DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Jan. 26, 2012) - Five-time SCCA national champion Don Knowles was named the recipient of the 2011 Bob Akin Award by the Road Racing Drivers Club at a dinner prior to the running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona, the season opener of the 2012 GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series.
The RRDC is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
Each recipient of this honor, considered the top award in motorsports for amateur, vintage/historic or semi-professional drivers, is selected by Akin's son Bobby, RRDC members Brian Redman and Archie Urciuoli, and approved by RRDC president Bobby Rahal.
The distinctive trophy was conceived by the RRDC in 2003 to honor the memory of longtime RRDC member and past president Bob Akin, who lost his life in a racing accident in 2002.
The trophy was designed by Steuben Glass in Corning, N.Y., and is given to a driver who best exemplifies the extraordinary qualities and characteristics that Akin represented, including a passion for motorsports and automobiles, a high level of sportsmanship and fair play, and who has contributed to the sport of motor racing.
Knowles, 64, was born in Pittsboro, N.C., and had worked for the Federal Government for 30 years, retiring in 2003. He has competed in over 350 races in his racing career, and along with his five SCCA national championships (three in SSB and two in T2), has won 14 24-hour races, has 35 victories in five professional series, including a record 19 in the Escort Endurance Series, and was a member of the Corvette Land Speed Record team. The former associate Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Interior and staffer on the U.S. Senate Committee of Appropriations was featured in Sports Illustrated 20 years ago and more recently as 'Dandy Don' in Road & Track magazine.
Knowles was presented the award by Urciuoli and Rahal. "It's unfortunate that we lost Bob in an accident in 2002. He represented so many good things and epitomized a true gentleman in the sport," said Rahal. "Don Knowles exemplifies those qualities."
Added Urciuoli: "We lost a great personal friend and competitor in Bob Akin 10 years ago this April. He had a great 40-year career as an amateur racer. He didn’t make his living as a driver, but he was distinguished as a driver. He was a gentleman, a great sportsman and he gave a lot back to our sport.
"Several aspects define the Bob Akin Award," continued Urciuoli. "They include a passion for motorsports, sportsmanship and fair play. Don is known as a good guy who races hard, clean and smart. In terms of contribution to the sport, he’s involved in driver training for 20-30 days a year, does testing and development for historic races and is an author of many articles about our sport."
"The first thing about the award is that it honors Bob Akin," said Knowles. "He was a great competitor, a good friend, and a wonderful, erudite racer. And it’s a good thing for racers to think about sportsmanship every so often. For me, growing up in rural North Carolina, to be able to drive starting with a '55 Studebaker pickup and ending up racing different cars all over the country, it's just wonderful to be recognized by my peers. It's like the 'Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval,' and I appreciate it and will treasure it."
Past RRDC Bob Akin Award honorees:
2003 – Sam Posey 2004 – Charlie Gibson 2005 – John Fitch 2006 – Jim Haynes 2007 – Cameron Argetsinger 2008 – Jim Downing 2009 – Steven J. Earle 2010 – Augie Pabst
About the RRDC: The Road Racing Drivers Club was formed in 1952 as a way to give champion drivers a say in their sport, particularly in the areas of safety, and has evolved to serve the future of road racing by mentoring new drivers on both amateur and professional levels. The Club’s membership includes leading industry professionals, race officials and motorsports journalists, in addition to prominent racing names.
In 2011, the RRDC launched a free on-line training seminar - www.safeisfast.com - featuring more than 30 RRDC members and other industry experts in high-quality videos covering subjects from physical and mental preparation to driving techniques, driver safety to car setup and sponsorship. The videos are updated regularly.
President Bobby Rahal is the 1986 Indy 500 winner and is co-owner, with David Letterman, of the 2004 Indianapolis 500 winning Rahal Letterman Racing team. Ten-time SCCA National champion John Fergus is the Club’s Vice President/Treasurer, and five-time SCCA National champion Tom Davey is the Secretary.
In addition to RRDC members lending their expertise to up-and-coming drivers, the Club presents three annual awards: the Phil Hill Award for rendering outstanding service to road racing; the Mark Donohue Award for personal spirit and performance at the SCCA National Championship Runoffs; and the Bob Akin Award – the top award presented to amateur and semi-professional racers – for speed with style, passion, sportsmanship and contribution to motorsports.
The RRDC also supports the Team USA Scholarship, which has been assisting young Americans in the early stages of their careers since 1990.
Membership in the RRDC is by invitation only. Additional information on the organization may be found at www.rrdc.org.
