THE GRACE OF PHIL HILL
PHIL HILL, who in September 1961 became America’s first Formula 1 world drivers’ champion, began his climb to the top 11 years earlier with his maiden significant victory. That happened at Pebble Beach near Monterey, California, when he forced his own Jaguar XK120 from the back to the front with a drive that commanded national attention. In his first actual road race meeting.
Fifty-eight years later his life drew to a close at the same seaside locale.
During his professional career Hill won the Le Mans 24 Hours three times, the Sebring 12 Hours three times, the Nürburgring 1000Kms and Brands Hatch 6 Hours endurance races, plus one victory in Can-Am racing (also at Monterey). He also set a Land Speed Record at Bonneville in 1959.
Yet for all his accomplishments with racing machines, it seems that most people’s memories of Philip Toll Hill III are of the man himself.
Richard Cramer met him over barbells. It was 1957, and the 21-year-old college athlete worked out regularly in a gym near his home in Santa Monica, California. So did a trim, compact fellow of 30, a quietly intense man with quick eyes – who turned out to have been in the same school fraternity. The frat brothers began ‘spotting’ each other on the weights, guarding against injuries, and Cramer noticed his new friend concentrating on the arms and wrists.
“He wasn’t a body-builder, bulking-up,” remarked Cramer. “He was doing tons of reps, going for endurance. So was I, but with him it was all upper-body. He said it was for stamina at the wheel of a race car. At that time I had no interest in auto racing, but we’d spend an hour with
