COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Motorcycle racer Carlin Dunne died Sunday afternoon following an incident during the 97th Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb.
Dunne, one of the top contenders in the motorcycle division, was riding a 2019 Ducati Streetfighter V4 Prototype. According to a report from The Gazette, Dunne had rounded the final corner up Pikes Peak and was nearing the finish line when he reportedly hit a bump and lost control of his bike.
The resulting incident sent Dunne and his bike crashing down the side of the mountain roughly 20 yards away from the finish line. Event officials and Ducati confirmed later Sunday afternoon in a joint statement that Dunne had died from injuries suffered in the crash.
“The collective hearts of the Colorado Springs community and the Board of Directors of the Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb, along with Ducati North America, share the grief and pain of Carlin Dunne’s family, friends and fans over his untimely death,” read a statement from the Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb.
“Throughout the 97 years that this unique race has been conducted on America’s Mountain, we have experienced the ultimate joy in victory, the disappointment of failure and now, the unexpected heartbreak of the loss of a competitor, whose love of the race brought him to Pikes Peak. We mourn the tragic death of Carlin and he will remain in our hearts forever as part of the Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb family. Carlin will be remembered as a warm hearted mentor with a competitive spirit. He was a gentle and thoughtful man who touched everyone who met him. We will always remember his contagious smile and genuine love for sport.”
“There are no words to describe our shock and sadness,” Jason Chinnock, CEO of Ducati North America. “Carlin was part of our family and one of the most genuine and kind men we have ever known. His spirit for this event and love of motorcycling will be remembered forever as his passing leaves a hole in our hearts.”
Dunne is the seventh competitor to die during the Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb according to a story published by The Gazette. The last competitor to die prior to Dunne was Carl Sorensen, who died during a practice run up the mountain in 2015.