Pikes Peak International Hillclimb
Encyclopedia
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|---|---|
| Pikes Peak International Hill Climb | |
| Region | Colorado Springs, Colorado USA |
| Type | Tarmac |
| Race Director | Phil Layton |
| Sponsors | Hankook Tires and TCI Tire Centers |
| History | |
| First race | 1916 |
| Number of races | 89 (2011) |
| First winner | Rea Lentz in a Romano Demon Special 20:55.6 (1916) |
| Current record | Nobuhiro Tajima in a Suzuki SX4 9:51.278 (2011) |
| Stats | 156 turns, 12.42 miles (20 km) |
Hillclimbing
Hillclimbing is a branch of motorsport in which drivers compete against the clock to complete an uphill course....
to the summit of Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak
Pikes Peak is a mountain in the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains, west of Colorado Springs, Colorado, in El Paso County in the United States of America....
in Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
, a distance of 19.99 km (12.4 mi) over 156 turns, climbing 1439 metres (4,721.1 ft) from the start at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway at 2862 metres (9,389.8 ft) on grades averaging 7% over historically both gravel and paved sections, however as of August 2011, the highway is fully paved and as a result all subsequent runnings will be on tarmac from start to finish.
The race is on the FIA International Events Calendar and has featured competition from United States rally sanctioning body SCCA ProRally
SCCA ProRally
SCCA ProRally was an American rally racing series, run by the Sports Car Club of America from 1973 until 2004. The SCCA discontinued it for 2005, allowing Rally America to replace it, utilizing most of the same venues and existing infrastructure.-Rallies:...
in 2004 and Rally America
Rally America
The Rally America National Championship is the national championship of rallying events in the United States. The inaugural season was in 2005. Rally America was also the name given to the organization that sanctioned the championship, was briefly rebranded to RallyCar in July 2010, then reverted...
in 2005. It has taken place since 1916 and is currently contested by a variety of classes of Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles and Quads. There are often numerous new classes tried and discarded year-to-year. On average there are 150 competitors.
History
The first running of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb was promoted by Spencer Penrose. Penrose had finished widening the narrow carriage road into a much wider "Pikes Peak HighwayPikes Peak Highway
The Pikes Peak Highway is a toll road that runs from Cascade, Colorado to the summit of Pikes Peak in El Paso County, Colorado, at an altitude of...
." He decided to encourage tourists to visit by creating a race to the clouds.
The oldest current class is the Open Wheel division which has been run since 1916 and has been won by such names as Mario Andretti
Mario Andretti
Mario Gabriele Andretti is a retired Italian American world champion racing driver, one of the most successful Americans in the history of the sport. He is one of only two drivers to win races in Formula One, IndyCar, World Sportscar Championship and NASCAR...
, Al Unser
Al Unser
Alfred "Al" Unser is a former American automobile racing driver, the younger brother of fellow racing drivers Jerry and Bobby Unser, and father of Al Unser, Jr....
, Bobby Unser
Bobby Unser
Robert William "Bobby" Unser is a retired U.S. automobile racer. He is the brother of Al Unser, Jerry Unser and Louie Unser, the father of Robby Unser, and the uncle of Al Unser, Jr. and Johnny Unser...
, and Robby Unser
Robby Unser
Robby Unser is a former Indy Racing League driver and eight time winner of the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb. He was the IRL rookie of the year in 1998. Robby made two starts in the Indianapolis 500 with a best finish of 5th in 1998. He also finished second twice in the 1998 season, his best...
(the current class record holder, achieving 10:05.85 min in 1994). On July 4, 1966, Bobby Unser won the event overall for the eighth time in ten years. First in the Stock Car class was Mike Sanborn Jr in an Oldsmobile Toronado
Oldsmobile Toronado
The original Toronado began as a design painting by Oldsmobile stylist David North in 1962. His design, dubbed the "Flame Red Car," was for a compact sports/personal car never intended for production...
. The overall record is held by Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima
Nobuhiro Tajima
, is a hillclimb racer, tuning shop owner, rally team manager and former rally driver who is best known for his participation in Suzuki's rallying program as well as his triumphs at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb.-Racing career:...
from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
who clocked a time of 9:51.278 on June 26, 2011 driving the 910 hp mid-engined Suzuki SX4
Suzuki SX4
The Suzuki SX4 is a compact car developed by Japanese automaker Suzuki and sold by Suzuki and by Fiat and produced since 2006.-History:...
Hill Climb Special, breaking the previous record (set in 2007 by himself) by more than ten seconds. The winning time in 1916 was 20:55.40, set by Rea Lentz.
