It is with a very heavy heart that we have to report the passing of our friend and colleague Carlin Dunne, who died today while racing at the 97th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Carlin was on his way to a record-setting lap with his Ducati Streetfighter V4 prototype, and according to eyewitnesses (which we should preface have been very unreliable throughout the day), he had just passed the final turn on the course a small distance from the finish line when his bike encountered a bump, crashed, and went off course.

While there has been little reliable information from Pikes Peak since Carlin’s crash, the news of his death has been confirmed by a joint statement from the racing organization and Ducati North America. It reads as follows:

The collective hearts of the Colorado Springs community and the Board of Directors of The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, along with Ducati North America, share the grief and pain of Carlin Dunne’s family, friends and fans over his untimely death.

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 International 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. 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,” said Jason Chinnock, CEO Ducati North America.

With our deepest condolences,

The Board of Directors of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Ducati North America

A 36-year-old native from Santa Barbara, Carlin was the heavy favorite to win this year’s Race to the Clouds, and had won at Pikes Peak on multiple occasions before, which included a record run on an electric superbike in 2013.

Carlin first ran at Pikes Peak in 2011, winning the race in his rookie debut on a Ducati Multistrada 1200 S demo unit from the Ducati Santa Barbara dealership that he ran with his father and other business partners.

From there, he moved into Ducati’s factory team at Pikes Peak and took part in the Squadra Alpina mentoring program for new racers at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

For 2019, Carlin was once again a part of the Ducati factory team at Pikes Peak, this time riding a prototype version of the brand’s upcoming Ducati Streetfighter V4 street bike.

We don’t even have the words right now to express our devastation at losing Carlin. He was a fierce competitor, an immensely enjoyable person to be around, and a loyal friend.

We will truly miss him. Our thoughts go out to his family, friend, and fans. We share in your grief.

Photo: © 2019 Jensen Beeler / Asphalt & Rubber – All Rights Reserved