40 Years and Still Going Strong!

By John Coyle

Editor

Footage of finishes at Pikes Peak are seen all over the world. Of course, when most people watch, they probably don’t give much thought to the guy actually waving the checkers. But for the last 40 years, that’s been Art Walsh’s responsibility. In all that time, he’s never missed a single race or practice. And that sweater he’s wearing? It’s been behind that sturdy barricade for almost as long as he has—his mom made it for him 39 years ago. When I asked him about some of the wildest things he’s seen, one incident jumped to mind immediately. He said he was "astonished" when "Malcom Brazier and Larry Overholser rounded the final corner neck and neck, right in front of the continental divide." Given the chance of survival if you were to slide off that road, I don’t blame him! Bravo Art, keep on trucking!

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Posted at 7:06 am in John Coyle, Pikes Peak Hill Climb 2008

Comments

Gary Faules
Jul 21, 2008 at 1:56 pm

You may have noticed from old photos he used to stand out next to the passing cars but now he is confined to the space behind the barrier. In 2005 Henry Bresciani was struck by a mini sprint while waving the finish flag at the summit. The race car driven by Jay Stewart was rounding a curve at 70 mph, and Bresciani, 67, was standing in the road, in the proper position to the left of the race
cars. Stewart was not out of control. Bresciani was a former Rocky
Mountain Midget Racing Association champion.