17 YEARS IN THE MAKING NOVEMBRE CLAIMS FIRST OPEN WHEEL WIN ON PIKES PEAK
Colorado Springs, CO – The dedication it takes to return to Pikes Peak for the second time, 5th, 10th, 15th or more is practically indescribable. The number of hours consumed in planning, building, testing, tuning, and continuing to do it all again, year after year, is hard to calculate.
For Dan Novembre, competing in the 2025 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo for the 17th time, turned out to be well worth the immense effort.
ASPIRATIONS
When a young Dan Novembre, and his brother, moved to Colorado, they soon became fans of the PPIHC. Eventually volunteering during the event, the pair became enamored with seeing the racing action up close.
Novembre found a Wells Coyote race car on Craigslist in 2009, setting his dreams in motion to compete in the famed race.
Recalling his first run on Pikes Peak, Novembre said, “My first run up the mountain is certainly memorable as I had virtually no experience racing or working on cars. I wasn’t sure I was going to make it beyond practice week. The car kept stalling. I was changing sensors, doing all this stuff, and finally Chris Strauch took it to his garage and suggested I change a whole section, including the fuel filter. It worked flawlessly. That filter was the problem the whole time!”
FAST FORWARD
Novembre has been challenging the 12.42 mile course on Pikes Peak ever since. In his seventeen year career, Novembre has raced in the Open Wheel and Unlimited divisions in three different cars.
From his rookie time in the Coyote of 14:08.589 to a personal best 09:27.611 in 2023 behind the wheel of his Wolf, November honed his skills, optimized every aspect of his entries for performance and reliability, and pushed himself to the limit.
Novembre’s success in 2025 was predicated on the same advice he’s offered first time racers on the mountain. “Know the road, just get to know all the turns. That allows you to focus on more important things during practice week and on race day. And, don’t rush to go faster, but incrementally step up the pace. This allows you to get to know your limits and your car’s handling abilities.
5X IN THE FAST 15
Of course, speed is the ultimate goal, and Novembre has proven himself by qualifying in the OPTIMA Batteries Fast 15 every year since it was first instituted in 2021. He shares this accomplishment with only two other drivers, Codie Vahsholtz and Don “Fastest Pastor” Wickstrum.
During the Fast 15 autograph signing at Fan Fest this year, Novembre and David Donner, both Colorado Springs-based drivers behind the wheel of their respective Wolf race cars, qualified alongside Robin Shute, who formerly captured four King of the Mountain wins in his own Wolf.
STAY FOCUSED
“Race day takes a tremendous amount of focus.’
“Each of the 156 turns has a different gameplan with driver line, gear and apex point.
“It’s important to remain calm, stick to the plan and just execute,” explained Novembre.
“This race is like no other sporting event. It is an adventure. It may seem like it’s a sprint with only one chance on race day, but it’s really a marathon to make it through the week, show up for the early mornings, and work toward being as fast as possible. The beauty, the camaraderie, the challenge…this race has everything.”
Dan Novembre
VICTORY AFTER DISAPPOINTMENT
Reflecting on his 2024 run, Novembre shared, “Last year, we went to fire up the car to get to the starting line, and the battery was dead! We had two ways we could jump start it, but neither worked. We ended up pushing it through pit lane to bump start it. It was a stressful time.”
That wasn’t the end of Novembre’s race day trouble. He shared, “About three quarters of the way through the race in the Ws, the toughest part of the mountain, I not only experienced near fatal water and oil temps, but my brakes started going out. I soon lost all brakes due to overheating fluid and had to use the engine to slow the car down.
“Rather than risking hurting the car, or myself, I decided to pull over at 16 Mile and call it a day.”
After last year’s DNF, Novembre upgraded his entry for 2025, adding a bigger brake package and revamping the entire cooling system.
While no records were set on race day, since the course ended at Glen Cove this year, Novembre’s modifications paid off with his first division win. His clocking of 03:35.774 placed him fourth overall, and five seconds ahead of Codie Vahsholtz, who would claim second in the Open Wheel division, and 6th overall.
Novembre had podiumed five times in his 17-year career, but this was the first time he stood at the top.
Accepting his first place trophy and first-ever B.R.M Chronographes timepiece, Novembre, alongside third place finisher, Rodney O’Maley, went on to explain to the audience what this win meant to him.
ON TOP OF THE PODIUM
During the awards ceremony Novembre held up a vintage PPIHC hat and shared, “This is the hat that turned into a dream. I got this at Pikes Peak 30 years ago as a kid, and it has all my driver hero’s signatures. I never thought I’d be racing against them today.”
Novembre, referring to the Vahsholtz open wheel entry, continued, “I’ve been chasing that car ever since Clint ran it! This is just a dream come true.”
Novembre expressed his appreciation to everyone who helped him achieve that dream, stating, “It takes an army to be ready for a race like this. I have a very supportive wife and family who motivate me so much to make them proud. My crew is all volunteer and they’re always there for me, year round. My sponsors, Ting Internet, Overdrive Raceway, Peterson Performance, 4D Engineering, Pirelli, Hell’s Kitchen Pizza, Borg Warner, Mollica’s Italian Market and Deli – I’m so grateful.”
EXCLUSIVE CONTENT ON THE STORY BEHIND NOVEMBRE’S FIRST WIN
GET TO KNOW DAN NOVEMBRE
Instagram: @novembre_racing
Fun Facts:
“I have five children.”
“I’ve run in the Pikes Peak Ascent three times.”
“Yellowstone National Park is my favorite vacation spot. Such out of this world features that I recommend anyone go and take in the sights.”
“If someone asks me for my autograph, I ask for theirs in return…on my car. The front wing is full of signatures. Kids really love that.”
Favorite Section: “Engineers Corner. It’s fast in and fast out. You must get a good run at it to set up well for the Picnic Grounds. I have gotten sideways on the right hand turns that come up after Engineers. It’s a challenge to keep the pedal down and time the shifts right. The reward is a very fast top speed at the end of the Picnic Grounds.” [Noteworthy: His speed through Halfway Picnic Grounds this year was 148 mph!]
Significance of your race number: “I was always a big Formula 1 fan, and I always rooted for Ferrari. For years they ran #27 and #28, so running the #28 on my car is an homage to where my love for racing all started.”
Other than Pikes Peak, what’s your favorite race course? “Mt. Washington. It’s a very steep and narrow road, and is incredibly intimidating.”
Share a favorite moment on Pikes Peak: “Finally clocking my first sub-10 minute run in 2020. It’s a defining mark that everybody aims for, and I’d been close for a few years.”
DAN NOVEMBRE’S WINNING RUN AND POST-RACE INTERVIEW
Larry Chen Photo – Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Louis Yio, Charles Zhao, Jason Zindroski.
Other: Rupert Berrington, Spool Solutions – Cody Jenkins, PPIHC Archi
104th Running of the Race to the Clouds
SAVE THE DATE
Sunday, June 21, 2026
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Contact:
Lisa Haight
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lisa@ppihc.org
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