Obituary: David McKay
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This Australian racing driver, team owner and journalist died late last year. He was 83.
Known for the force of his opinions as much as for his skill behind the wheel, McKay began his competition career in 1950, initially as a rally co-driver and then behind the wheel of an MG TC. His role as motoring editor of the Sydney Daily Telegraph opened many doors, and in 1955 he shared an Aston Martin DB3S with Tony Gaze to second place in the Hyères 12 Hours.
He returned from France with a sister car for the Kangaroo Stables squad and won the 1958 Australian sportscar title with it. Two years later he became his country’s first touring car champ with a Jag Mk1 .
Though his driving career ebbed during the ’60s, he continued to run others under the Scuderia Veloce banner, including Graham Hill in the 1964 Tasman Series. He also helped up-and-coming Kiwi Chris Amon gain experience in powerful single-seaters before his departure to Europe. He later did the same for Larry Perkins and helped raise the funds for local constructor Harry Galloway to build his eponymous single-seaters for the Australian F2 championship.
He was also a leading player in organising the London-to-Sydney Marathon of 1968 and managing Holden’s first races at Bathurst.