David McKay (journalist)
David McKay | |
---|---|
Nationality | ![]() |
Born | North Sydney, New South Wales | 14 May 1921
Died | 26 December 2004 | (aged 83)
Australian Drivers' Championship | |
Years active | 1959–63 |
Teams | Scuderia Veloce |
Best finish | 3rd in 1963 |
Championship titles | |
1960 1958 | Australian Touring Car Champ. Australian Tourist Trophy |
David McKay (14 May 1921 – 26 December 2004) was an Australian journalist and prominent motoring identity.
While most well known as a journalist, specifically as a motoring writer, McKay was also a prominent figure in motor racing as both a driver and a race team owner. That team, Scuderia Veloce, was the first Australian-based professional racing team, and in addition to furthering McKay's own racing career also furthered the careers of many young racing drivers including Spencer Martin, Brian Muir and Greg Cusack amongst others.
One of McKay's first forays into competitive motorsport was following the purchase of the ex-Dick Cobden MG TC, known as The Red Cigar. The single-seat, aluminum-bodied racer with Maserati style lines quickly propelled McKay to on track success finishing as the highest placed MG in the 1952 Australian Grand Prix at Bathurst along with solid wins and placings at events in Gnoo Blas, Nowra and Mount Druitt across the season of 1953.
In 1958 McKay won the
Despite continuing to race various cars from
McKay was also responsible for the first ever factory backed Holden team in 1968 when he formed the Holden Dealer Racing Team. The team ran 3 brand new Holden Monaro GTS 327's in the 1968 Hardie-Ferodo 500 at Mount Panorama, Bathurst. Jim Palmer and Phil West finished 2nd outright behind the winning Monaro of Bruce McPhee and Barry Mulholland. Brian Muir and 1964 winner George Reynolds finished 5th while the Paul Hawkins / Bill Brown car was disqualified.
McKay also organised a separate team of Holden Monaros to contest the 1968
McKay's career as a writer began in 1949 and he worked for the
McKay died of cancer on 26 December 2004. He was 83.[5]
Career results
Season | Series | Position | Car | Entrant / team |
---|---|---|---|---|
1958 | Australian Tourist Trophy | 1st | Aston Martin DB3S | D. McKay |
1959 | Australian Drivers' Championship | 10th | Cooper T51 Climax | Victa Pty Ltd |
1960 | Australian Touring Car Championship | 1st | Jaguar Mark 1 | D McKay |
1961 | Australian Drivers' Championship | 8th | Cooper T51 Climax | Scuderia Veloce |
Australian GT Championship | 2nd | Lola | Scuderia Veloce | |
1962 | Australian Drivers' Championship | 5th | Cooper T53 Climax | Scuderia Veloce |
1963 | Australian Drivers' Championship | 3rd | Brabham BT4 Climax | Scuderia Veloce |
Complete Phillip Island/Bathurst 500/1000 results
Year | Entrant / team | Co-drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Overall position |
Class position |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1960 | Lanock Motors Ltd.[6] | ![]() |
Volkswagen Beetle | B | 158 | 16th | 6th |
1961 | ![]() |
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Studebaker Lark | A | 166 | 2nd | 1st |
1963 | ![]() |
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Vauxhall Velox | D | 20 | DNF | DNF |
1967 | ![]() |
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Audi Super 90 | D | 122 | 16th | 6th |
1969 | ![]() |
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Ford XW Falcon GTHO
|
D | 78 | DNF | DNF |
1970 | ![]() |
Ford XW Falcon GTHO Phase II
|
E | 23 | DNF | DNF | |
1971 | ![]() |
Ford XY Falcon GT-HO Phase III
|
E | 129 | 3rd | 3rd | |
1979 | ![]() |
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Volvo 242 GT
|
B | 129 | 20th | 5th |
References
- ISBN 0-9588464-0-5.
- ^ a b c Holden Dealer Racing Team, Australian Muscle Car, Issue 67, May/June 2013, pages 40 to 50
- ^ Daily Express London-Sydney Marathon (magazine), page 4
- ^ McKay, Peter (3 January 2005). "Dashing enthusiast of motor sport". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 25 May 2010.
- ^ Barry Lake, Gentleman racer, Motor Racing Australia, No 84, Feb/Mar 2005, pages 75–78
- ^ Official Programme, Armstrong 500, Phillip Island, Sunday, 20th November (1960)