In 1989, an award-winning short film about the 1988 event was released by French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
director Jean-Louis Mourey. The film, titled Climb Dance
Climb Dance
Climb Dance is a famous cinéma vérité short film, which features Finnish rally driver Ari Vatanen setting a record time in a highly modified four-wheel drive, all-wheel steering Peugeot 405 Turbo 16 GR at the 1988 Pikes Peak International Hillclimb in Colorado, USA. The film was produced by Peugeot...
, captured the efforts of Finnish
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
former World Rally Champion
World Rally Championship
The World Rally Championship is a rallying series organised by the FIA, culminating with a champion driver and manufacturer. The driver's world championship and manufacturer's world championship are separate championships, but based on the same point system. The series currently consists of 13...
Ari Vatanen
Ari Vatanen
Ari Pieti Uolevi Vatanen is a Finnish rally driver turned politician and Member of the European Parliament 1999–2009. Vatanen won the World Rally Championship drivers' title in 1981 and the Paris Dakar Rally four times....
, as he won the event in a record-breaking time with his turbocharged Peugeot 405
Peugeot 405
The Peugeot 405 is a large family car released by the French automaker Peugeot in July 1987 and which continues to be manufactured under licence outside France. It used TU/XU petrol and XUD diesel engines....
T16.
The 2011 running was the last running of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb that had dirt sections of the course, for approximately 30% of the route, as Colorado Springs is being forced by a Sierra Club lawsuit to pave the road all the way to the summit. The paving project is anticipated to be completed by January 2012.
The likes of Hill Climb champion Rod Millen
Rod Millen
Rodney K. "Rod" Millen is a racing competitor, vehicle designer, and business owner. He has competed in numerous genres of motorsports, including rally racing, off-road racing, hillclimbing, drifting, and super touring.-Personal life:...
have warned that paving the road will put an end to the race.
Current records
- 1994: The Open wheel division record was set by Robby UnserRobby UnserRobby Unser is a former Indy Racing League driver and eight time winner of the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb. He was the IRL rookie of the year in 1998. Robby made two starts in the Indianapolis 500 with a best finish of 5th in 1998. He also finished second twice in the 1998 season, his best...
at 10:05.85. He was driving a 1993 ADT/Speedway chassis powered by a ChevroletChevroletChevrolet , also known as Chevy , is a brand of vehicle produced by General Motors Company . Founded by Louis Chevrolet and ousted GM founder William C. Durant on November 3, 1911, General Motors acquired Chevrolet in 1918...
engine. - 2000: Per EklundPer EklundPer Eklund, born on June 26, 1946 in Skönnerud , Eda Municipality of Värmland in Sweden, is a Rally and Rallycross driver who lives in Arvika. His nickname is "Pekka". In rallying he never made it to the very top but he has been very successful in his later rallycross career.- Saab works...
achieved the record time of 11:21.58 in his Saab 9-3Saab 9-3The first generation 9-3, a substantially improved 'new-generation' Saab 900 was launched in 1998 for the 1999 model year. Saab claimed that 1,100 changes were made, including a revised suspension in an attempt to tighten up the handling characteristics of its predecessor, the Saab 900...
Viggen 4x4 while racing the Pikes Peak Open category. - 2002: Bruce CanepaBruce CanepaBruce Canepa is a retired American race car driver and car dealer. He has competed in IMSA GT, sprint car racing, midget car racing, and the Trans Am Series. He finished third in the 1979 24 Hours of Daytona with co-driver Rick Mears. Canepa has also raced with Bobby Rahal in the first March GTP...
, Tandem axle Semi, stopped the clock in 13:57.83, breaking his year-old record of 13:59.96 in his 1999 KenworthKenworthKenworth is an American manufacturer of medium and heavy-duty Class 8 trucks based in Kirkland, Washington, United States, a suburb of Seattle. It is a subsidiary of PACCAR, and is also a former manufacturer of transit buses and school buses.-History:...
. - 2006: Mike Ryan topped his old record for the Single axle Semi division with a time of 12:43.67.
- 2006: Charles McDowell set the first record in the Pro Trucks category. His 2006 Ford F150 Pro Truck got him to the top in 14:32.97.
- 2007: The Mini Sprint record was broken by Todd Cook. He ran 11:37.62 in his 2000 Wells TCE Coyote despite a spin on the way up, bettering his own record set in 2005.
- 2008: Dave Kern (driver) and Allison Kern (navigator) broke the Time Attack AWD record in a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo IX with a time of 11:48.434.
