Born: Mark Donohue Jr.
March 18, 1937, Summit, NJ
Died: August 19, 1975, Graz, Austria

Racing Hometown: Newtown Square, PA

(click to see larger version)

The Mark Donohue Tribute Reuion Poster
by Paul Powell of the former Unfair Advantage Racing website

USRRC Champion 1967-68
Trans-Am Champion 1968-69-71
Daytona 24 Hour Winner 1969
Indy 500 Rookie of the Year 1969
Indy 500 Winner 1972
Can-Am Champion 1973
1st IROC Champion 1974

Mark Donohue Related News

• Motor Racing Network:
  1973 Winston Western 500: Donohue Dominates.(12-23-2014)
• Calvin Stewart Earns 45th annual RRDC Mark Donohue Award: Calvin Stewart, 57, a certified registered nurse/anesthetist from Novi, Mich., is the 45th recipient of the RRDC Mark Donohue Award. This unique award is presented annually by the Road Racing Drivers Club for outstanding performance, competitiveness and sportsmanship during the SCCA National Championship Runoffs. It is voted on by RRDC members attending the Runoffs and viewing them on the TV broadcast. Stewart was the winner of the Formula 500 class of the 52nd annual SCCA National Championship Runoffs, where the best amateur racers in the country came together to vie for a National Championship crown. This year’s Runoffs were held September 21-27 at the famed Daytona International Speedway, for the first time at that circuit since 1969.
  The award is named for RRDC member and former president Mark Donohue, who won his first National Championship in the SCCA E Production class in 1961, and then went on to become one of the U.S.A.’s greatest racing drivers. He won the Indy 500, the Can-Am Championship, three Trans-Am Championships, and the IROC Championship. He lost his life at the 1975 F1 Austrian Grand Prix. Stewart will be officially presented the award at the annual RRDC members’ dinner at the Rolex 24 At Daytona in January, 2016. The RRDC presents three annual awards: the Phil Hill Award, the Mark Donohue Award, and the Bob Akin Award, and supports the Team USA Scholarship, which has been assisting young Americans in the early stages of their careers since 1990.(RRDC)(11-1-2015)
• Jeremy Grenier is 44th RRDC Mark Donohue Award winner: Jeremy Grenier, 39, of Charles Town, W. Va., is the 44th recipient of the RRDC Mark Donohue Award, presented annually by the Road Racing Drivers Club for outstanding performance, competitiveness and sportsmanship during the SCCA National Championship Runoffs. The award is named for RRDC member and former president Mark Donohue, who won his first National Championship in the SCCA E Production class in 1961, and then went on to become one of the U.S.A.’s greatest racing drivers. He won the Indy 500, the Can-Am Championship, three Trans-Am Championships, and the IROC Championship. He lost his life at the 1975 F1 Austrian Grand Prix. Grenier won his first SCCA National Championship Runoffs title following a spirited battle in the closing laps of the 20-lap Formula F race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in Monterey, Calif., on Oct. 10, which included three full-course cautions. His outstanding drive was judged the performance of the weekend by the 17 RRDC members present (and watching on-line) who constituted the RRDC Donohue Award selection committee.
  RRDC president Bobby Rahal, a Runoffs champion long before he won the Indianapolis 500 (’74 B Sports Racing and ’75 F Atlantic), emphasized the RRDC Mark Donohue Award is “about personal spirit and performance behind the wheel. Those qualities are more important for this award than winning the race. “The RRDC honors Jeremy not only for his outstanding drive to win, but for how he supports the racing community through his car preparation,” added Rahal, who personally called Grenier to give him the news that he’d won the award. “He not only drove cross country to get to the Runoffs, he drove a flawless race against a very competitive field.”
  As for winning the championship, “It’s something you work for for so long and to actually have it come true is very exciting. I really haven’t slept very well.” said Grenier.
  “Winning the RRDC Donohue Award is special. To be recognized by my peers for the effort I put forward and the year I’ve had is quite special. I didn’t even think about any awards until I was told I had won it. It hasn’t fully sunk in yet. It’s pretty impressive.” Grenier runs Ski Motorsports in West Virginia, where he’s “kind of a do-it-all,” he said. “I am the truck driver, the logistics guy, the prep guy, the shop guy. It’s basically a one-man show and I prepare multiple cars.”
