Brother of Corvette Hall of Fame Racer Dave MacDonald Takes Delivery of a 2017 Grand Sport

Corvette enthusiasts know all about Dave MacDonald, one of the best racers ever.

He was so good, in fact, that he was handpicked by Zora Arkus-Duntov to drive the very first 1963 Corvette Z06. GM flew Dave to St. Louis to pick up the new Z06, and he drove it all the way home to get it prepped for racing.

In case you’re wondering why Zora chose Dave, check out these stats! From 1960 to 1964, Dave won nearly half (52) of the 118 professional races he entered and finished in the top three an amazing 75 times during that span. Sadly, Dave’s career was cut short when he was killed during the 1964 Indianapolis 500 race.

Fast forward to 2016, and Dave’s little brother, Doug, decided it was time to honor Dave’s memory with a very special 2017 Corvette Grand Sport that mirrored the appearance of that ’63 Z06. Doug posted on a Corvette Facebook group page that he wanted the new car to be done in Arctic White with a blue stripe and the factory museum delivery option.

Nate Chandler, Corvette Department manager for Van Bortel Chevrolet in Macedon, N.Y., saw the post and quickly responded with what turned out to be the best deal Doug received, setting up a sequence of events that turned into a very memorable experience for all involved.

“Just 6 weeks later (Sept. 2016) my wife, Nicole, and I flew out to Bowling Green, Ky., to meet Doug and his companion Sherry for his Museum Delivery,” Nate says. “They were great company and a joy to spend the day with. I could have talked about Corvettes with Doug for days. I learned some great stories about his older brother; I wish I could have met him. Could you imagine growing up having an older brother as famous race car driver?!”

Nate says the VIP tour of the Museum and Assembly Plant “is a must for any Corvette enthusiast.” In fact, despite being professionally involved with Corvettes for more than a decade, Nate says he “still learned a ton!”

Check out these photos of Doug’s beautiful new Grand Sport – 3LT, Arctic White with Adrenaline Red interior, blue stripe, heritage package with red fender stripes, competition seats, black wheels, and red calipers.

Perhaps the most impressive – and tear-jerking – feature about the car, though, is the custom dash plaque that reads “Memory of – Dave MacDonald.”

“Dave MacDonald would have loved the new 2017 Corvette Grand Sport and the remarkable performance the car has,” Nate says. “I am sure that he is thrilled and maybe a little envious that his younger brother got one!”

Source:
n8svette.net and Van Bortel Chevrolet

Related:
National Corvette Museum Announces 2014 Hall of Fame Inductees
The Epic Journey of C.J. Titterington and His 1963 Corvette Z06
[PIC] Throwback Thursday: Zora with a Couple of 1971 Corvettes