- 2011: The electric class record was broken, with a new time of 12:20.084 by Ikuo Hanawa
- 2011: The vintage class (RMVR) record was broken, with a new time of 12:44.126 by Keith Davidson, in a 1963 Ford Falcon
- 2011: The vintage class modified (RMVR modified) record was broken with a new time of 12:51.004 by Ralph Murdock in a 1970 Chevrolet CamaroChevrolet CamaroThe Chevrolet Camaro is an automobile manufactured by General Motors under the Chevrolet brand, classified as a pony car and some versions also as a muscle car. It went on sale on September 29, 1966, for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang...
- 2011: Rod MillenRod MillenRodney K. "Rod" Millen is a racing competitor, vehicle designer, and business owner. He has competed in numerous genres of motorsports, including rally racing, off-road racing, hillclimbing, drifting, and super touring.-Personal life:...
set a new class record in Time Attack 2WD at 11:04.912 in the Red Bull Hyundai Genesis CoupeHyundai Genesis CoupeThe Hyundai Genesis Coupé is a rear-wheel drive sports coupe from Hyundai Motor Company, released on October 13, 2008 for the Korean market. It is Hyundai's first rear-wheel drive sports coupe, and shares its basic platform with the Hyundai Genesis luxury sedan....
. - 2011: The overall fastest time on the mountain was achieved by Nobuhiro TajimaNobuhiro Tajima, is a hillclimb racer, tuning shop owner, rally team manager and former rally driver who is best known for his participation in Suzuki's rallying program as well as his triumphs at the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb.-Racing career:...
at 9:51.278. He was in a Suzuki SX4Suzuki SX4The Suzuki SX4 is a compact car developed by Japanese automaker Suzuki and sold by Suzuki and by Fiat and produced since 2006.-History:...
Hill Climb Special of Monster Racing while racing the Unlimited category. He beat the previous record set by himself in 2007. - 2011: The super stock class record was broken with a new time of 10:55.603 by Clint Vahsholtz in a 2006 Ford Mustang.
- 2011: Chad Hord set the record for the first production electric car with a time of 14:33 in the Nissan Leaf.
Current Racing Classes
Car and truck- Unlimited - "Anything Goes" This class is for anything assuming it passes technical inspection.
- Open Wheel - The traditional Pikes Peak race car. These range from Indy style cars to buggies.
- Mini Sprint - Small bore Open Wheel category. Smaller and lighter with no more than 220 cu in (3.6 L) engines and no forced induction.
- Super Stock Car - Traditional tube-frame stock carsStock car racingStock car racing is a form of automobile racing found mainly in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Great Britain, Brazil and Argentina. Traditionally, races are run on oval tracks measuring approximately in length...
. Must be less than 10 years old. - Pro Trucks - Purpose-built tube-frame off-road pickups and SUV's.
- Pikes Peak Open - Cars or trucks that look like a stock vehicle from the outside, but retain little of the original design.
- Time Attack 4wd - Production based AWD or 4wd vehicles
- Time Attack 2wd - Production based 2wd vehicles.
- HPSS (High Performance Showroom Stock) - These are stock performance vehicles with upgraded safety features.
- Exhibition Car/Truck- Cars and trucks that don't fit into standard categories. Often these categories feature advances in alternative fuels or technologies.
- Vintage (RMVR) - New category for 2008
- Vintage Modified (RMVR Modified)
- Electric
Motorcycle and quad
- Motorcycle 1200 CC
- Motorcycle 750 CC
- Motorcycle Supermoto
- Motorcycle Quad 500
- Motorcycle 450 CC
- Motorcycle 250 CC
- Motorcycle Quad 450
- Motorcycle Vintage
- Motorcycle Sidecar
- Motorcycle/Quad Exhibition
See also
- Race to the SkyRace to the SkyThe Silverstone Race to the Sky is an annual automobile and motorcycle hillclimb to the summit of a mountain. The race has been held every year since 1998 on two days over the Easter weekend...
- Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill ClimbShelsley Walsh Speed Hill ClimbThe Shelsley Walsh Speed Hill Climb is a hillclimb in Worcestershire, England, organised by the Midland Automobile Club . It is one of the oldest motorsport events in the world, and is in fact the oldest to have been staged continuously on its original course, first having been run in 1905...
- Giants Despair HillclimbGiants Despair HillclimbThe Giants Despair Hillclimb is a hillclimb established in 1906 just outside Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in Laurel Run, Pennsylvania, United States. The contest was first run in conjunction with Wilkes-Barre's centennial celebration. It is the oldest continuing motorsport event in Pennsylvania...
- Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto RaceMount Washington Hillclimb Auto RaceThe Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race, also known as the Climb to the Clouds, is a timed hillclimb auto race up the Mount Washington Auto Road to the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. It is one of the oldest auto races in the country, first run on July 11th and 12th, 1904, predating...