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David "Dave" Groark and Margaretta Groark are a Married 40 Years team on The Amazing Race 1.

Happily married grandparents, Dave & Margaretta managed to work their way into 8th place, where they were eliminated after their cab driver would not accept their American money.

Profile[]

Retrieved from CBS.com[2]

"In a word, we adore each other."

In 1959, young Air Force pilot David saw Margaretta across a crowded nightclub and begged his friend for an introduction. Forty years later, they've logged lots of travel time together, and their magic is still alive and well. When they heard about THE AMAZING RACE, they knew they'd make a great Team: David is adventurous and an eternal optimist; Margaretta hates to be left behind and enjoys keeping up with David.

David[]

I'd most like to receive a letter from: My kids
Comfort item from home I'll miss the most: Nothing
Hobby or activity I'll miss the most: Flying
I'd most like to receive a phone call from: NASA, with a space slot
Sunday paper I read most often: Dallas Morning News
Favorite TV show: History Channel
Favorite Movie: Flying Tigers
Favorite Actor: Alan Ladd
Favorite Actress: Meg Ryan
Favorite Music: Country & Western

Margaretta[]

I'd most like to receive a letter from: President Bush
Comfort item from home I'll miss the most: Total bathroom facility
Hobby or activity I'll miss the most: Flying (as a pilot)
I'd most like to receive a phone call from: Our grandbabies
Sunday paper I read most often: Dallas Morning News
Favorite TV show: Ally McBeal
Favorite Movie: Auntie Mame
Favorite Actor: Mel Gibson
Favorite Actress: Michelle Pfeiffer
Favorite Music: 60s and 70s sounds

The Amazing Race 1[]

Dave & Margaretta are the fifth team introduced at the Starting Line at the Bethesda Fountain in Central Park, New York City. In their confessional, Margaretta remarks her husband can be a bit bossy, and she doesn't take orders very well. Dave says that his wife is an "amazing lady" and "she can do anything she sets her mind to."

After Phil Keoghan officially starts the first leg of the race, they learn they have to fly to Johannesburg, South Africa, where they'll find their next clue in Johannesburg International Airport, and that there are three flights to Johannesburg from New York City, but are not informed from which airport they're departing at. Despite the married couple departing last from the Starting Line, they are still able to get on the second flight with Kim & Leslie.

After landing in Johannesburg, they pick up the second clue informing them to sign up for a charter flight to Livingstone, Zambia, and get their next clue from a car waiting outside of Livingstone Airport. Dave & Margaretta end up on third charter flight with, again, Kim & Leslie.

Dave & Margaretta drive themselves to Victoria Falls, where they up being the fourth team to arrive. They decide to go for the Fast Forward, however once they get to the task site, they learn the Fast Forward had already been claimed by another team, forcing them to head to Batoka Gorge instead. This detour of theirs ended up dropping them to eighth place when they arrived. Finding the Detour, Dave & Margaretta decided to perform Air.

Finishing the Detour, they are instructed to head to Songwe Village. At the village, Dave & Margaretta find the clue for the Roadblock. The task has one member cook an ostrich egg for the whole team to eat. Margaretta performs the Roadblock for her team. After completing the Roadblock, they're told to head to the nearby Pit Stop to check in. Dave & Margaretta finish the first leg in 7th.

Dave & Margaretta start Leg 2 at 6:24 am, in eighth due to improperly performing the Air Detour on the previous leg. Opening their clue, they are told to head to Songwe Museum. They ask a few locals where the museum is before leaving, and are informed that it is only a ten minute walk away. Dave & Margaretta decide to help Paul & Amie and Nancy & Emily find the museum. All three teams find the museum, getting their next clue, a Detour. All three teams decide to perform Near, and drive to Mosi-oa-Tunya National Park. Dave & Margaretta are able to find three animals and photograph them, and head to Mukuni Village. They receive a statue of the Eiffel Tower, learning they will need to fly to Paris, France.

Being on the third flight, the married couple quickly headed to the Eiffel Tower. They are last to find the Roadblock, and Dave decides to perform the task, having to find something "monumental" using the coin operated binoculars on the Eiffel Tower's observation deck. Both members head up to the observation deck. Competing with Lenny, Emily, Kim, and Paul for finding the race flag, Dave is the last to spot the flag on the Arc de Triomphe, but are mere seconds behind the other five teams. They are able to make it to the Pit Stop first out of the five, finishing in 6th.

Dave & Margaretta start Leg 3 at 2:46 am, once again leaving in eighth due to them improperly completing the Roadblock, as only the Roadblock performer was allowed to be on the observation deck. Opening the first clue, they are instructed to head to La Grande Roue. After asking a few Parisians where La Grande Roue is located, they are able to make it to the site. Unfortunately, the site is closed for the day, forcing them to camp out with Lenny & Karyn and Paul & Amie in the freezing rain until the site reopens.

The next morning, La Grande Roue opens, allowing Dave & Margaretta to get their next clue. Finding the Detour, they choose Tough Climb, knowing the Notre-Dame is easy to get to. They make there way to the monument, and find that the location doesn't open until 10:00.

They enter the location at 10:00 along with Lenny & Karyn, Emily & Nancy, and Paul & Amie. The married couple take their time up the bell tower's stairs. Dave & Margaretta are the last to ring the bell, and receive their next clue. They are told to find a man in a blue suit across the Hôtel de Ville.

Finding the blue suited man, they get their next clue, a Roadblock. Dave volunteers, and learns he will have to navigate the Parisian sewers to find their clue underneath Place du Châtelet. Dave finds the clue without much trouble, and resurfaces and reunites with Margaretta. Opening the clue, it tells them to head to Château des Baux by train. They head for Gare de Lyon.

