Category: Behind the Wheel

DAN NOVEMBRE SHARES THE TRUE MEANING OF PIKES PEAK

Colorado Springs, CO – The 2024 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo, is now in the rear view mirror. With the coming holiday season and a new year of racing action on the horizon, it’s the perfect time to talk about the importance of family and how they support their drivers. Meet Dan Novembre, a Colorado-based driver whose family is at the heart of his team.

FIRST IMPRESSION

Dan November, and his brother, began watching the Pikes Peak Hill Climb as teenagers when they moved to Colorado. They eventually volunteered to work the race so they could see the action up close. Finding a race car on Craigslist in 2009 set his dreams in motion, and he’s competed in the Race to the Clouds ever since. In his rookie year, he clocked a time of 14:08.589 in his 2006 Wells Coyote.

RACING RUNS IN THE FAMILY

“I dreamed of racing as a kid and was always a big race fan, along with my brother and sister,” explained Novembre, “but I’m the only one who races cars. That said, we’re a pretty competitive family. My sister races bikes in several categories (road cycling, mountain biking, cyclo-cross, and track/velodrome) and my brother races sailboats, most notably the iconic Chicago to Mackinac Island annual race. We have a joke between the siblings about how my team name, Novembre Racing, really applies to all of us.”

“My parents have been very supportive throughout the years,” shared Novembre. “Dad has helped me many times on the pit crew during the early morning practices and race days. Mom has catered lunch for the long race days, setting up a wonderful spread of food. It’s great to have my parents there as part of the adventure.”

RACE CAR NAMES – A FAMILY TRIBUTE

“Early on, I started a tradition with naming my car with the initials of my family,” explained Novembre. “It started in 2011, naming my Wells Coyote the “KMH Special” for my wife and two kids at the time: Kajsa, Moses, and Haley. Well, by 2020 we had five kids and the car was a KMHRAL special! Adding Rhys, Annie, and Luke. When my wife was pregnant and we still hadn’t settled on a name I would add a +1 to the name as a clue that someone new was on the way.”

CLOSE-KNIT CREW

“This crew is an amazing group of people,” Novembre expressed. “We all met through work actually, but have become very close friends. Most notably my early, now retired, crew chief Anthony Joseph, and my latest crew chief, Patrick Bernard. I enjoy brainstorming on how to do better every year and strategizing the race day game plan.”

“Patrick introduced me to his longtime friend, Terry Cooper, (pictured below, left), who led our team for years and helped us get a sub-10 minute run with the Open Wheel car. Unfortunately, we lost him during the pandemic and have missed him ever since.”

“We always talked about stepping up to a car like a Wolf. So shortly afterward, we made the jump and are now living out our dream of going even faster. As a tribute to Terry, I now call the Wolf the “TC Special” so he is always with us.”

THE HILL CLIMB FAMILY

I raced with the CHCA (Colorado Hill Climb Association) series for years and was awestruck by how helpful and fun everybody was; folks like the O’Maleys and Shucrafts would give you the shirt off their backs.

“I learned early on what it’s like to be part of the ‘hill climb family’. Nothing can beat it.”

Dan Novembre

Whether Dan was running his Wells Coyote, his Novembre Special, or his 2013 Wolf, the experience with his fellow competitors was the same.

“On Pikes Peak, it’s like a family reunion,” he exclaimed. “Not seeing some people from out of state, or even out of country, all year and then reuniting in June, it’s like we were never apart. Everybody is looking out for each other and cares so much about every single effort on the mountain.”

A FAMILY OF FANS

Since the inception of the Fast 15 qualifiers in 2021, Novembre has been on the list of top qualifiers every year, this year qualifying third overall behind France’s Romain Dumas and Italy’s Christian Merli.

Novembre enjoys getting fans to sign his car as much as he likes signing autographs.

REFLECTING ON 2024

In June, Novembre was back behind the wheel of his 2013 Wolf GB08S TC Special ready to challenge the 14,115’ summit for the sixteenth time. Despite a successful streak on the mountain with 15 consecutive finishes, including his personal best race time of 09:27.611 in 2023, Novembre found himself making a tough decision after exiting the Ws.

He explained, “About three quarters through the race in the W’s, the toughest part of the mountain, I not only was experiencing near fatal water and oil temperatures, my brakes started going out. I 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.”