  Every year, the RRDC Mark Donohue Award trophy is an engraved glass top mounted on a special, racing-experienced wheel, provided through the efforts of an RRDC member. This year’s wheel was donated by Bobby Rahal on behalf of Rahal, Letterman, Lanigan Racing. It competed throughout the 2013 season on the No. 15 Midas Honda Dallara driven by Graham Rahal in the Verizon IndyCar Series, and part of the 2014 season. It was used for the last time on the No. 15 National Guard Honda Dallara at Race 2 at Detroit in 2014. Rahal started 14th but was crashed out when Will Power hit Josef Newgarden who then crashed into Rahal. This crash caused Justin Wilson to run into the back of Rahal thereby hitting the gear shift sensor which made the car unable to shift. Rahal made it back to the pits where the team changed tires, wheels, and the gear stack as well. Rahal left the pits several laps down in 21st, where he eventually finished the race. The award will be officially presented to Grenier at the annual RRDC members’ dinner at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in January, 2015.
  The Road Racing Drivers Club (RRDC) was formed in 1952 as a way to give champion drivers a say in their sport, particularly in the areas of safety, and has evolved to serve the future of road racing by mentoring new drivers on both amateur and professional levels. The Club’s membership includes leading industry professionals, race officials and motorsports journalists, in addition to prominent racing names. In 2011, the RRDC launched a free on-line training seminar – www.SAFEisFAST.com – featuring more than 30 RRDC members and other industry experts in high-quality videos covering subjects from physical and mental preparation to driving techniques, driver safety to car setup and sponsorship. The videos are updated regularly. Each week, a professional from the world of motor racing answers readers’ questions on the site in a feature called “Ask a Pro.” Bobby Rahal is President, John Fergus is Vice President/Treasurer, and Tom Davey is Secretary.
  The RRDC presents three annual awards: the Phil Hill Award, the Mark Donohue Award, and the Bob Akin Award, and supports the Team USA Scholarship, which has been assisting young Americans in the early stages of their careers since 1990 (RRDC)(11-25-2014)
• Lawrence Loshak recieves RRDC Mark Donohue Award: Lawrence Loshak, 36, of Grafton, Wis., is the 43rd recipient of the RRDC Mark Donohue Award, presented annually by the Road Racing Drivers Club for outstanding performance, competitiveness and sportsmanship during the SCCA National Championship Runoffs.
  Loshak won two SCCA championships on Sept. 20 at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis. – Formula 1000 and H Production. His outstanding Formula 1000 drive from last to first on a wet track was judged the performance of the weekend by the 20 RRDC members present who constituted the RRDC Donohue Award selection committee. With his wins in F1000 and HP, Loshak joined the exclusive company of Jerry Hansen, John Heinricy and Tom Schweitz as the only drivers to win the Runoffs in four different classes in its 50-year history. He also became the 17th driver to win two championships in the same year. “I would not be in this position today with the help of a whole lot of people over the years,” Loshak said. “My engine builders – Greg Moon on the Suzukis and Bob Uszler on the Honda – turn out very quick and very reliable powerplants, and you know how drivers feel about horsepower. I also want the give a lot of credit for a successful career to date to my racing mentor and business partner, Mikail Shaknovich. He’s my rock.”
  RRDC president Bobby Rahal, a Runoffs champion long before he won the Indianapolis 500, emphasized the RRDC Mark Donohue Award is “about personal spirit and performance behind the wheel. Those qualities are more important for this award than winning the race. This year, Larry Loshak demonstrated the grit that it takes to be a champion. “He’s become one of SCCA’s top club racers in just 10 short years and already has won four national championships. Recovering from the self-inflicted wound of being late to the grid, he put his head down and drove a remarkable catch-up race from the back on a wet track with no radio and no idea of his progress. It’s the kind of performance we look for in a Mark Donohue Award winner – no quit, difficult conditions, great concentration.”
  Every year, the RRDC Mark Donohue Award trophy is an engraved glass top mounted on a special, racing-experienced wheel, provided through the efforts of an RRDC member. This year’s wheel was donated by RRDC President Bobby Rahal on behalf of Rahal, Letterman, Lanigan Racing. It was a rear wheel mounted on the BMW Team RLL BMW Z4GTEs running in the ALMS GT category.(RRDC)(10-17-2013)
