Pikes Peak Hill Climb Hall of Fame Welcomes Five Inductees

PPIHC
August 27, 2020

Colorado Springs, CO—-The Pikes Peak Hill Climb Hall of Fame, presented by Rebellion Timepieces, congratulates five outstanding individuals on their induction as the Class of 2020 on August 27.

Taking spots in the prestigious ranks of competitors, officials, organizers and others who have contributed to the success of the world’s toughest automotive hill climb and America’s second-oldest motorsport event behind the Indianapolis 500 are:

Al Unser: Unser competed on the Peak starting in 1960, winning the crown in the Open Wheel Class in 1964 and 1965. He also won the Indy 500 four times during his amazing career in the motorsport world, and he won the national championship in 1970, 1983, and 1985. A life-long ambassador for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Unser currently operates the Unser Racing Museum in Albuquerque, NM.

Carlin Dunne: Perhaps the finest motorcycle racer ever to perform on Pikes Peak, Dunne became the first racer to break the motorcycle ten-minute mark in 2012 with his winning time of 9:52.819 aboard a Ducati Multistrada. The next year, he beat every motorcycle to become King of the Mountain on an electric motorcycle. He won four titles overall before a tragic crash last summer that took his life and cut short one of the most amazing stories in the history of the race.

William J. Hybl: Bill Hybl is recognized for his significant contributions to the fabled Race to the Clouds over several decades as a partner and friend through his positions with El Pomar Foundation and the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation. Hybl, the President Emeritus of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee, is also a member of the Colorado Springs Sports Hall of Fame, inducted with the inaugural Class of 2000.

Art Walsh: Walsh, a legendary race official, waved the checkered flag atop Pikes Peak for nearly 40 years, beginning in 1969 when the great Mario Andretti won the Open Wheel crown. He became a fixture at the summit in all kinds of weather and was a friend to scores of racers who took their turns in challenging America’s Mountain. Walsh, who died in 2011, was a loyal supporter of the Hill Climb and its legacy. He was honored by the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2010 with its inaugural Jerry Van Dyke Memorial Award for “outstanding contributions to motorsports by an individual.”

Stan DeGeer: DeGeer is arguably the greatest and most influential historian for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He photographed and documented the race in its early years and later researched, wrote and published four books on the race that served as the foundation for the race’s historic preservation. His books include: Pikes Peak Is Unser Mountain, The Pikes Peak Race 1916-1990, Pikes Peak or Bust 1916-1996 and Race to the Clouds 1916-2001, the Pikes Peak Challenge. DeGeer died in 2009 at the age of 93.

The Museum Hall of Fame is committed to honoring and preserving the achievements of individuals who have left an indelible mark on the Race to the Clouds; whether they are competitors, organizers, officials, members of the press or volunteers. Anyone who shares a passion for speed and competition in addition to a great respect for Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain is eligible to be inducted into the Hall of Fame as a tribute to their passion, competitive spirit and support for this world-famous motorsport competition.

Distinguished members of The Pikes Peak Hill Climb Museum Hall of Fame are: