Bob Akin
Bob Akin | |
---|---|
Born | Robert Macomber Akin, III March 6, 1936 |
Died | April 29, 2002 | (aged 66)
Nationality | American |
Robert Macomber "Bob" Akin, III(March 6, 1936 – April 29, 2002) was an American business executive, journalist, television commentator and champion sports car racing driver.
Biography
[edit]Bob Akin was born March 6, 1936, inNorth Tarrytown,N.Y., and was raised in Sleepy Hollow Manor. He was educated at Hackley School in Tarrytown and later served on its board for 30 years and as president from 1980 to 1990. AtColumbia University,he earned a bachelor's degree in engineering and a master's degree in business administration. He spent 40 years with the Hudson Wire Company in Ossining, N.Y., which was founded by his grandfather in 1901, and was president from 1974 until he retired in 1995. In 1989 the company was dominating the worldwide aircraft and aerospace wiring market when it was sold to thePhelps DodgeCorporation.
Akin began his racing career in 1957, competing in outboard boat racing and indrag racingin 1957 and 1958. He switched toroad racing,acquiring his amateur SCCA national racing license in 1959 and hired legendary sports car racerJohn Fitchas his driving coach. Proving a quick study, he piloted an Alfa Veloce Spider to his first win in only his third race at Bridgehampton. He drove a front engine Volpini Formula Junior in 1960, then switched to a 1957 Ferrari 500 TRC for several races during the early part of the 1961 season, before retiring in July of that year, to concentrate on the family business.
Almost by accident, Akin returned to racing in 1973, after accepting an invitation from his friend,Sam Posey,to drive a few laps in hisMercedes-Benz 300SL,at the July 4th, 1973 Vintage Sports Car Club of America event atLime Rock Park.Within a month, he was back at it in earnest, driving a Lotus 11 in vintage racing events until switching to the 1959 Cooper-Monaco that would prove to be his favorite racer, in 1975.
In 1978, he purchased a Porsche RSR Carrera thinking it would be fun to run in the 197812 Hours of Sebring.They ran what was considered to be a test run at Daytona, before the Sebring event, then continued on racing a full season that would include racing at Le Mans with a Porsche 935 Turbo. Now solidly back in the drivers seat, compiled an impressive list of achievements, highlighted by a 6-Hour win atWatkins Glen,'79 and '8612 Hours of Sebringvictories, two second-place finishes in the '81 and '8224 Hours of Daytona,six appearances, including a fourth overall in '84, atLe Mans.He won theIMSA Camel GT seriesin 1986 and had four top-10 finishes inIMSAEndurance Championship points standings. He was also a member and former president of the prestigiousRoad Racing Drivers Club.
Akin retired from professional racing in 1991 but stayed quite active in the sport. He returned to racing his beloved vintage and historic cars, competed in theFastmastersracing series, wrote articles forRoad & Trackmagazine, and did on-air commentary forSpeedvision,TBSandESPNtelevision. Following his retirement from Hudson Wire Company, in 1995, Akin also devoted his time to the management of Bob Akin Motorsports (NowHudson HistoricsArchived2009-05-04 at theWayback Machine), which specializes in the restoration and race preparation of historic race cars.
On April 25, 2002, he was gravely injured in a violent crash while testing a powerful (900-plus horsepower, twin-turbocharged V-6) 1988Nissan GTP ZX-Turbofor theWalter Mitty Challengefor historic cars atRoad Atlanta.His injuries included a broken neck, left leg, left shoulder and right arm, along with third-degree burns over 15 percent of his body. He was airlifted toGrady Memorial Hospitalafter the accident. After briefly rallying, the 66-year-old succumbed due to complications from his injuries on April 29, 2002.
The Bob Akin Memorial Motorsports Award
[edit]In memory of Akin, the Road Racing Drivers Club (RRDC) established the Bob Akin Memorial Motorsports Award, in 2003. The selection committee consists ofBrian Redman,Judy Stropusand Bob's son, Bobby Akin. The permanent trophy, designed by Steuben Glass, in Corning, New York, is inscribed with the name and year of award of each annual recipient, and displayed at the International Motor Racing Research Center at Watkins Glen, New York. Individual replica trophies are given to each honoree.
