1964 Season - Good Memories, Bad Memories
Another thread is up about the exciting things happening during the 1964 stock car season with Petty, the Hemi, etc.But, it was also a horrible year and those coming to Augusta will be reminded when they view the memorial in granite. Six of the top seven finishers in the 1964 "Augusta 510" would not survive to race the next season:Dave MacDonald, Glenn Roberts, Billy Wade, Jimmy Pardue, Joe Weatherly and Larry Thomas. The seventh driver was Ned Jarrett.One of the things that we, as a group, must never forget and one of the things that the memorial in Augusta focuses on are the ones we lost on track. More on that when you come to Augusta on September 12th.Please go to www.augustainternationalraceway.com and click on the "Driver Memorial Page" button to give respect to these lost drivers and their families.In motorsports, across the globe, 1964 is considered the worst year on record.AIRPS remembers ever year during our annual event.
Tim,Dave MacDonald was very popular in the sports car ranks and had success with stock cars. He finished second to "Fireball" here in Augusta on November 17, 1963 and returned to Augusta in early March 1964 and placed first in one United States Road Racing Championship (USRRC) race and finished second in the other. Twelve weeks later he was killed at the Indianapolis "500".His wife, daugher and son were in Augusta when Dave MacDonald Drive was dedicated in 2006. You will see "his" street as you enter the event on your right.We have a very special photograph of Dave's daughter making a pencil etch of Dave's name on the monument.Moments like that are why we do what we do here in Augusta.We look forward to fans discovering what is taking place here at the former Augusta International Raceway road circuit.Everythng else is secondary!