Phil Hill

Phil Hill (1927-2008) was the first driver honored by the Long Beach Motorsports Walk of Fame.

He was the only native-born American to win the Formula One World Championship and is considered one of the greatest endurance sports-car drivers ever, winning Le Mans, Sebring and Argentina three times each.

When asked once how he could have competed for two decades without ever suffering a broken bone or loss of blood, he simply said, "Maybe I didn't try hard enough." Phil Hill did try hard enough and we were honored to have him here in 2006 as one of our founding honorees. Phil Hill was described as a "thoughtful, gentle, man" who once said, "I'm in the wrong business. I don't want to beat anybody, I don't want to be the big hero." But Phil Hill was a hero, a hero for all.