Don MacTavish

[ancrdave]

Hard to believe it's been 40 years....

[oneoff]

Standing on the infield side of the crossover gate that day!

Dave, my father and brothers and myself were watching that race at the cross over gate. Back then you could get a lot closer to the track there then you can how. My father and I talked about the crash on the way home and we both agreed that the car looked like it stoped for an instant on impact, them it looked like it just expolted. Parts were fling evey where. It was the most gut wrenching thing I have ever seen in 52 years of going to the races. I'll never forget that day or Don's smile and pat on the head just one day earlier.

[carolwicks]

what a racer he was!

donnie was an aggressive hard core racer that was sooooooooo fun to watch. his deadly accident was probably the single most horrific in daytonas history. i still have the news clippings and its hard to believe they were printed. donnie was so young when he died. Bugs stevens was close behind him and the memory of that day has left him with night and day mares. a very very tragic accident.
carol aka OZ

[Mark Keeler]

The most famous racer to come from my little hometown, Needham, MA... although, Pete Hamilton (from Dover, one town over) housed his cars in the same garages as Don McT... the original Gasoline Alley... 238 Chestnut St, Needham, MA.

Was before my time, but I have heard many many stories growing up at that garage!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtWUfFiXIkM

[georgep]

Hard to belive that people still do not know the WHOLE STORY!
The GATE GAVE, DON hit the Concrete and Sam ran into him. The car WAS NOT BUILT with under Spec tubing like asscarr said and they realy DESTROYED a very good person who was a friend of my dads with that garbage.
This was a case of a "BELT DUMPING" If you understand.