Petersen Museum honors life of racing legend Phil Hill

Author:
raustin
Publish date:
Sep 7, 2011

LOS ANGELES – Phil Hill: The Life of a Legend is on display at the Petersen Museum through Nov. 27.

Few motorsports icons command greater respect than Phil Hill, but his accomplishments did not stop with winning auto races. In addition to being the world’s first and only American-born Formula 1 champion, he was a student of automobile history, an accomplished mechanic, a classic car restorer, a skilled photographer, and a family man.

Phil Hill, Sebring, 1965. Credit: Petersen Automotive Museum Archives

Created in collaboration with Phil’s son Derek, the Petersen Automotive Museum’s Phil Hill tribute exhibition takes a revealing look into the life and work of this racing legend interpreted through artifacts ranging from the vehicles he raced to the clothes he wore.

The museum will host an evening of great stories during its Annual Tribute Night on Nov. 10, featuring this year's Honoree: Phil Hill. Enjoy dinner and a film program that will highlight Phil Hill’s Formula One racing career and his participation at the Le Mans 24 Hours, where he drove from 1953 through 1967, the world’s most exciting era of long-distance competition.

Following the film, veteran automotive and motorsports TV commentator and Master of Ceremonies Bill Stephens will interview drivers who accompanied Hill to Europe, and others who came after, to share their stories of friendship and racing with the famous Phil Hill. Luminaries such as Jesse Alexander, Bob Bondurant, Matt DeLorenzo, Steve Earle, John Fitch, Dan Gurney, Parnelli Jones, Jim Hall, John Lamm, Denise McCluggage, Sterling Moss, Augie Pabst, Sam Posey and Carroll Shelby are scheduled to attend.

In addition to the Phil Hill: The Life of a Legend exhibit, an expanded array of Phil Hill race cars, among them Bentley, Chaparral, Cobra, Ferrari, Mercedes and Porsche will be on display for one night only in the Museum, some being racecars our honored guests drove to significant finishes.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.petersen.org or call the Petersen Automotive Museum at 323-964-6359 or 323-964-6325.

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