is anxious to see how it holds up. Rain clouds rolled in on the middle of day two and
washed out the remainder of qualifying. Cars not given the opportunity to qualify were placed on the grid in order of when they had checked
in at the track after arriving in Riverside CA. Dave's run ultimately placed him in the 5th starting position.
Final starting positions for the 1964 Motor Trend 500. Dave MacDonald will start 5th
NASCAR star Freddy Lorenzen is awarded fastest qualifier. Freddy's fastest lap was clocked at 102.434mph. (Photo Motor Trend mag)
Sports Cars stars Dave MacDonald & Bob Bondurant share a laugh at the drivers meeting the morning of the race
King Richard Petty talking a little strategy with Indy star Bobby Unser. Unser would be a spectator at this race.
Team owner Bill Stroppe talks with drivers Darel Dieringer (L) and Joe Weatherly
Just a couple hours before the race and A J Foyt checks out the setup on Freddy Lorenzen's stocker.
Last minute preparations are made to the cars of Dieringer & MacDonald.
Dave MacDonald, in his famous Cobra helmet is suited up and ready to go racing
Ditto for Parnelli Jones as he wheels his stocker to the grid. He had a blistering 101.567 run on day 2 and starts 11th. (Howard Macken)
Cars ride the parade lap as 60,000 fans pack the course. Dave MacDonald in the 5th starting position next to Marvin Panch in the famous
Wood Bros #21 car that Dave drove to a 2nd place finish two months earlier in the Golden State 400 right here at Riverside.
Lap 3 has King Richard Petty with the early lead (just out of view) followed by Freddy Lorenzen, Dan Gurney & Dave MacDonald
into turn 6. The legendary racers are running 1-2-3-4 early
Gurney & MacDonald get by Lorenzen on the back straight and now run 1-2 chasing Petty back into turn 6.
MacDonald running strong and lap 20 has him comfortably in the top 5
On lap 23 however, MacDonald's Mercury has a front axle issue and he's forced into pits. Photo Dave Friedman
The Stroppe crew works quickly to correct the problem then tops off the tank and sends Dave back out. Photo Dave Friedman
1963 Daytona 500 winner Tiny Lund (32) cruising through turn 7
MacDonald making time as he's back on the track and charging after the leaders
Skip Hudson brings his Ford in for a routine stop on lap 53. Photo Fran Hernandez
Tragedy strikes on lap 86 as legendary NASCAR driver Joe Weatherly hit the rail in turn 6. Little Joe was not wearing his shoulder harness
and took a hard blow on impact. Sadly Joe died in this crash. RIP Joe
During the yellow the cars fall in line and on the restart it's Richard Petty, Dan Gurney and Dave MacDonald running 1-2-3
MacDonald's '64 Merc is still 3rd with the leaders in his site on lap 93. Photo Dave Friedman
NASCAR star Ned Jarrett flying down Riverside's back straight
USAC National Champion AJ Foyt stalking Marvin Panch in Wood Bros #21 car
Richard Petty goes out on lap 102 - he's done for the day
Dan Gurney is new race leader
Fieball Roberts, Skip Hudson & Dave MacDonald power through turn 9 running 3-4-5 behind Gurney & Panch. Photo Fran Hernandez
NHRA set up shop on the back straight and did speed timing for this NASCAR race
Dave MacDonald heads back in the pits on lap 135 with major brake problems.
Dave gave it a go but his brakes totally gave out on lap 136 so he downshifted off the back straight into turn 14 to slow down but that blew
out his clutch linkage. Dave ran the Merc into the turn 14 guardrail to slow down and then cruised into the pits. He was done for the day and
according to his wife Sherry, Dave had a monster headache for the rest of the day. He placed 24th.
Dave's good friend & Cobra teammate Dan Gurney takes the checker in front of 60,000 fans to win back to back Motor Trend 500's.
A jubiliant Gurney celebrates after his win
Dan Gurney accepts his winners check & trophy from Bob Peterson and soon to be big-time actress Linda Evans. Gurney dominated
NASCAR's Motor Trend 500 winning in 1963, 64, 65, 66 & 68
Race results for the 1964 NASCAR Motor Trend 500.
News & magazine articles recapping the 1964 NASCAR Motor Trend 500 at Riverside