In the true spirit of family, Novembre jumped in to help fellow competitor, Henry Hill, get turned around for a restart.

Novembre said, “The 2024 race showed a ton of potential that we just weren’t able to realize on race day. We had very little test time due to late completion of the car, upgrades, and very little practice time due to bad weather impacting three of the four sessions.”

He reflected and shared, “After this year’s performance, you bet I’m asking for a bit more help from Santa for 2025!”

Though he had settled for his first ever DNF, what mattered most to this driver was another type of DNF, his Dan Novembre Family waiting for him after the race.

GET TO KNOW DAN NOVEMBRE

Instagram: @novembre_racing

Fun Facts:

“Every year after the Hill Climb, my family visits Yellowstone National Park and stay at the Old Faithful Inn.”

“I went to Air Academy High School here in Colorado Springs and ran Cross Country and Track.”

“I went to the Colorado School of Mines majoring in Mechanical Engineering, and I also played Ultimate Frisbee!”

“Oh, and Santa, I have a pretty big sweet tooth and love snacking on unique candy. My latest craze is freeze-dried Skittles!”

What’s faster, a Wolf or a flying reindeer? “Well, I am a numbers person, and this year with the twin-turbo system, we were around 800 horsepower. So, comparing 800 horses to one flying reindeer? Hmm.”

“On the other hand, if you ever do the math on how fast Santa has to be to get to every town in the world in one day, well, I guess I would never stand a chance!! Hint: It’s somewhere close to 3,000,000 miles an hour!”

Three Must-Haves in the Race Trailer: “1) Various Ryobi battery pack tools, there is literally something made for every need. 2) A whiteboard to jot down notes or thoughts. 3) Homemade cinnamon rolls! Gotta keep everyone going with the breakfast of champions.”

Advice for a Rookie: “Know the road! There are so many resources and videos to get to know all the turns. That will allow you to focus on more important things during practice week and race day. The other piece of advice is don’t rush to go faster, but incrementally step up the pace to know your limits and the car’s handling abilities. Each day the road conditions can vary greatly in terms of traction and how the suspension reacts. The more runs you make, the more you will learn, so just try to make every session and every run possible.”

WATCH DAN NOVEMBRE’S FASTEST RUN UP THE MOUNTAIN IN 2023 – 09:27.611

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Jason Zindroski, PPIHC Archives

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

The Colorado Springs Airport provides a travel experience that prioritizes friendliness, safety, and comfort. Enjoy the speed and convenience of a small airport with options on daily nonstop flights and hundreds of connections worldwide. COS is committed to delivering exceptional service and a warm welcome to all our passengers, making your journey memorable from start to finish. For more information visit FlyCOS.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.­ Your adventure begins here at the Colorado Springs Airport.

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

JEREMY LOWDER FINDS INSPIRATION AT 2024 PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB

Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo, serves as a proving ground for emerging technology and veteran drivers, and a great opportunity for newcomers to the mountain. In 2024, rookie competitor, Jeremy Lowder, of Middlesex, New Jersey, entered his 2019 Chevrolet Camaro in the Pikes Peak Open division and was both humbled and thrilled to compete alongside some motorsport standouts. As a grassroots driver, where else but Pikes Peak are you able to line up on the same course with Romain Dumas?

BEGINNINGS

“I was always interested in any motorized vehicle and wanted to be a racecar driver since I could remember,” shared Lowder. “My cousins had motorcycles and quads, and I would ride as often as I could. I loved it. When I was growing up as an Army brat, we never had money for those, but fast forward 35 years and I bought my favorite childhood car, a Camaro…and not just any Camaro, a 2019 Camaro ZL1 1LE. Wow, what a machine!”

From his dream car to stepping into the world of racing, Lowder explained his path, “I started reading about tracks and saw this type of car on the track, and then I heard about track days. I couldn’t even imagine that a person could actually drive their car on an actual racetrack. So, I brought my car to an SCCA Track Night in America event. I was blown away! I had been waiting my whole life to do this!”

Lowder took the car to as many events as he could in 2020, and his love of racing progressed.

“This car is strictly a time attack, time trial car,” he said. “I started out in SCCA autocross and time trials, then branched out to NASA TT, Global Time Attack, Super Lap Battle and SCCA hill climb events.”

FUELING THE JOURNEY TO PIKES PEAK

Lowder recalled the car prep leading up to Pikes Peak, focusing on one major hurdle he had to overcome. “I missed in the Rule Book that I needed a fuel cell. So, a week before practice my buddy, and nemesis, Eric Magnussen made a few calls to Radium Engineering. They were amazing! I explained my situation and they sent me everything needed to make the conversion right away! I was so grateful. But once the parts arrived, I needed a shop to install the fuel cell. My local shop only did OEM. At this point I was beyond stressed and had to call practically every fabricator from Long Island to Pennsylvania! Finally, a friend of a friend found a local drag shop, Farks Supercars. I told them my timeline was three days and they made it happen.”

The car was finished in record time and arrived at Pikes Peak for Tech Inspection. “We never did have a chance to put it on the dyno, and it had a few bugs, but all in all, the car ran well,” Lowder said. “I was nervous about the cooling, but the car ran perfectly in all temperature variations.”

ON THE MOUNTAIN

Sharing a practice week incident, Lowder recalled, “the toughest corner I faced was near Tin Barn. That turn continued to close and I thought it would open; it didn’t. I end up rolling the car onto its side in the concrete ditch during practice.”

“Be humble, or the mountain will make you humble.”

Jeremy Lowder

Sharing heartfelt gratitude for this 2024 Pikes Peak experience, Lowder commented, “It’s hard to explain how amazing it feels to drive among such a great group of wonderful and talented individuals. These epic people that you look up to would talk to you as a fellow driver, a real person. I thought to myself a few times, ‘What am I doing here? How did they allow me to run with such greatness?’ I had to pinch myself multiple times.”

A TEAM EFFORT

Lowder finished 9th in Pikes Peak Open in 11:31.622 and shared, “Racing on Pikes Peak is really the chance of a lifetime. Cherish it, and all the people who help you along the way.”

“Initially, I was so surprised to get in, I said I only wanted to challenge the mountain once. In 2024, I drove a little conservatively on race day due to a race week incident, plus I’d made promises I’d make it to the top. But, after doing it once, I’ve been bitten by the bug! Now I need to prove to myself, and to the people who believed in me, that I can make a good time up there.”

APPRECIATION

“I have to thank Jake Graham at TGA Performance, a great friend in Colorado Springs, who opened his shop, his home, his trailer, and everything he owned to help us,” exclaimed Lowder. “I am eternally grateful.”

“My sponsors, along with my family, supported my craziness along the way and I couldn’t have done it without them.”

GET TO KNOW JEREMY LOWDER

Instagram: @bad_zl1_1le

Fun Facts:

“I work as a contractor, but also help my community as a fireman.”

“My motto is ‘work hard so I can play hard.’ I like to hunt and fish, but working on the car seems to take all my time. Most people in our industry have a hobby that consumes them…it’s working on their cars.”

“My daily driver is a GMC Pickup.”

Best advice about racing on Pikes Peak: “Be prepared for everything…with your vehicle, your crew, the weather and yourself – physically and mentally.”

Favorite Turn: “The last one, at the summit. There is so much anticipation building throughout the day, the week, the month. You practice all week in three sections, but you don’t get to practice the entire course at once. At the bottom, it seems so far away, but when you round that last corner and see the checkered flag, it’s over in an instant.”

Mentors: “Two months before the race, David Donohue reached out to me. I was just floored. Why would he reach out to me? He told me, ‘You seem to live close, and you’re on the team now.’ I didn’t know what to say. Of course I had seen him at Super Lap Battle at COTA, but for him to talk to me like an equal was really something. I’m a nobody, yet here I was talking to a master. It really is something, the Pikes Peak family.”

Advice for a Rookie: “Listen to anyone who will share their past experience; there is no amount of time or money that can give you this. Everyone will talk to you, so don’t be afraid to ask. It’s just an amazing community.” 

What is Racing for ALS: “When Ryan Cheek, another rookie on Pikes Peak this year, and I found out we were both accepted, it was like the heavens opened up. We are both Racing for ALS supporters. Most people who support the cause have an ALS reason, losing someone to ALS. I met Dave and Scott Lloyd of Racing for ALS at the track. We had all started racing later in life. When Dave passed away, a movement was created to find a cure. It’s hard to put into words what they’ve done to raise awareness.”

Favorite Track: “Circuit of the Americas (COTA)”, is the most epic, but on the East Coast there are two sister tracks to Virginia International Raceway (VIR), Lightning and Thunderbolt in New Jersey. They’re smaller, but very fun tracks.”

WATCH JEREMY LOWDER’S ROOKIE RUN ON PIKES PEAK – AMERICA’S MOUNTAIN

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia; Charles Zhao, Jason Zindroski. Duncan Cowper

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

The Colorado Springs Airport provides a travel experience that prioritizes friendliness, safety, and comfort. Enjoy the speed and convenience of a small airport with options on daily nonstop flights and hundreds of connections worldwide. COS is committed to delivering exceptional service and a warm welcome to all our passengers, making your journey memorable from start to finish. For more information visit FlyCOS.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.­ Your adventure begins here at the Colorado Springs Airport.

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

DUNCAN COWPER

2024 PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB

TWO APPEARANCES – TWO PODIUMS

Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo, has been a storyteller’s paradise since 1916. The history is rich, the competitors are fearless, the machines are often unstoppable and the personal stories bring the event to life for fans around the world.

Duncan Cowper from Bishop’s Stortford in the UK, returned to Pikes Peak with his dreams, his enthusiasm, and a car he built himself, to challenge the 12.42 miles to the top of America’s Mountain.

REPEAT PERFORMANCE

Cowper was a rookie in 2023 when he clocked an amazing sub-10 minute time of 09:57.072, finishing 12th overall, and taking third place in the Unlimited division.

He was back on the mountain in 2024 behind the wheel of his 2009 Dax Pikes Peak Cowper Special. Despite a week of adversity, he broke into the top ten overall, and claimed another third place finish in the Unlimited division with a 10:03.973.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I think my little car, built at home, would ever race outside the UK, let alone in the US and the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.”

Duncan Cowper

MEETING THE CHALLENGE(S)

Cowper reflected on his two appearances on America’s Mountain, sharing, “My first year was phenomenal and everything went to plan…from tire tests to race day. The car ran faultlessly, and we achieved a sub-10 minute time in my rookie year.”

He continued to contrast the two runs, adding details about his most recent attempt. “This year presented the very highs and the very lows. On the first day of practice we lost the engine, which was very traumatic. We stripped two engines to re-building a race engine overnight, then it was on to qualifying the next day with just under an hours sleep.

Just as we were loading the car to stage it for race day, we found a wheel bearing had failed and had to rebuild that, then the car wouldn’t start, so we had to repair the fuel pump, all with limited spare parts.

On race day, the clutch master cylinder failed just six corners in, the oil and water temperatures were through the roof, due to the very hot weather. This year, the twelve and a half miles felt more like 120, but I feel now that I’ve had the full Pikes Peak experience, and I loved every minute of it!”

BEST MEMORY

Asked what he’d look back on as a fond memory from 2024, Cowper shared, “Beyond reaching the top again on race day, I was honored to be the ring bearer for the wedding at the summit.”

Cowper stood with Mary Barker and Kendall Samuel as they exchanged vows in a ceremony officiated by the ‘Fastest Pastor,’ Don Wickstrum on the summit of Pikes Peak. Fellow drivers joined the couple to celebrate the occasion.

Cowper once again took his place on the podium with division winner and Rookie of the Year, Italy’s Christian Merli, and Don Wickstrum, who finished second. Frederic Gasser of B.R.M North America presented a custom timepiece to Merli.

SINCE PIKES PEAK

“I’ve done one sprint race at my local club since the car has been back in the UK, and I’m hoping to do some more next year. As far as plans to return to Pikes Peak, I don’t have any at the moment…but never say never!”

GET TO KNOW DUNCAN COWPER

Fun Facts:

“My daily driver is my work van, a Ford Transit.”

“I’ve got a 14-year old dog, a Jack Russell / Yorkshire Terrier named Trixie.”

“I like collecting junk (as my wife calls it) especially vintage motocross bikes,1970s Husqvarna 400cc models in particular, and anything to do with petrol basically!”

Love to eat steak and chips or ‘fries’ as you call them in the US; and I enjoy the pancakes from Uncle Sam’s Pancake House in Manitou Springs.

Occupation: “I work as a plasterer.”

(Nicknamed “The Fastest Plasterer” in a nod to Don Wickstrum, “Fastest Pastor,” the two posed for a selfie at Tech Inspection in 2024.)

