Prior to the Rolex 24 at Daytona, a legendary racer was honored for his exemplary contributions to motorsports. The Road Racing Drivers Club named Augie Pabst as the recipient of the 2010 Bob Akin Award. The Motorsports Hall of Fame of America describes Augie Pabst as “one of the fastest, most charismatic and popular drivers in his day”. He will be later inducted to the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America. Augie Pabst was presented with this award at a dinner before the running of the Rolex 24 At Daytona which is the season opener for the Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series.

This award is considered as the top award in motorsports for vintage/historic, amateur or semi-professional drivers. The recipients of this honor are selected by Akin’s son Bobby, Brian Redman and Archie Urciuoli who are the members of Road Racing Drivers Club, and approved by RRDC president Bobby Rahal. This distinctive trophy was conceived by the RRDC in honor of their past president and long time member Bob Akin. Designed by Steuben Glass, this trophy is given to extraordinary racers, who have contributed to the sport of motor racing, have a passion for motorsports and automobiles and who share a high level of sportsmanship and fair play. Archie Urciuoli, Akin and Rahal presented this prestigious award to Augie Pabst. Talking to the media Rahal said that he got to know Bob Akin when he first drove with him in 1979 and then 1980. According to him Bob represented a true motor sports racer and was a respected figure in the sport. Unfortunately they lost him in an accident in 2002.

Augie Pabst comes from the family that founded Pabst Brewing Company in 1844. His racing career spanned across ten years from 1956 to 1966. He resides with his wife in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin and considers the historic Road America in Elkhart Lake as his home track. He has won the 1959 USAC Road Racing Championship and the SCCA B-Modified Championship in 1960. He was regarded as one of the most versatile racers in the late ’50s and early ’60s. His success came from driving the legendary Meister Brauser Scarab. He retired in the early 1966 but he still drives his car in vintage car competitions.

Talking about how he felt with the award, he said that he was honored and humbled. He remembered Bob Akin as a remarkable driver, a great person and a great sportsman. His contribution to professional and vintage racing is outstanding. He recalls how they had fun together in vintage racing in the nineties. Bob Akin raced his Cooper with his Scarab. In the beginning the Scarab was faster but with years passing the Cooper would go past the Scarab.

Sam Posey, Charlie Gibson, John Fitch, Jim Haynes, Cameron Argetsinger, Jim Downing and Steve Earle are the past recipients of the prestigious Bob Akin award.