Pikes Peak International Hillclimb – The Race to the Clouds
If there is one place on this earth I could go to now, it’s Colorado for the annual automobile Pikes Peak International Hillclimb. They called it “The Race to the Clouds”. Take the Jump to see why.
Some eye-candy from Colorado,
You’ve seen Rhys Millen’s class record-setting Pikes Peak sprint in the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. Now experience the tension and anticipation as Rhys prepares, practices and executes his record run on this legendary mountain last year.
Current records,
1994: The Open wheel division record was set by Robby Unser at 10:05.85. He was driving a 1993 ADT/Speedway chassis powered by a Chevrolet engine.
1994: Bobby Regester achieved the record time of 11:39.17 in the Super Stock category. He was driving a 1993 Chevrolet Camaro.
2000: Per Eklund achieved the record time of 11:21.58 in his Saab 9-3 Viggen 4×4 while racing the Pikes Peak Open category.
2003: Jeri Unser broke the Electric Vehicle record with a time of 14:33.12, in the Compact Power ER3. The previous year’s electric record was set by Tim Eckert at 15:18.6 in the car’s predecessor, the ER2.
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 overall fastest time on the mountain was achieved by Nobuhiro Tajima at 10:01.408. He was in a Suzuki XL7 Hill Climb Special while racing the Unlimited category. He beat the previous record set by Rod Millen set 13 years before in 1994 of 10:04.06.
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.
2009 : Rhys Millen set a new class record in Time Attack 2WD at 12:09.397 in a 2010 Hyundai Genesis Coupe.
Last but not least, this video should satiate a bit of your hunger for more action,
Course de Pikes Peak from webbie on Vimeo.
Climb Dance is a famous 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 and directed by Jean Louis Mourey. The record time set was 10:47.77.
Editorial : Mu’az Zakaria
Image Source : Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