Best advice about racing on Pikes Peak: “Jonathan Edwards at Alcon Brakes told me, ‘Drive the road as you see it and don’t overthink it. Trust your ability.'”

Favorite Section: “From Glen Cove upwards, the car comes alive on this sector. That’s when you really know you’re at Pikes Peak.”

Most Challenging Corner: “Elk Park, a very high speed corner on a constant high radius into a very tight hairpin.”

What makes your car well-suited to race on Pikes Peak? “The power to weight ratio and its unique suspension.”

Fan Fest: “It’s just so unique. You get to talk to the fans, and it’s a personal experience for all of us.”

Three Must-Have Items in the Race Trailer: “Water. Torches (flashlights) for the very early mornings. And a big bag of luck!”

SEE DUNCAN COWPER’S 2024 ONBOARD RUN

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia; Charles Zhao, Jason Zindroski. Duncan Cowper

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

The Colorado Springs Airport provides a travel experience that prioritizes friendliness, safety, and comfort. Enjoy the speed and convenience of a small airport with options on daily nonstop flights and hundreds of connections worldwide. COS is committed to delivering exceptional service and a warm welcome to all our passengers, making your journey memorable from start to finish. For more information visit FlyCOS.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.­ Your adventure begins here at the Colorado Springs Airport.

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

JIMMY FORD ON THE PODIUM IN NEW BUILD AT 2024 PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB

Colorado Springs, CO – One of the hallmarks of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo, is the welcoming nature of veteran competitors as they often share knowledge and resources with new drivers. Another well-known aspect of the Race to the Clouds is that many competitors are second, third, and even fourth generation competitors on America’s Mountain. Jimmy Ford, following in the footsteps of his father, Jim, is one of those second generation drivers who is carving his own legacy through the famed 156 turns.

FAMILY, FRIENDS, AND FORD

With a nod to his family, his car owner, and some rich PPIHC history, Colorado’s Jimmy Ford challenged the mountain for the third time in 2024.

From a disappointing DNF in his rookie attempt in 2022, to a 4th place the following year, Ford was behind the wheel of a 1994 Ford Bronco. This is noteworthy, as the car was originally built by PPIHC Hall of Famer, John Wells, and driven to victory by Leonard Vahsholtz, also a member of Hall of Fame.

Ford brought a new build to Pikes Peak in 2024, a 2017 Ford Mustang, capturing second place in the Pikes Peak Open division. His sub-10 minute run of 09:40.660 landed him not only on the podium, but in sixth place, overall.

His father, Jim, an integral part of the team, raced on Pikes Peak in the early 1990s. Pair that with support and expertise from veteran PPIHC stock car winner, Joel Newcomer, and the depth of experience on Jimmy’s team is impressive.

A YEAR IN THE MAKING

Joel Newcomer, car owner, shared the story behind the year-long transition from the Bronco to the Mustang, “During our 2023 race preparation, I saw an opportunity to purchase a 2017 TransAm Mustang racecar on the Bring-A-Trailer auction site. I thought it might be a chance to upgrade the Jimmy Ford Racing program, and be able to compete for a top spot. I was fortunate to win the auction, and we stored the car and focused on Jimmy’s 2023 run.”

The team came together and made a plan to transition the car to fit their vision for Pikes Peak, giving it a new look and prepping it for the unique challenges on the mountain.

Newcomer recalled the process once the car was track ready, “We set aside the Roush/Yates Engine for our first test runs in the car and put in the engine Leonard Vahsholtz built for the Bronco in 2023. From the new car, to a new trailer, and new tools, this was becoming a true road racing car. We had bigger tires, different gearing, transmission options and we lowered the car. There were a lot of upgrades to the safety equipment to comply the the PPIHC Rule Book.”

He concluded, “I had my racing moments back in the 1980s and 1990s, and now I get to do it again, in another way. I am so proud that I could help this family chase their dreams, and share the experience with them.”

COMPARISON

Ford described similarities and differences between the builds, “Both cars share similar tube frame chassis and comparable weights, which gave me a bit of familiarity in terms of feel and balance. However, the Mustang packs an extra 50-75 horsepower over the Bronco, which really made itself known on the straights! And while both cars used NASCAR-style small-block Ford engines—another familiar point for me—the Mustang’s streamlined build and lower center of gravity made it significantly faster when entering and exiting corners.