"The Akin award is for 'speed with style' which aptly describes Bob Akin" saidRRDCPresidentBobby Rahal."Not every member of theRRDCis a professional driver, but every one loves racing and is a good guy, and that perfectly describes Bob. "TheRoad Racing Drivers Clubpresents the Bob Akin Memorial Motorsports Award annually to the race driver who exemplifies the characteristics for which Bob was known and respected:
- A passion for motorsports and automobiles
- A history of successful amateur and/or vintage racing
- A high level of sportsmanship and fair play
- An articulate and courteous presence
- A sharp wit and mischievous sense of humor
- A broad range of interests and meticulous attention to detail
- A record of contribution to motorsports and the community
- A devotion to family and friends
Bob Akin Memorial Motorsports Award Recipients
[edit]2003 –Sam Posey
2004 –Charlie Gibson
2005 –John Fitch
2006 –Jim Haynes
2007 –Cameron Argetsinger
2008 –Jim Downing
2009 –Steven J. Earle
2010 –Augie Pabst
2011 –Don Knowles
2012 –Miles Collier
2013 –Peter Sachs
2014 -Bill Warner
2015 -Judy Stropus
2016 -Murray Smith
2017 -Archie Urciuoli
2018 -Jeff Zwart
2019 -Rob Dyson
2020 - No Award Given
2021 -Jeremy Shaw
Racing record
[edit]24 Hours of Le Mans results
[edit]Year | Team | Co-drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class pos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | Dick Barbour Racing | Steve Earle Bob Garretson |
Porsche 935-77 | IMSA GTX |
159 | DNF | DNF |
1979 | Dick Barbour Racing | Rob McFarlin Roy Woods |
Porsche 935/77A | IMSA GTX |
78 | DNF | DNF |
1980 | Racing Associates Inc. | Ralph Kent-Cooke Paul Miller |
Porsche 935K3/79 | IMSA | 237 | DNF | DNF |
1981 | Bob Akin Motor Racing | Paul Miller Craig Siebert |
Porsche 935-K3/80 | IMSA GTX |
320 | DNF | DNF |
1982 | Bob Akin Motor Racing | David Cowart Kenper Miller |
Porsche 935-L1 | IMSA GTX |
15 | DNF | DNF |
1984 | Brun Motorsport | Prince Leopold von Bayern Walter Brun |
Porsche 956B | C1 | 340 | 4th | 4th |
12 Hours of Sebring results
[edit]Year | Team | Co-drivers | Car | Class | Laps | Pos. | Class pos. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1978 | Earle & Akin Racing | Steve Earle Rick Knoop |
Porsche 911 Carrera RSR | GTX | 225 | 5th | 4th |
1979 | Dick Barbour Racing | Rob McFarlin Roy Woods |
Porsche 935 | GTX | 239 | 1st | 1st |
1980 | Mendez/Woods/Akin | Skeeter McKitterick Roy Woods |
Porsche 935K3 | GTX | 232 | 5th | 5th |
1981 | Bob Akin Motor Racing | Derek Bell Craig Siebert |
Porsche 935K3 | GTX | 62 | DNF | DNF |
1982 | Bob Akin Motor Racing | Derek Bell Craig Siebert |
Porsche 935K3/80 | GTP | 212 | 12th | 6th |
1983 | Bob Akin Motor Racing | John O'Steen Dale Whittington |
Porsche 935K3/80 | GTP | 231 | 2nd | 1st |
1984 | Bob Akin Motor Racing | John O'Steen Hans-Joachim Stuck |
Porsche 935-84 | GTP | 256 | 5th | 5th |
1985 | Bob Akin Motor Racing | Jim Mullen Hans-Joachim Stuck |
Porsche 962 | GTP | 66 | DNF | DNF |
1986 | Bob Akin Motor Racing | Jo Gartner Hans-Joachim Stuck |
Porsche 962 | GTP | 287 | 1st | 1st |
1987 | Bob Akin Motor Racing | Steve Shelton James Weaver |
Porsche 962 | GTP | 280 | 6th | 5th |
Primary Information Sources
[edit]NY Times Obituary, dated May 3, 2002,Bob Akin, 66, Auto Racer Who Won at Sebring Twice
Internet Source:Dark Horse Racing
Internet Source:Hudson Historics About Us
Internet Source:Historic Racing
Internet Source:Road Racing Drivers Club