The Giants Despair Hillclimb is a hillclimb which was established in 1906 in Laurel Run, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States, just southeast of its border to Wilkes-Barre Township. The contest was first run in conjunction with Wilkes-Barre's centennial celebration. It is the oldest continuing motorsport event in Pennsylvania.

History and race features Race drivers from across the nation gather annually on East Northampton Street, a road that winds its way through a section of Pennsylvania's steep mountains. Rising , the course reaches grades up to 20% and has six turns—including the 110 degree "Devil's Elbow"— on the way to the top.

The initial race was won in 2 minutes 11.2 seconds.

During its first years, the race was used as a proving ground by the biggest names in the automotive industry. Louis Chevrolet raced the hill in 1909 driving for Buick. He won Event No. 2, Gasoline stock cars, selling from $851 to $1,250 in a time of 2:34.4 sec, his car being the only entry in the class. He is chiefly remembered for an accident: "A Buick with Louis Chevrolet driving, turned turtle on the course and narrowly missed a group of people. Chevrolet was not badly injured."The Patriot, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, Wednesday, June 2, 1909, Page 6.

Bill Milliken drove the AJB/FWD Butterball Special, #111, in 1955 finishing third overall in a time of 63.771 sec.Sports Car, S.C.C.A. magazine, Sept-Oct 1955, Page 27.

Carroll Shelby, Roger Penske, and Oscar Koveleski are just a few of the famous drivers that set out to tackle the mile. The hill has been paved many times and the records have been shattered. The current record holder is Mark Aubele, who ran the course in 35.602 seconds in 2026 in a 2012 Wolf GB08. Today, the Hillclimb is run on the second weekend of July and is organized by the Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association (PHA). Giants Despair events and past winners