“In the end, the Mustang wasn’t just faster; it felt like it was a car built to take advantage of every inch of Pikes Peak. Where the Bronco required constant attention and adaptation, the Mustang let me focus more on pushing for speed and precision, giving the entire experience a new level of intensity and excitement.”

GRATITUDE

“I have to thank my family and friends for all the hard work they put into this program. Without them, none of this would be possible. It’s a true team effort, and I’m grateful for their unwavering support.”

Commenting on the legacy aspect of his team, Jimmy Ford shared, “Pikes Peak is where generations come together, where the legacy of those before us fuels the drive of those who follow. Working alongside my dad and Joel, we’re not just racing—we’re continuing a story that spans generations. It’s about passing down lessons, wisdom, and a passion for the mountain that runs deep in our blood. Every time we take on Pikes Peak, it’s a reminder of where we’ve come from and where we’re headed, carrying the torch forward for the next generation.”

SINCE PIKES PEAK

Following his exceptional performance on Pikes Peak, Ford shared how he has continued to develop as a driver, “I’ve been focused on racing in the NASA Rocky Mountain series and the NASA Nationals at Utah Motorsports Campus. It’s been a great opportunity to continue fine-tuning the Mustang in a more controlled, competitive environment. This series has allowed me to focus on improving my skills on more traditional asphalt courses, which was a perfect complement to what I learned at Pikes Peak.”

“I raced against some of the best drivers in the region and tested the Mustang’s setup on a new track with high-speed straights and challenging corners. It was a really great way to see how the car handled in different conditions, and it gave me a lot of valuable data to work with as I continue to refine the car for future events.”

GET TO KNOW JIMMY FORD

Fun Facts:

“I enjoy backyard target shooting with friends; it’s a great way to unwind and spend time outdoors.”

“I enjoy interacting with the community when I can.”

“I love traveling and exploring new places; my favorite part is the plane taking off on the runway. I always think of it as a drag race, the acceleration and power getting the plane off the ground is something I can definitely relate to as a racer.”

Occupation: “I work as a welder for Martin Marietta at the Walstrum Quarry. It’s a job that keeps me grounded, and I get to use my welding skills in a challenging environment. The work is physically demanding, but it’s rewarding to see the direct impact of what I do.”

Advice for those dreaming of racing on Pikes Peak: “If you’ve ever thought about Pikes Peak, step out of your comfort zone and give it a try. It’s a race that will push you in ways you can’t imagine, but that’s what makes it so rewarding.”

One Must-Have in the Race Trailer: “Our Milwaukee tools!”

Pets: “Otis the Hound Dog! His bark can be heard echoing through the mountains of Colorado (probably to the top of Pikes Peak) all the way from our house in Georgetown, Colorado.”

Daily Driver: “My 2016 Dodge Dart gets me just about everywhere I need to go but I can always call on my trusty ‘ol 1993 Dodge W250 Cummins when I need to.”

Will we see the Bronco on Pikes Peak again? “As we move forward with the Mustang, we’ve been talking about selling ‘Bronczilla’ to make room for an upgrade. The plan is to focus on ‘Thunder,’ our new project, and make some waves with it. It’s exciting to think about the future and the potential this new car has, especially as we look to continue building on the momentum from this year. Anyone interested?”

SEE JIMMY FORD’S ONBOARD RUN AS HE CAPTURES HIS FIRST PPIHC PODIUM FINISH

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Charles Zhao, Jason Zindroski. Lars Gange – Blackbullet; Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

The Colorado Springs Airport provides a travel experience that prioritizes friendliness, safety, and comfort. Enjoy the speed and convenience of a small airport with options on daily nonstop flights and hundreds of connections worldwide. COS is committed to delivering exceptional service and a warm welcome to all our passengers, making your journey memorable from start to finish. For more information visit FlyCOS.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.­ Your adventure begins here at the Colorado Springs Airport.

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

KEN BLOCK’S PIKES PEAK LEGACY

FOREVER ON THE EDGE

Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, has played a role in developing, showcasing and remembering motorsports icons and legends. Ken Block was perhaps one of the most memorable.

