Driver, team owner, journalist, commentator, restorer

The year after the New York native passed away in a 2002 racing accident, the Road Racing Drivers Club established the Bob Akin Memorial Motorsports Award. This award is for drivers who best exemplify Akin’s characteristics: a passion for the sport, success in competition and high sportsmanship levels. Akin’s main achievements as a driver and team owner came in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, winning the 12 Hours of Sebring in 1979 and 1986, and capturing the 1986 IMSA World Endurance Championship. He was twice runner-up at the Rolex 24 At DAYTONA (1981-2) and 4^th at Le Mans in 1984. After retiring from professional motorsports in 1991, Akin returned to vintage racing. He also shone in the 1993 Fast Masters “senior” series and devoted time to writing articles for Road & Track, TV commentary for ESPN, TBS and Speedvision. Also, he managed Bob Akin Motorsports (now Hudson Historics), which specializes in the restoration and preparation of vintage, historical and contemporary racecars, many of which have won major vintage racing championships.