Donald Mackay drifts his DPO-sponsored speedcar through a turn.
DPO is going dirt track racing in 2015-’16 as the sponsor of Sydney speedway driver Donald Mackay.
The Mackay name has been synonymous with speedcars, commonly called ‘midgets’, for more than half a century. Donald’s grandfather, Don, was a legendary speedcar driver and team owner in the 1950s and ‘60s. His famous #76 cars were driven by stars of the calibre of Johnny Harvey and Barry Butterworth.
Donald’s father, Ron, was a leading speedcar racer from the late-1960s until the mid-1980s. He won numerous state titles as well as the national championship and Australian Grand Prix in the 1970-’71 season.
For Donald, 45, the 2015-’16 season is his second after a few years on the sidelines. He’ll contest around 25 race meetings at speedways across the country driving his DPO-sponsored Triple X racer, which sports a 165ci (2.7-litre) four-cylinder Gaerte engine that pumps out 280kw (370hp) on methanol fuel. This gives the lightweight machine comparable performance to a V8 sprintcar around a quarter-mile dirt track oval.
Donald will contest around 25 race meetings in the 2015-’16 season.
DPO director Barry Morcom, a long-time family friend of the Mackays and a former road racer himself, sees speedway as ideal for promoting the company’s range of building products.
“I’ve been a speedway fan since I was a kid, and I’ve known the Mackays since before I started racing, so I was happy to take the opportunity to back Donald this season,” he said. “Speedway has always had a solid following with tradies, which makes it an ideal marketing vehicle for DPO.
“Good luck to Donald and his Mackay Motorsport team for a great season!”