At a recent bench-racing session, the names of two pre-World War II racing veterans at Indy emerged with respect to their last meeting. The drivers in question are George Connor and George “Doc” MacKenzie.
MacKenzie was an extremely popular driver who came from a family of physicians in suburban Philadelphia. He wore a driver’s uniform, which was not yet in vogue. Stitched over the buttoned breast pocket was “Doc.” He sported a Van Dyke beard and with his handsome, debonair appearance, cut quite a figure.
His racing career took off within a short time after his arrival on the scene. By 1932, he was in action at the nation’s top draw, the Pantheon of racing — the Indianapolis 500. He also drove sprint cars and won the 1935 Eastern AAA title in John Bagley’s Cragar. It has been reported that he won 35 features along the way. At Indy that year, he finished 10th and in 1936 he finished third in Kelly Petillo’s Gilmore Special.
On July 12, he was seriously injured in an accident at the Reading track. Consequently, he had weeks of sheet time. He returned to action Aug. 22, after a six-week layoff to compete in the AAA National 100-mile event at Springfield, Ill.
He broke the existing qualifying mark for a mile dirt track that had stood for years with a 38.67. Within a short time, Connor turned a lap at 38.15 to gain the pole with the Marks car. The pair was the only two drivers in the 38-second range, so perhaps the lay-off had not drastically affected the reigning champion’s skill and stamina.
Connor bested MacKenzie (second), Mauri Rose (third), “Wild” Bill Cummings and Wilbur Shaw in their 10-mile heat. Connor led the 100 miler until a mechanical woe put his car on the sidelines. MacKenzie secured the lead on lap 25 and was buzzing along until eventual-winner Wilbur Shaw surged past on lap 62. Then on lap 70, MacKenzie stepped out of his ride as relief help was needed. Tony Willman climbed into the mount and finished second.
After an overnight drive to Milwaukee, it was time for the AAA stars to compete in a full afternoon of sprint-car activities at The Milwaukee Mile. MacKenzie lost his heat to Connor, yet he started up front in the feature. As the leaders prepared for the green flag, the flagman became distraught at the ragged alignment. He refused to display the green flag several times and he reportedly called for a brief stop to lecture the front rows. Polesitter Connor and Billy Winn both commented that MacKenzie, in row two alongside Wild Bill, was trying to slide by them before the competition started.
When the starter finally displayed the green banner, Billy Winn saw an opening as Connor drifted a bit to the middle. Winn then started to move to the low side as the field approached turn one of the first lap. MacKenzie elected to follow Winn only to make contact with Connor. MacKenzie’s car then surged to the left, striking the wooden railing, overturning four times. In the process, MacKenzie was pitched from the car. He suffered head and lung injuries. Doctors pronounced MacKenzie dead an hour later.
 A few chose to fault Connor as talk arose of an inquest with a possible charge of manslaughter being leveled. The legal procedure failed to hold after MacKenzie’s close friend “Wild Bill” Cummings stated that Connor was in no way responsible for any transgression.
One observer at the time referred to MacKenzie’s unfailing popularity due not only to his racing skills, but also his congenial personality and his solid rapport with his legion of fans. One source declared, “The champion never overrated himself. He did, however, overrate his physical condition — just once — and for that mistake he paid with his life.” 
While MacKenzie passed early in life, Connor continued racing for years. He closed out his career in 1952 with a last run at Indy, finishing eighth. His best finish had been a third in the Baby Blue Crown (1949), the same best finish achieved by Doc at the Speedway. In his late ’80s, Connor, a life-long California resident, said he planned for one last trip to Indy. That would be for his interment near the Speedway next to his wife Neely (a resident of Speedway when they met decades earlier).
George passed in 2001 at the age of 94, the last surviving driver participant of the pre-WWII era. Thus closed a generation of colorful drivers. Many died racing while others would live to enjoy their years — having defied the deadly toll during their years in the profession.