Carlin Dunne, the owner of the Ducati of Santa Barbara motorcycle dealership and a renowned racer, died near the finish line of the famed Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on Sunday in Colorado, race officials reported.

According to news reports, Dunne, 36, was on the way to setting the new motorcycle speed record at the 97th Pikes Peak Hill Climb on a 2019 Ducati Streetfighter V4 Protype. He had just obliterated the first three sector times and was less than a quarter-mile from the finish line at the mountain’s 14,115-foot summit when he crashed.

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is a 12.42-mile race to the summit of Pikes Peak. Dunne had won the legendary race four times and was defending his title Sunday morning.

The Gazette newspaper in Colorado Springs said it was the seventh death associated with the Hill Climb.

The website Roadshow reported it was “not clear exactly what made Dunne lose control of his bike so close to the end of the race.”

The Gazette reported that throughout the morning riders had trouble with a small hump in the road near the summit. Multiple witnesses told the newspaper they believed Dunne hit the bump at a high speed, which caused his front wheel to spin out.

Besides being an outstanding rider, Dunne was considered one of the great ambassadors in the motorsports community.

“There are no words to describe our shock and sadness,” Jason Chinnock, CEO of Ducati North America, said in a statement. “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 discussed the dangers of riding motorcycles in a 2014 interview with Noozhawk columnist Judy Foreman, who spoke with him before a special local screening of On Any Sunday: The Next Chapter. The film chronicled the international sport of motorcycle racing and was an update on the 1971 film, On Any Sunday.

“Like other ‘in the moment’ sports like surfing and auto racing, skill, fearlessness and sometimes luck are a part of the culture,” the Ojai native said.

“But ask most moto devotees and their love of blowing off steam, the heightened senses and danger and love of adventure outweigh the risk versus fun factor for most riders.”

— Noozhawk Sports Editor Barry Punzal can be reached at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) . Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with