2025 marked 100 years since the first Goodyear blimp took flight. And ever since, these Giants of the Air have flown high over of many of the world’s greatest sporting events, car races, and historic celebrations.
In fact, it’s often said that you can judge the importance of your event by seeing if it was “blimp worthy.”
The first blimp to ever sport the Goodyear name was built just down the road from the Summit Racing Equipment headquarters in Tallmadge, Ohio. In fact, many Summit Racing employees pass by one of the massive hangar complexes used to shelter these huge airships every day on their commutes.
That first blimp was named “Pilgrim” by P. W. Litchfield—the President of Goodyear at the time. The blimp flew for many years and was joined by a number of newer, larger Goodyear airships during its career…