YearDriverVehicleTimeNotes 1906 Hugh N. Harding English Daimler 35 h.p. 2:11.2 sec R Trenton Evening Times, May 11, 1906, Page 15; New York Times, May 11, 1906, Page 10. May 10.1907 William Wray Simplex-Peugeot (Motorcycle) 1:40.0 secNew York Times, May 31, 1907, Page 10. May 30. Walter C. White White Steamer (Steam car) 1:49.8 sec J.B. Ryall Matheson 60 h.p. (Gasoline car) 1:59.2 sec R 1908 Willie Haupt Great Chadwick 6-cylinder 1:38.4 sec R New York Times, May 31, 1908, Page S1. May 30. 1909 David Bruce-Brown Benz 120 h.p. 1:31.6 sec R New York Times, Jun 1, 1909, Page 11. 1910 Ralph DePalma Fiat 200 h.p. 1:28.4 sec R Chicago Daily Tribune, June 15, 1910, Page 12. June 14.1911-1915 No events. 1916 Fred Junk Chalmers 1:41.0 sec Chicago Daily Tribune, October 22, 1916, Page F9. Oct 7.1917-1950 No events. 1951 Dellevan Lee Allard-Cadillac 1:07.5 sec R New York Times, May 12, 1951, Page 30. May 11/12.1952 Phil Walters Cunningham CR-4K 1:02.3 sec R National Newsletter, S.C.C.A., No.2, July 30, 1952. Coupled with Brynfan Tyddyn road races. July 24/26. 1953 Dellevan Lee Allard J2 1:04.4 sec National Newsletter, S.C.C.A., No.7, July 31, 1953. July 24. 1954 A. Erwin Goldschmidt Ferrari 4.5 1:01.26 R Sports Car, S.C.C.A. magazine, Sept-Oct 1954, Pages 14-16, 18-20, 22, 44; Road & Track, November 1954, Page 28. Coupled with Brynfan Tyddyn road races. July 24/25. 1955 Duncan Black Ferrari 4.5 #44 1:02.4 sec July 22. 1956 Carroll Shelby GP Ferrari 4.5-liter 58.768 sec R National Newsletter, S.C.C.A., No.25, August 10, 1956; Dallas Morning News, July 21, 1956, Part 1, Page 11. July 20. 1957 Dr. Louis Winkler Chevrolet Corvette 58.35 sec R New York Times, July 24, 1957, Page 22; Sports Car, S.C.C.A. magazine, Sept-Oct 1957, Pages 20-22. July 19. 1958 J. Robert Bucher Allard-Cadillac 1:00.933 sec New York Times, July 19, 1958, Page 10. July 18/19. 1959 Roger Penske Porsche RSK 59.1734 sec July 30/Aug 1. 1960 John Meyer Meyer Special 57.5 sec R Competition Press, August 27, 1960, Page 3. July 29/31. 1961 John Meyer Pontiac Spl. 56.576 sec R Road & Track's Competition Press, Vol.7-No.3, Aug 12, 1961, Page 1; Sports Car, S.C.C.A. magazine, Sept 1961, Page 35. July 30. 1962 John Meyer Meyer Special 55.858 sec R New York Times, July 29, 1962, Page 122. 1963 Charlie Kurtz Porsche RS-61 56.3543 sec Road & Track's Competition Press, Vol.11-No.3, Aug 17, 1963, Page 6. See also obit: Competition Press and Auto Week, Vol.11-No.3, Aug 22-Sep 11, 1964, Page 3. July 27. 1964 Hal Keck A.C. Shelby Cobra 4.7-litre 55.6619 sec R Competition Press and Auto Week, Vol.11-No.3, Aug 22-Sep 11, 1964, Page 6. July 24/25. 1965 Harold Keck A.C. Shelby Cobra 7-litre 51.9152 sec R Competition Press and Auto Week, Vol.15-No.4, Aug 28, 1965, Page 9. July 24/25. 1966 Oscar Koveleski Cooper-Chevy 50.336 sec R July 30. 1967 John Meyer Cooper-Ford 53.281 sec July 29. 1968 John Meyer Lola T70-Chevrolet 49.100 sec R Competition Press and Auto Week, Vol.18-No.33, Aug 31, 1968, Page 9. July 27. 1969 Oscar Koveleski McLaren Mk6B 47.636 sec R Competition Press and Auto Week, Vol.19-No.33, Aug 30, 1969, Page 23. July 27. 1970 John Meyer Lola T70 52.524 sec 1971 Jerry McKown Caldwell Super VeeFor the story of Ray Caldwell, race car constructor, see: Competition Press and Auto Week, Vol.21-No.33, Aug 28, 1971, Page 5; Competition Press and Auto Week, Vol.21-No.34, Sep 4, 1971, Page 5. 54.391 sec1972 Cancelled. 1973 Craig Smith Cooper-Chevy 51.551 sec 1974 Don Smith McLaren Mk8B Chevy 48.455 sec 1975 Oscar Koveleski McLaren Mk6B Chevy 45.123 sec R 1976 Oscar Koveleski McLaren Mk6B Chevy 45.206 sec July 17/18. 1977 Oscar Koveleski McLaren Mk6B Chevy 44.127 sec R 1978 Jim Willauer LeGrand 5000 48.661 sec 1979 Oscar Koveleski McLaren Mk6B Chevy 46.110 sec 1980 Robert Oswald Sr. VW-Kellison 51.185 sec1981-1985 No event run. 1986 Tommy Van Scoy Ralt RT1 Formula Continental 49.666 sec 1987 George Bowland LeGrand Formula Continental 49.110 sec 1988 Jerry Coffee March Formula Atlantic 45.840 sec 1989 Tommy Van Scoy March Formula Atlantic 45.368 sec 1990 Carl Jones Open Chevy Sports Racer 49.786 sec 1991 Jerry Coffee March Formula Atlantic 45.485 sec 1992 John Halbing Chevy Camaro GT-1 43.491 sec R 1993 John Halbing Chevy Camaro GT-1 43.919 sec 1994 John Halbing Chevy Camaro GT-1 42.632 sec R 1995 Jerry Kieft The Bandit S2 44.308 sec 1996 John Halbing Chevy Camaro GT-1 45.213 sec 1997 Ron Moreck Formula Reynard S3 43.320 sec 1998 Ron Moreck Formula Reynard S3 43.784 sec 1999 Ron Moreck Formula Reynard S3 43.259 sec 2000 Ron Moreck Formula Reynard S3 43.595 sec 2001 Ron Moreck Formula Reynard S3 39.914 sec R 2002 Ron Moreck Formula Reynard S3 40.865 sec 2003 Barry Griffith Swift Formula Continental 44.743 sec 2004 Mark Mashburn Chevy Camaro GT-1 44.309 sec 2005 Darryl Danko Swift Formula Atlantic 43.559 sec 2006 Darryl Danko Lola TB900 Special 3 39.000 sec R July 7–9. 2007 Darryl Danko Lola TB900 Special 3 38.360 sec R 2008 Darryl Danko Lola TB900 Special 3 40.047 sec 2009 Darryl Danko Lola TB900 Special 3 41.157 sec 2010 George Bowland BBR Shark 40.917 sec July 11/12. 2011 Darryl Danko Gurney Eagle 42.187 July 9/10 2012 Darrly Danko Lola TB900 Special 3 40.100 July 14/15 2013 John Burke 1997 Reynard Champ Car 39.672 sec July 13/14.2014 John Burke 1997 Reynard Champ Car 38.024 sec R July 12/13.2015 John Burke 1997 Reynard Champ Car 38.277 sec July 11/12.2016John Burke1997 Reynard Champ Car38.583 sec July 9/10.2017John Burke1997 Reynard Champ Car 39.241 sec July 8/92018Darryl Danko 1998 Reynard Car42.702 sec July 7/82019Bob Gardner2006 Stohr41.709 sec July 6/72020 Event Cancelled due to COVID-19.2021George Bowland2003 BBR Shark SR142.093 sec July 10/112022Mark Aubele 2003 Ford Mustang LS Swap41.718 sec July 9/102023Ron MoreckKoenigsegg FTF40.167 sec July 8/92024Heikki Rinta-Koski2013 Radical SR839.695 sec July 13/142025Ron MoreckKoenigsegg FTF37.692 sec R July 12/132026Mark Aubele 2012 Wolf GB0835.602 sec R July 11/12 Key: R = Course Record.

See also Hillclimbing in the USA Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race Sports Car Club of America

References

External links Giant’s Despair. pahillclimb.org. Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association. Course Map of the Giants Despair Hillclimb at Laurel Run, PA from the website of the Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association (PHA). Giants Despair Hill Climb. Description archived from the website of the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor (D&L). Giant's Despair Records (PDF). Archived from the original on hilltiming.com on 2015-05-28. Gibbons, Geri. "No ‘Despair,’ only fun competition, on first day of Hill Climb". 8 July 2017. Times Leader. Civitas Media. Giant's Despair Hillclimb 2015 Stats. Archived from the original on hilltiming.com on 2016-04-25. Shurmaitis, Dawn. "Giants Despair race supercharges local economy : 102-year-old hillclimb draws thousands each year, along with their spending money." 4 July 2008. Archived from The Times Leader. Laurel Run counts on hill climb. 7/8/2013. Times Leader. Civitas Media. Lynott, Jerry. "Giants Despair Hill Climb draws enthusiastic crowd". 11 July 2015. Times Leader. Civitas Media. Pennsylvania Hillclimb Association Museum & Archives.