Two of the greats have fallen
Oct 17th, 2008 by Steve Simmons
Phil Hill, champion and gentleman of motorsport.
It’s sad news when a man who was hero to thousands, and a gentleman to boot, passes away. We faced this unfortunate inevitability on August 28 of this year when Phil Hill, champion and legend of motorsport, left us. There are hundreds of places where a person can read biographies and recollections about the man, so I won’t bother trying to write my own. My meager attempts wouldn’t do his legacy justice anyway. But one after another as I read such stories from his friends, strangers and even fellow competitors, I found no mention of a man who was anything less than a person anyone could look up to and aspire to be like. Although I never met him, I have seen him race and will never forget it. I will also never forget reading that he owned a Model T as well as an MG TC, both of which I also own. The man had good taste! Phil will be missed by many, including me.
Pat Moss (right) poses with her co-driver Anne Wisdom.
Today another automotive great left us, and although she is not as famous or recognizable to most as Phil Hill is, she is certainly deserving of recognition. Pat Moss (pictured on right in the photo) was a successful rally driver at a time when women were not supposed to be successful rally drivers. She helped pioneer the way for other women to not only enter the sport but to be accepted and even excel at their craft. Pat led an interesting life, part of which is chronicled on a page at THIS LINK.
Lately it seems that too many of the truly great people of the 20th century have passed. I like to think that when heroes of auto racing’s past die, they go to the great racetrack in the sky where the tarmac is firm and fuel is free. Each time one of these legends leaves us, it reminds us to learn what we can from them while we have the chance.