• Cliff White selected as the 42nd annual recipient of the prestigious Road Racing Drivers Club Mark Donohue Award: Cliff White, 26, of Huntsville, Ala., was selected as the 42nd annual recipient of the prestigious Road Racing Drivers Club Mark Donohue Award for his outstanding Spec Racer Ford class victory at the 2012 SCCA National Championship Runoffs at Road America in Elkhart Lake, Wis., in September. White will be officially presented the award on March 2, 2013, at the SCCA National Convention at the South Point Hotel, Casino & Spa in Las Vegas. He will also be honored by the RRDC at its annual dinner at the Rolex 24 at Daytona in Florida on Jan. 23, 2013. White is a CPA and MBA who runs the family business operating assisted-living communities. He is a veteran of the Spec Racer Ford (SRF) class with 11 years in the seat – he started at age 16. This is his first SCCA National Championship.
  His drive to victory was anything but leisurely. According to Don Knowles, who chaired this year’s Donohue Award selection committee, “I watched the SRF race from turn 13 and then on the live computer broadcast. Cliff and the other three SRF frontrunners ran what is almost unheard of – a clean Runoffs race! Three leaders on the last lap with Cliff coming from fourth to first – a real tough tactical battle. Winning the arm-wrestling contest with that field is a great driving accomplishment.”
  White credited his car’s performance to the communication he has with his mentor and mechanic, Mark Eaton, who works for the southeast division’s SRF customer service representative (CSR), Robinson Motorsports. “We just put our heads down all week and kept working on the car,” said White. “The fact we’ve done this together on and off for 10 years, we speak the same language. He knows the car inside and out and he knows my driving. So we said to ourselves, ‘We’re going to win this thing.’”
  Every year, the RRDC Mark Donohue Award trophy is an engraved glass top mounted on a special, racing-experienced wheel, provided through the efforts of an RRDC member. This year’s wheel was donated by RRDC President Bobby Rahal on behalf of Rahal, Letterman, Lanigan Racing. It was mounted on the BMW Team RLL M3 GT during the American Le Mans Northeast Grand Prix at Lime Rock Park, Conn., this past July.
  The Road Racing Drivers Club was formed in 1952 as a way to give champion drivers a say in their sport, particularly in the areas of safety, and has evolved to serve the future of road racing by mentoring new drivers on both amateur and professional levels. The Club’s membership includes leading industry professionals, race officials and motorsports journalists, in addition to prominent racing names.(RRDC)(11-1-2012)
• Donohue wins Rolex 24 at Daytona: David Donohue won the Rolex 24 to end Chip Ganassi Racing’s Daytona winning streak at three races and match his late father’s [Mark Donohue] victory here 40 years ago. Donohue held on for the victory Sunday after passing Juan Pablo Montoya for the lead just 41 minutes from the finish. Donohue, who started from the pole in the Brumos Porsche Riley on Saturday afternoon, combined with former Indianapolis 500 winner Buddy Rice, Antonio Garcia and Darren Law to win the closest race in the 47-year history of 24-hour classic at Daytona International Speedway. Four of the sleek prototypes finished on the lead lap — the most ever — and the quartet spent most of the last two hours nearly nose-to-tail on the 3.56-mile road course.(ESPN/AP)(1-25-2009)
• Mark Donohue Tribute in 2009: The weekend of April 25-26, 2009, Watkins Glen International and the International Motor Racing Research Center will join forces to present a Mark Donohue Tribute. The weekend will include the launch of Michael Argetsinger’s new book on Mark. This is the first definitive biography ever written on Mark and at more than 600 pages, promises to be an outstanding read and a tremendous tribute to his memory. Details of the weekend remain in the planning stage but activities will include an opportunity to drive the 3.4-mile Watkins Glen circuit in your own car. A dedicated session will provide for ex-Donohue race cars to have the track to themselves. Several outstanding cars have already committed to be there. There will also be discussion sessions with key people in Mark’s life presenting their memories and stories. We will provide more details as they become available but, for now, be sure to plan for this unique event.(11-15-2008)
