Giants Despair Hillclimb
Encyclopedia
The Giants Despair Hillclimb is a hillclimb
established in 1906 just outside Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
in Laurel Run, Pennsylvania
, United States. The contest was first run in conjunction with Wilkes-Barre's centennial celebration. It is the oldest continuing motorsport event in Pennsylvania
. Race drivers from across the nation gather annually on East Northampton Street, the name of the road that winds its way through a 1 miles (1.6 km) section of Pennsylvania's steep mountains. Rising 650 feet (198.1 m), the course reaches grades up to 20% and has six turns—including the 110 "Devil's Elbow"— in the race to the top. The original race was won in 2 minutes 11.2 seconds.
In its first years, the race was used as a proving grounds by the biggest names in the automotive industry. Louis Chevrolet
raced the hill in 1909 driving for Buick. He won Event No. 2, Gasoline stock cars, selling from $851 to $1,250 in a time of 2:34.4 sec, his car being the only entry in the class. He is chiefly remembered for an accident: "A Buick with Louis Chevrolet driving, turned turtle on the course and narrowly missed a group of people. Chevrolet was not badly injured."
Bill Milliken
drove the AJB/FWD Butterball Special, #111, in 1955 finishing third overall in a time of 63.771 sec.
Carroll Shelby
, Roger Penske
, and Oscar Koveleski are just a few of the famous drivers that set out to tackle the mile. The hill has been paved many times and the records have been shattered. The current record holder is Darryl Danko, who ran the course in 38.360 seconds in 2007. Today, the Hillclimb is run on the second weekend of July and is organized by the Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association (PHA).
Key: R = Course Record.
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
established in 1906 just outside Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania
Wilkes-Barre is a city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, the county seat of Luzerne County. It is at the center of the Wyoming Valley area and is one of the principal cities in the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre metropolitan area, which had a population of 563,631 as of the 2010 Census...
in Laurel Run, Pennsylvania
Laurel Run, Pennsylvania
Laurel Run is a borough in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 723 at the 2000 census.Laurel Run is the site of a mine fire which started in 1915...
, United States. The contest was first run in conjunction with Wilkes-Barre's centennial celebration. It is the oldest continuing motorsport event in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
. Race drivers from across the nation gather annually on East Northampton Street, the name of the road that winds its way through a 1 miles (1.6 km) section of Pennsylvania's steep mountains. Rising 650 feet (198.1 m), the course reaches grades up to 20% and has six turns—including the 110 "Devil's Elbow"— in the race to the top. The original race was won in 2 minutes 11.2 seconds.
In its first years, the race was used as a proving grounds by the biggest names in the automotive industry. Louis Chevrolet
Louis Chevrolet
Louis-Joseph Chevrolet was a Swiss-born American race car driver of French descent, co-founder of the Chevrolet Motor Car Company in 1911 and later, the Frontenac Motor Corporation in 1916 which made racing parts for Ford's Model T.-Early life:Born in 1878 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, a center of...
raced the hill in 1909 driving for Buick. He won Event No. 2, Gasoline stock cars, selling from $851 to $1,250 in a time of 2:34.4 sec, his car being the only entry in the class. He is chiefly remembered for an accident: "A Buick with Louis Chevrolet driving, turned turtle on the course and narrowly missed a group of people. Chevrolet was not badly injured."
Bill Milliken
William F. Milliken, Jr.
William F. Milliken, Jr. is a former aerospace engineer, automotive engineer and racecar driver. He was born in Old Town, Maine....
drove the AJB/FWD Butterball Special, #111, in 1955 finishing third overall in a time of 63.771 sec.
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Shelby
Carroll Hall Shelby is an American retired automotive designer and racing driver. He is most well known for making Mustangs for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965...
, Roger Penske
Roger Penske
Roger S. Penske is the owner of the automobile racing team Penske Racing, the Penske Corporation, and other automotive related businesses. A winning racer in the late 1950s, Penske was named 1961's Sports Car Club of America Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated...
, and Oscar Koveleski are just a few of the famous drivers that set out to tackle the mile. The hill has been paved many times and the records have been shattered. The current record holder is Darryl Danko, who ran the course in 38.360 seconds in 2007. Today, the Hillclimb is run on the second weekend of July and is organized by the Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association (PHA).
