Mark Donohue

Mark Donohue (March 18, 1937 - August 19, 1975) was an American racing driver.

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He graduated from Brown University with an engineering degree, and began casually racing sports cars at the age of 22. He got a break in 1966, catching early season rides at Daytona and Sebring, and was signed by Roger Penske to race USRRC and CanAm for the remainder of the season.

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He dominated the 1967 USRRC championship, winning six of eight races, and the Trans-Am championship, winning 10 of 13. He was the leading US sports car racer of the late 1960s and early 1970s, winning three Trans-Am championships between 1967 and 1971 and dominating the CanAm circuit as well.

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In 1969 he was fourth in the Indianapolis 500, winning rookie of the year, and debuted in Formula One on September 19, 1971 with the McLaren team, finishing third.

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Donohue won the 1972 Indianapolis 500, driving for Roger Penske, with a then record speed of 162 mph. On January 21, 1973, driving an AMC for Penske at the NASCAR Winston Cup (now Nextel) race at Riverside, California, he won the season-opener and remains the last non-regular driver to win in the series. After winning the 1973 Race of Champions he announced his retirement, only to be lured back to full-time driving when Penske formed a Formula 1 team to compete in the final two events of the 1974 F1 World Championship, and then to contest the entire 1975 season.

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During practice for the 1975 Austrian Grand Prix, Donohue lost control when a tire failed and he crashed into catch fencing. A track marshal was killed by debris from the accident but Donohue didn't appear to be significantly injured. However a resulting headache worsened and after going to hospital the next day Donohue lapsed into a coma from a brain hemorrhage and died.

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In 1990, Mark Donahue was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

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March 18: March 18 is the 77th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (78th in leap years). There are 288 days remaining....

1937: 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar)....

August 19: August 19 is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 134 days remaining....

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