• Associated Press/ESPN:
  David Donohue carves his racing niche.(6-18-2008)
• Donohue Indy Car at Research Center: The 1972 All-American Racers Eagle that American racing legend Mark Donohue once raced is now on display at the International Motor Racing Research Center in Watkins Glen. Chassis No. 7225, which Donohue drove in his final USAC season in 1973, will be the main subject of a panel discussion at the Research Center at 1 p.m. March 31. The center is located at 610 S. Decatur St. While this car never won a race, it is one of the few public examples of the 1972 generation of AAR Eagles built by American racer/designer Dan Gurney. It is shown in the restored condition of its qualifying configuration from the Indianapolis 500 in 1973. The discussion, part of the ongoing Center Conversations series, is open to the public at no charge.(Elmira Star Gazette)(3-22-2007)
• Donohue to Indy 500 Hall of Fame: Five legendary names from the Indianapolis 500 will assume their place among racing legends May 21 at the 2004 Auto Racing Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. The event is taking place at the Indianapolis Marriott Downtown in conjunction with the annual “500” Oldtimers’ Club Banquet. Indianapolis 500-winning drivers Emerson Fittipaldi and Tom Sneva, and team owner John Zink are expected to attend the ceremony, while driver Mark Donohue [click here to see Jayski’s tribute] and team owner Lindsey Hopkins will be inducted posthumously.(IMS PR)(3-24-2004)Past News:The 2003 Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International will have a special twist to it in 2003. Rather than just select a featured marque, The Glen and the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) will pay tribute to a person, his race cars and his career – Mark Donohue. Sunday’s main event will include a demonstration race with the cars from Donohue’s past and is scheduled for September 5-7.Over 25 cars from Donohue’s past are expected to participate in the event, as well as the Donohue family. The weekend will pay tribute to Donohue’s many accomplishments, both behind the wheel of the race car and as one of the premier race car engineers of his time.”I am really thrilled that something like this is happening in honor of my father,” said David Donohue. “It means a lot to my family and many of us will be there to enjoy the event. I’m looking forward to seeing all of the cars that he raced all in one place, as well as the team members that he raced with.””This tribute is a wonderful addition to what has become an already phenomenal weekend,” said track President Craig Rust. “We are proud to celebrate the career of Mark Donohue and look forward to bringing all of his cars together to honor this tremendous driver.”Mark Donohue was one of the most versatile racing drivers ever to compete. He won in sports cars, Indy Cars, stock cars; on oval tracks and road courses. He was a two-time USRRC Champion, a three-time SCCA Trans-Am Champion, a Can-Am Champion, winner of the 24 Hours of Daytona, the Indianapolis 500 and a NASCAR Winston Cup race at Riverside, CA.

  Tickets for the 2003 season will be available in the coming months. For tickets, reserved camping, and additional information, please contact the Watkins Glen ticket office at 607-535-2481 or log on to the official Watkins Glen Web site at Watkins Glen.

  Media contact – Julie Giese at (607) 535-2486, ext. 268 or via e-mail at [email protected]

  Owners of the cars that Mark raced are being invited to participate in a special Mark Donohue-only-race-group that will be organized by the SVRA especially for this vintage weekend. We are also wanting to have as many former co-workers, racing friends and family there too. If you have any information on someone that would like to be a part of this celebration, let me know so I can contact them.

  UPDATE on the REUNION:

  The 2003 Zippo U.S. Vintage Grand Prix at Watkins Glen International will have a special twist to it in 2003. Rather than just select a featured marque, The Glen and the Sportscar Vintage Racing Association (SVRA) will pay tribute to a person, his race cars and his career – Mark Donohue. Sunday’s main event will include a demonstration race with the cars from Donohue’s past and is scheduled for September 5-7.

  Over 20 cars from Donohue’s past are expected to participate in the event, as well as the Donohue family. The weekend will pay tribute to Donohue’s many accomplishments, both behind the wheel of the race car and as one of the premier race car engineers of his time.