At Gare de Lyon, Dave & Margaretta and Pat & Brenda are the last two teams to leave Paris by train. Dave & Margaretta utilize a shortcut to Château des Baux, leaving the train at Gare d'Avignon Centre, and hailing a cab. This shortcut allows them to pass a lot of teams. The married couple finish the leg in 5th and with a kiss.

Dave & Margaretta start Leg 4 at 5:47 am. Opening their first clue, they are told to sail to the capital of the flag (Tunisia) bundled with the clue, find the monument featured in a photo that was also with their clue, and tell a man there the phrase "As Salaami" to get their next clue. Dave thinks the flag is Turkey's, but may be wrong about it. The married couple get in their cab Margaretta ordered for them the night before and head to Marseille-Fos Port.

Arriving at the ferry port, they ask their cab driver what country the flag is. Answering that it is Tunisia's flag, he gives them some addition information. Dave & Margaretta settle into the ferry port, waiting for the ticket counter for Tunis to open. Joe & Bill get a discount on the tickets to Tunis, and despite many teams seeing this as an underhanded move, as they kept the tickets from the teams before departure, Dave & Margaretta were neutral to the situation. All of the teams were on the same ferry to Tunis.

Arriving in Tunis, the teams had a mad dash for taxis. By the time they arrive to the Bab el Bhar, they are tied for fifth with Kevin & Drew. Finding the Detour, they decided on Full Body Brew. They follow the fraternity brothers to Café Mouche where the task is located. They find the cafe, and order their drinks. By the time they finish, Joe & Bill and Nancy & Emily had arrived. Receiving their clue, which was in the form of the lighter, simply had "Go Here:", "El Djem", and picture of Amphitheater of Thysdrus. Outside of the marketplace, they were struggling to find a taxi. A local Tunisian man offered to help them find a taxi. They find a taxi, and head to El Djem.

However, about halfway into the trip, they learn that they will need to take another taxi. To make matters even worse, Dave & Margaretta only have US dollars, not dinar, which their driver will not accept. They decide to head to a nearby bank, only to learn that it is closed and will not exchange their currency. The married couple resort to begging people to help them pay their driver. A local kid helped them with their struggle, and they would be leaving to head to El Djem.

By the time they reach Amphitheater of Thysdrus, they find that only Lenny & Karyn are still racing. Dave decides to perform the Roadblock, which is searching for a sword in the "Pit of Death". Dave makes a huge error by going counterclockwise, allowing Lenny to find the sword before Dave. After a little more struggling to find the gladiator ramp, Dave finally finds the sword, allowing him and Margaretta to head to the Pit Stop. Phil informs the couple once they've reached the mat, they've been eliminated from The Amazing Race. Before leaving the show, the other teams stopped to say their good-byes to Dave & Margaretta.

Race History[]

Dave & Margaretta's Race History
Episode Leg Destination(s) Detour Choice
(underlined)
Roadblock
Performer
Placement Notes
1 1 United States → South Africa → Zambia Air / Land Margaretta 7 of 11 [1][2]
2 2 Zambia → France Far / Near Dave 6 of 10 [3]
3 3 France Tough Climb / Easy Walk Dave 5 of 9
4 4 France → Tunisia Full Body Brew / Full Body Massage Dave 8 of 8
Average 6.50
Legend:
     The team finished in first place
     The team finished in last place and was eliminated from the race
     The team finished in last place in a non-elimination leg
     The team that won The Amazing Race
     The team that crossed the Finish Line second
     The team that crossed the Finish Line third
The team used the Fast Forward pass

Notes:
1: Leg 1 had an unaired Roadblock where one teammate had to cook a whole ostrich egg for the whole team to eat. Margaretta was shown to have completed the task in the DVD release.
2: Dave & Margaretta originally were checked in at the Pit Stop in 7th place, but they were penalized for improperly completing the Detour. The penalty was issued before the start of the next leg, departing from the Pit Stop at 8th place.
3: Dave and Margaretta initially were checked in at the Pit Stop in 6th Place, but they were again penalized for not completing the Roadblock correctly, hence falling to 8th Place, with their penalty extending their stay at the previous Pit Stop.

Post-Race[]

  • In October 26, 2008, Margaretta died at the age of 67 after a three year battle with cancer and pulmonary fibrosis. A memorial service was held at the Unity Church of Dallas. In lieu of flowers, her obituary stated that Margaretta had requested donations be made to the United Church of Dallas in her memory.[3]

Trivia[]

Franchise Records[]

  • Dave & Margaretta are the first team to attempt to use the Fast Forward that was forced to backtrack because the pass was already taken.
  • First team to incur a penalty in the race.
  • First eliminated team to have both members perform at least one Roadblock.
  • First team to be eliminated in Tunisia.
  • Margaretta is the first racer to have passed away after competing.

External links[]

Interviews[]

  • Bryant Gumbel on The Early Show (10/04/2001): "It Was A Good Race For Dave And Margaretta"

References[]

The Amazing Race 1 Teams
 Dave & Margaretta
Married 40 Years
S1 DaveMargaretta
 Frank & Margarita
Separated Couple
S1 FrankMargarita
 Joe & Bill
Life Partners
S1 JoeBill
 Kevin & Drew
Fraternity Brothers
S1 KevinDrew
 Kim & Leslie
Roommates
S1 KimLeslie
S1 LennyKaren
 Matt & Ana
Married
S1 MattAna
 Nancy & Emily
Mother/Daughter
S1 NancyEmily
 Pat & Brenda
Working Moms
S1 PatBrenda
 Paul & Amie
Engaged
S1 PaulAmie
 Rob & Brennan
Best Friends/Lawyers
S1 RobBrennan
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