Block, a name synonymous with high-octane action and motorsport innovation, left a legacy that continues to inspire and excite fans worldwide. On what would have been his 57th birthday, the PPIHC celebrates Block and how he revolutionized the way people view car culture, stunts and rally driving. He had the unique ability to see new possibilities in motorsports and created pathways to bring those ideas to life.

RALLY ROOTS ON PIKES PEAK

In 2005, Ken Block began his national rallying career with the Vermont SportsCar team, driving a 2005 Subaru WRX STi. He entered the PPIHC in the Rally America division, racing his Subaru in Group N, with co-driver Alex Gelsomino, finishing in 13:19.17 on the partially paved course.

Following his first season of rally racing, Block was awarded Rally America Rookie of the Year. He would continue competing in rally events through 2014.

“It would not be overstepping to say Ken Block was the most influential motorsports athlete of our generation.”

Travis Pastrana

HOONICORN ON THE HILL

Following his rallying career, Ken and Hoonigan unveiled the Hoonicorn in 2014. Boasting 1,400 horsepower, and all-wheel-drive, the Hoonicorn became a symbol of Block’s relentless pursuit of speed.

In 2017, Block brought the Hoonicorn V2 to Pikes Peak to create the next installment in his popular Climbkhana series. These videos redefined the boundaries of automotive performance and entertainment, spotlighting Block’s incredible driving skills, pushing vehicles to their limits with jaw-dropping stunts and drifts.

Ken Block’s Climbkhana: Pikes Peak featuring the Hoonicorn RTR V2, was a closed course ‘man versus mountain’ showdown directed by Brian Scotto and Jeff Zwart that captivated audiences around the world, further solidifying Block’s status as a motorsport icon.

In true Ken Block style, he made drifting up the side of a 14,115’ mountain look easy. The cinematic adventure takes viewers through 156 turns to the summit, while presenting Block with some unique and unexpected obstacles. The hugely successful film has garnered over 49 million views since it was released.

MILESTONE RETURN

In 2022, Block’s highly anticipated return to Pikes Peak was one of the most talked about events of the year. The Race to the Clouds would celebrate the 100th Running, and action sports icon, Ken Block was to be among the elite field of drivers.

Unfortunately, mechanical issues sidelined him during race week forcing him to miss the big event.

FAMILY TIES

In 2023, the Block family and Hoonigan returned to Pikes Peak for the 101st Running of the famous Race to the Clouds to honor Ken and bring the Hoonipigasus back to the mountain.

Block’s wife, Lucy, entered a 2024 SIERRA ECHO Block Edition by Hypercraft, in the Unlimited division. Aptly numbered #430, the EV-powered SIERRA with a throwback livery, proved successful on the mountain. She completed her rookie run in 11:25.315, and waited for her daughter to reach the top as the last car to leave the start line.

Block’s 16-year-old daughter, Lia, made a tribute run in the Hoonipigasus to honor her late father in the car he brought to Pikes Peak in 2022, and had planned to race in 2023. It was the final run of the day and brought fans to their feet as she piloted the #43 fan-favorite pink Porsche past their vantage point.

43 INSTITUTE

Created to honor the man many described as passionate and inspiring, 43 Institute provides resources for underserved, highly driven ‘motivated misfits’ who dream of an action sports career. Following Block’s deep love for cars and motorsports, 43 Institute aims to open the door of opportunity to the network of creatives, business leaders, marketing experts, top level athletes, and artists that Ken has built in his decades-long career; providing grants and support to make dreams happen.

“Ken Block did so much for the car culture community and made an impact on my life, personally. I was so lucky to be able to work with him closely for so many years. I’ve been doing my best to keep Ken’s legacy strong. Even though he’s no longer here with us, his foundation will continue to help those seeking an entry to the action sports world.”

Larry Chen

000 Magazine is supporting 43 Institute, with a portion of the proceeds from their current sweepstakes. “We spent time with Ken Block’s team during Race Week in 2022, and looked forward to seeing them on Race Day—but it wasn’t to be, and then we all lost Ken in 2023,” said 000 co-founder Pete Stout. “Everyone at 000 cares about motorsports and the creative arts, so a chance to support 43i in carrying Ken’s work forward wasn’t something we wanted to miss.”

HALL OF FAME HONORS

Block was honored with posthumous induction to the Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame in October, 2024. His rally racing success and legendary status as an entrepreneur were recognized.

He has also been inducted to the Model Car Hall of Fame.