Giants Despair events and past winners
| Year | Driver | Vehicle | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1906 | Hugh N. Harding | English Daimler Daimler Motor Company The Daimler Motor Company Limited was an independent British motor vehicle manufacturer founded in London by H J Lawson in 1896, which set up its manufacturing base in Coventry. The right to the use of the name Daimler had been purchased simultaneously from Gottlieb Daimler and Daimler Motoren... 35 h.p. |
2:11.2 sec R | May 10. |
| 1907 | William Wray | Simplex-Peugeot (Motorcycle) | 1:40.0 sec | May 30. |
| Walter C. White | White Steamer White Motor Company White Motor Company was an American automobile and truck manufacturer from 1900 until 1980. The company also produced bicycles, roller skates, automatic lathes, and sewing machines. Before World War II, the company was based in Cleveland, Ohio.-History:... (Steam car) |
1:49.8 sec | ||
| J.B. Ryall | Matheson 60 h.p. Matheson (automobile) The Matheson was an American automobile manufactured from 1903 to 1912. The President of the company was Charles Walter Matheson , born Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 22, 1876. His brother, Frank F. Matheson served as company secretary.... (Gasoline car) |
1:59.2 sec R | ||
| 1908 | Willi Haupt | Great Chadwick 6-cylinder | 1:38.4 sec R | May 30. |
| 1909 | David Bruce-Brown David L. Bruce-Brown David Loney Bruce-Brown was an American racecar driver. Having bluffed his way into auto racing at the age of 18, he turned out to be a natural talent behind the wheel and won the 1908 Daytona Speed Trials. He then went on to win the American Grand Prize in both 1910 and 1911 as well as numerous... |
Benz 120 h.p. | 1:31.6 sec R | |
| 1910 | Ralph DePalma Ralph DePalma Ralph De Palma was an Italian-American racecar driving champion, most notably winner of the 1915 Indianapolis 500. His entry at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame estimates that he won about 2000 races... |
Fiat 200 h.p. | 1:28.4 sec R | June 14. |
| 1911-1915 No events. | ||||
| 1916 | Fred Junk | Chalmers Chalmers Automobile Chalmers Motor Car Company was a United States based automobile company located in Detroit, Michigan. It was named after Hugh Chalmers of the National Cash Register Company. The brand is currently owned by Chrysler.-History:... |
1:41.0 sec | Oct 7. |
| 1917-1950 No events. | ||||
| 1951 | Dellevan Lee | Allard Allard The Allard Motor Company was an English car manufacturer founded in 1936 by Sydney Allard. The company, based in Putney, London. until 1945 and then in Clapham, London, produced approximately 1900 cars until its closure in 1966.... -Cadillac |
1:07.5 sec R | May 11/12. |
| 1952 | Phil Walters | Cunningham Briggs Cunningham Briggs Swift Cunningham II was an American entrepreneur and sportsman, who raced automobiles and yachts. Born into a wealthy family, he became a racing car constructor, driver, and team owner as well as a sports car manufacturer and automobile collector.He skippered the victorious yacht Columbia... CR-4K |
1:02.3 sec R | July 24/26. |
| 1953 | Dellevan Lee | Allard J2 | 1:04.4 sec | July 24. |
| 1954 | A. Erwin Goldschmidt | Ferrari 4.5 | 1:01.26 R | July 24/25. |
| 1955 | Duncan Black | Ferrari 4.5 #44 | 1:02.4 sec | July 22. |
| 1956 | Carroll Shelby Carroll Shelby Carroll Hall Shelby is an American retired automotive designer and racing driver. He is most well known for making Mustangs for Ford Motor Company known as Mustang Cobras which he has done since 1965... |
GP Ferrari 4.5-liter | 58.768 sec R | July 20. |
| 1957 | Dr. Louis Winkler | Chevrolet Corvette | 58.35 sec R | July 19. |
| 1958 | J. Robert Bucher | Allard-Cadillac | 1:00.933 sec | July 18/19. |
| 1959 | Roger Penske Roger Penske Roger S. Penske is the owner of the automobile racing team Penske Racing, the Penske Corporation, and other automotive related businesses. A winning racer in the late 1950s, Penske was named 1961's Sports Car Club of America Driver of the Year by Sports Illustrated... |
Porsche RSK | 59.1734 sec | July 30/Aug 1. |
| 1960 | John Meyer | Meyer Special | 57.5 sec R | July 29/31. |
| 1961 | John Meyer | Pontiac Spl. | 56.576 sec R | July 30. |
| 1962 | John Meyer | Meyer Special | 55.858 sec R | |
