Legendary racecar driver Phil Hill was honored at a special event at the Petersen Automotive Museum on November 11, 2004. The museum was packed with some of the greatest names in American auto racing who paid tribute to Hill’s 20-year racing career, including winning the first American Formula One World Championship, and the demanding 24-Hours of Le Mans, which he won three times.
Veteran motorsport announcer Dave McClelland emceed the evening and welcomed Hill’s prestigious colleagues to the stage to share their stories of Hill. Among those who shared fond memories of competing with Phil were Carroll Shelby, Dan Gurney, Jim Hall, Tony Adamowicz, Bob Bondurant, Steve Earle, Jim Busby, Chuck Daigh, Stefan Johansson, John Morton and Danny Sullivan. Also in attendance was renowned photojournalist Bernard Cahier, who traveled from France to remember a simpler time in racing when the drivers shared a strong camaraderie.
Following the parade of speakers, Hill was invited to the stage to share his thoughts in an interview with author John Lamm. Lamm asked Hill about his favorite race of all time, his first victory at Le Mans in 1958. “It was impossible to see the smaller, slower cars in the rain and darkness,” Hill recalled. “I drove down the Mulsanne straight at top speed and waited to hear the resonance of exhaust in front of me. Because I was sitting on a tool bag to see over the windscreen, I picked up a full lap that night mainly because I could see and the others couldn’t.”
