Content by Jim Gessner
10/3/2013Doug Hooper passed quietly after a 8 month battle with kidney failure.
2007 Corvette Hall of Fame Inductee Doug Hooper began racing in 1959 behind the wheel of his 1957 Corvette. A regular participant at Cal Club and SCCA Events, Doug's achievements note him as a world-class racer and one of the first drivers to have brought the Corvette to the international stage as a winning racing machine following his win in the “Times Grand Prix” in Riverside, California on October 13, 1962.
Chevrolet introduced the new Sting Ray Split Window Z06 racing option in October 1962 at Riverside Raceway. Dave MacDonald, Bob Bondurant , Jerry Grant and Doug all drove Z06 Split Window Corvettes. Billy Krause drove the first Shelby Cobra ever to race that day, but the Mickey Thompson sponsored Z0-6 driven by Hooper won the three hour race of 46 cars averaging 84.06 mph in front of 78,000 spectators.
In December 1962, at a special Z0-6 brake test session at Sebring, Zora Arkus-Duntov approached Doug and asked him to test his new secret project – the Grand Sport. After the test, Doug was scheduled to co-drive the Corvette Grand Sport with Billy Krause at Lemans in June 1963.
Doug drove at the 3 hour Continental at Daytona in mid February 1963, and after the race, the GM sponsored race program ended.
In the summer of 63, Doug raced all over the West and had many wins and opened “Doug's Corvette Service” in North Hollywood , California and created one of the premier Corvette and Rochester Fuel Injection repair shops in the country.
In 1989 in addition to the shop and racing, he added to his busy life and became a Reserve Police officer for L.A.P.D.
In 1993, Doug continued to stay active in racing and was asked to prepare and tour the country in the original #001, 1963 Grand Sport – the same car he had tested at Sebring some 30 years earlier!
Under Roger Penske's ownership in 1966, this Grand Sport, one of the original five, had a 427 L-88 big block motor installed and was previously driven by Corvette Hall of Fame legends, Dick Thompson and Dick Guldstrand at Sebring in 1966. Doug toured the USA Vintage Race events in the 1993 season with the car and raced it with great respect and admiration of the public.
Numerous books and magazine articles have been published acknowledging Doug's winning career and accomplishments. Notably winning the SCCA Pacific Coast Championship five times.
He was a great friend and strong Corvette competitor. We drove cross country in 2009 to CARLISLE. I need to write a book about that trip. I will miss Doug. He was one of my heroes.
DOUG STARTED RACING IN HIS 1957 CORVETTE in 1959. This car used to be black and was owned by Scott Briley. Dan Gurney raced this car at the first TIMES GP at RIVERSIDE in 1957 and won. That limited Corvette drive got Dan into the ''big league'' of racing. (DOUG HOOPER Photo)
The MICKEY THOMPSON 63 Z0-6 CAR that Doug drove at Riverside in October 1962 and won. Doug drove the same car at DAYTONA in February 1963.(DAVE FRIEDMAN photo)
JOE FREITAS, PAUL REINHART, AND DOUG HOOPER AT THE MONTEREY HISTORIC RACES IN 2002 WHEN CORVETTE CELEBRATED ITS 50TH BIRTHDAY. (JIM GESSNER Photo)
JOE FREITAS, SHERRY MACDONALD (DAVE MACDONALD'S WIFE),
BOB BONDURANT, DICK GULDSTRAND, DOUG HOOPER, SKIP HUDSON, and
PAUL REINHART, At the JULY 1991 NCRS National Convention Anaheim, California.
ALL GREAT FRIENDS UNITED FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE MID 60'S.
(Maggie Logan photo)
MONTEREY HISTORIC 2008, Doug's last race in a STINGRAY. Dick and Willy Guldstrand visiting with Doug before the race. DOUG drove the old 1964 DAVID REX well known Midwest Corvette racer owned today by FRED YEAKEL. (FRED YEAKEL Photos)
DOUG AND SON MARK HOOPER GET READY AT PRE-GRID
Enjoying the hobby since 1969.Love Fuel Injection and RACE CORVETTES.
Co-Founder REGISTRY OF CORVETTE RACE CARS
Inducted into the BLOOMINGTON GOLD "GREAT HALL" June 2010.
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