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Derek Hill in the 1949 Parkinson Jaguar sports racing car triumphed in both races for the Pebble Beach Road Racers β the Del Monte Trophy Race Group – at the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion β on Friday 14th and Saturday 15th August 2026. It was a moral and sporting triumph for Derek Hill, son of 1961 World F1 Champion Phil Hill, and for the carβs generous owner Rob Manson who is the steward of the Del Monte group and mastermind of he extraordinary 75th Pebble Beach Road Race celebrations.
Derek Hillβs hands at the wheel of this exotic and precious machine was especially significant because the car was constructed and raced by his uncleβ¦ his father Phil Hill and Don Parkinson were brothers-in-law. Don Parkinson and Helen Hill, Philβs sister, were married since June 28, 1941. This car had raced twice at Pebble Beach as an XK120 and also after its conversion to a special; Don Parkinson raced twice at Pebble Beach in pre-crash Jaguar XK120 Roadster, one of the first of the new Jaguar sports cars to arrive in California. Don Parkinson drove the XK120 to Pebble Beach for the 1950 Concours and raced it in the inaugural Pebble Beach Road Races, finishing second in the Pebble Beach Cup. Only Phil Hill was quicker, and incidentally both drivers were piloting new Jaguar XK120s. In a wintertime match-up at Carrell Speedway, Parkinson got partial revenge by beating Hill soundly. On the second occasion at Pebble Beach, in May 1951, Don wrapped the XK120 round a tree in Turn 3; the body was so badly damaged it was not used again. The engine, chassis and running gear of the crashed car became β¦ the 1950 Parkinson Jaguar Special which was built at Roger Barlowβs International Motors in Los Angeles in 1951, by Joe Thrall, Parkinson and Phil Hill (Parkinsonβs brother-in-law). The new aluminum body was sketched by teenager Robert Cumberford (who later became a General Motors designer and styling critic), and constructed by Marvin Faw under the supervision of Phil Hill, Parkinsonβs brother-in-law. The original Jaguarβs chassis, running gear, and engine were re-used with little modification, although the Special weighed several hundred pounds less than the roadster. The engine was moved rearward about 12 inches, down about 4 inches and slightly to the right. Richie Ginther modified the XK engine in 1951 and displacement was increased from 3.4 to 3.8-liters making it one of the first big displacement Jaguars.
Read more about the re-installation of a Jaguar engine and the rebuild by Terry Buffum and ohn Buddenbaum, the carβs habitual driver, at https://dmtrg.com/terry-buffum-1949-parkinson-jaguar-special/. We will publish videos of the races here shortly. V is also for Velocity Invitational the other historic racing event where the Del Monte Trophy Race Group takes their Pebble Beach Road Racers. Last time was October 2024 when Jenson Button F1 Champion came out to play in his Jaguar C-Type.