It was a return to form in qualifying for Jim Clark, the Scot finally managing to defeat Dan Gurney who had dominated the previous two races. He would line up on pole with the New Yorker sharing the front row, and it would be the Scot that blasted into the lead off the line, leaving Gurney to fight with John Surtees. As they roared away, Bruce McLaren dropped out of contention early on after a first lap spin.