| 1963 | Charlie Kurtz | Porsche RS-61 | 56.3543 sec | July 27. |
| 1964 | Hal Keck | A.C. Shelby Cobra AC Cobra The AC Cobra, also known colloquially as the Shelby Cobra in North America, is an Anglo-American sports car that was produced during the 1960s.-History and development:... 4.7-litre |
55.6619 sec R | July 24/25. |
| 1965 | Harold Keck | A.C. Shelby Cobra 7-litre | 51.9152 sec R | July 24/25. |
| 1966 | Oscar Koveleski | Cooper-Chevy | 50.336 sec R | July 30. |
| 1967 | John Meyer | Cooper-Ford | 53.281 sec | July 29. |
| 1968 | John Meyer | Lola T70 Lola T70 The Lola T70 was built for sports car racing, popular in the mid to late 1960s. Developed by Lola Cars in 1965 in Great Britain, the T70 was made for endurance racing... -Chevrolet |
49.100 sec R | July 27. |
| 1969 | Oscar Koveleski | McLaren Mk6B | 47.636 sec R | July 27. |
| 1970 | John Meyer | Lola T70 | 52.524 sec | |
| 1971 | Jerry McKown | Caldwell Super Vee | 54.391 sec | |
| 1972 Cancelled. | ||||
| 1973 | Craig Smith | Cooper-Chevy | 51.551 sec | |
| 1974 | Don Smith | McLaren Mk8B Chevy | 48.455 sec | |
| 1975 | Oscar Koveleski | McLaren Mk6B Chevy | 45.123 sec | |
| 1976 | Oscar Koveleski | McLaren Mk6B Chevy | 45.206 sec | July 17/18. |
| 1977 | Oscar Koveleski | McLaren Mk6B Chevy | 44.127 sec | |
| 1978 | Jim Willauer | LeGrand 5000 | 48.661 sec | |
| 1979 | Oscar Koveleski | McLaren Mk6B Chevy | 46.110 sec | |
| 1980 | Robert Oswald Sr. | VW-Kellison | 51.185 sec | |
| 1981-1985 No event run. | ||||
| 1986 | Tommy Van Scoy | Ralt Ralt RALT was a manufacturer of single-seater racing cars, founded by ex-Jack Brabham associate Ron Tauranac after he sold out his interest in Brabham to Bernie Ecclestone. Ron and his brother had built some specials in Australia in the 1950s under the RALT name... RT1 Formula Continental |
49.666 sec | |
| 1987 | George Bowland | LeGrand Formula Continental | 49.110 sec | |
| 1988 | Jerry Coffee | March Formula Atlantic | 45.840 sec | |
| 1989 | Tommy Van Scoy | March Formula Atlantic | 45.368 sec | |
| 1990 | Carl Jones | Open Chevy Sports Racer | 49.786 sec | |
| 1991 | Jerry Coffee | March Formula Atlantic | 45.485 sec | |
| 1992 | John Habling | Chevy Camaro GT-1 | 43.491 sec R | |
| 1993 | John Habling | Chevy Camaro GT-1 | 43.919 sec | |
| 1994 | John Habling | Chevy Camaro GT-1 | 42.632 sec R | |
| 1995 | Jerry Kieft | The Bandit S2 | 44.308 sec | |
| 1996 | John Habling | Chevy Camaro GT-1 | 45.213 sec | |
| 1997 | Ron Moreck | Formula Reynard S3 | 43.320 sec | |
| 1998 | Ron Moreck | Formula Reynard S3 | 43.784 sec | |
| 1999 | Ron Moreck | Formula Reynard S3 | 43.259 sec | |
| 2000 | Ron Moreck | Formula Reynard S3 | 43.595 sec | |
| 2001 | Ron Moreck | Formula Reynard S3 | 39.914 sec R | |
| 2002 | Ron Moreck | Formula Reynard S3 | 40.865 sec | |
| 2003 | Barry Griffith | Swift Formula Continental | 44.743 sec | |
| 2004 | Mark Mashburn | Chevy Camaro GT-1 | 44.309 sec | |
| 2005 | Darryl Danko | Swift Formula Atlantic | 43.559 sec | |
| 2006 | Darryl Danko | Lola TB900 Special 3 | 39.000 sec R | July 7-9. |
| 2007 | Darryl Danko | Lola TB900 Special 3 | 38.360 sec R | |
| 2008 | Darryl Danko | Lola TB900 Special 3 | 40.047 sec | |
| 2009 | Darryl Danko | Lola TB900 Special 3 | 41.157 sec | |
| 2010 | George Bowland | BBR Shark | 40.917 sec | July 11/12. |
Key: R = Course Record.
See also
- Hillclimbing in the USAHillclimbing in the USAIn the United States, hill climbs have a long tradition stretching back to the early days of motoring competition. Some are in the European-style and take place on long mountain courses, and in many cases spectators are either banned or heavily restricted for safety or insurance reasons.- Pikes...
- Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto RaceMount Washington Hillclimb Auto RaceThe Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race, also known as the Climb to the Clouds, is a timed hillclimb auto race up the Mount Washington Auto Road to the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. It is one of the oldest auto races in the country, first run on July 11th and 12th, 1904, predating...
- Sports Car Club of AmericaSports Car Club of AmericaThe Sports Car Club of America is a club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional racers.-History:...
