Art by Ed Tillock
Story by Ernie Nagamatsu
For a fitting Fourth of July, we are very happy to publish an article about the Max Balchowsky-built Corvette Special #00 as raced by Dave MacDonald, who launched his career racing Corvettes, graduated to Cobras and King Cobras, then on to Indianapolis in 1964, where he tragically died driving the Thompson Sears Special at the age of 27. Says Keeper of the Flame Ernie Nagamatsu, “Dave was the ‘chosen one’ in American motorsport, winning championships with ease at all levels. He was on a ‘mercurial’ rise as fans everywhere watched his journey. Dave was the ultimate American hero, being a crew cut handsome as a movie star Hot Rodder, family man, racing American sports cars.”
Nagamatsu was instrumental in the reconstruction of the famed #00 Corvette special, and describes the Official Launch and first viewing of the 1961 #00 MacDonald Corvette, after a two- year build, at Kent, Washington, Pacific Northwest Historic Races this past weekend.