PARTING WORDS

“At some point in my life, I basically said take every day as a day to learn something…you just learn so much through life.”

“I really don’t have any regrets. I try to inspire people to be creative and live a fun life, and don’t be an a**hole.”

“At the end of the day the motivation is to be successful. At the end of the day the motivation is to have something you have a lot of pride in.”

Ken Block (1967-2023)

WATCH THE 10 MINUTE FILM THAT CAPTURED THE ATTENTION OF 49 MILLION VIEWERS

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Charles Zhao, Jason Zindroski. Lars Gange – Blackbullet; Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

The Colorado Springs Airport provides a travel experience that prioritizes friendliness, safety, and comfort. Enjoy the speed and convenience of a small airport with options on daily nonstop flights and hundreds of connections worldwide. COS is committed to delivering exceptional service and a warm welcome to all our passengers, making your journey memorable from start to finish. For more information visit FlyCOS.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.­ Your adventure begins here at the Colorado Springs Airport.

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

HOUSTON’S ZACHARY SOBER MAKES HIS PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB DREAM A REALITY

Colorado Springs, CO – As the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, gears up for the 103rd Running of the famous Race to the Clouds, competitors are prepping their entries. Rookies and PPIHC veterans alike are dreaming of June and those 156 turns to glory.

As a first-time PPIHC competitor in 2024, Zachary Sober recaps his desire to challenge the 14,115′ summit of Pikes Peak, along with his perspective as both crew member and competitor.

FAMILY DRAG RACING ROOTS

“My dad was a drag racer. He raced in Lafayette, Louisiana and at Midland in West Texas, but most of our family racing was in east Houston at Houston Motorsports Park, on the Baytown Drag Strip. Some of my first passes on the drag strip were before I had a driver’s license…back when you could do that!”

“I loved racing. I was an obsessive SPEED Channel viewer! When I was 11, my dad started letting me drive my sister’s 5-speed Mazda 626 in our church parking lot with him. At 12, I got my first go-kart. By 14, I was hitting shots of nitrous on top of his 455ci Pontiac Trans-Am with him on some Texas highways. In my late teens we made our own personal four-wheeler and dirt bike racing trail in our backyard woods.”

BUILDING A RACING RESUME

Sober became serious about building his resume and showcasing his talent. With over twenty SCCA national level solo autocross events, forty rallycross national events and three stage rally events, at the Rally Ready Driving School and in Rijeka, Croatia, Sober had a solid foundation.

Sharing details of his Croatia experience, Sober recalled, “In 2018 I travelled to Automotodrom Grobnik and competed in a Stage Rally Event. In a friendly bet between two friends who were Italian hill climb champions in the 1980s and 1990s, my friend, Lucio, bet his friend, Achille, that he could send an American over that would beat his Italian drivers. I not only won my class but outran the entire class above me. The deal was the winner received the trip all expenses paid, so Achilles paid for my entire trip. We were living well eating all of the Ćevapčići!”

In 2019, Sober began competing in Time Attack events with Global Time Attack and Super Lap Battles. He was able to reset two long-standing records at both Road Atlanta and ButtonWillow Raceway in 2022 in the same Subaru he raced on Pikes Peak.

PIKES PEAK INSPIRATION

“Sometime during COVID, I reconnected with some of my childhood interests. I started riding mountain bikes again, hitting the jumps and nailing the downhill sections. Then, I got the chance to crew for Raymund Guerrero (pictured below) and realized that while I was in Colorado Springs I could ride a bunch of challenging trail systems, too. The sense of accomplishment in getting down those trail systems made me think of cycling on Pikes Peak, then trying to conquer it in a race car.”

UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE

As a previous crew member, Sober had experienced the grueling schedule of Race Week on Pikes Peak. He knew what was expected and felt that gave him a bit of an edge over other first-time drivers.

“In 2022 while I was crewing for Guerrero in his Dodge Viper, we drove up the mountain many times to take notes and talk about the course. I left that event thinking MAYBE it was possible to run the race myself one day, but that seemed unlikely to be anytime soon. I am very grateful for this year’s opportunity, all the help I have received.”

ABOUT THE BUILD

Describing his Subaru WRX, Sober shared, “The car is technically a “Special Edition” 1 of 100 in the Tangerine Orange Pearl color. The motor has been modified with forged internals, but has stock cylinder heads and cams and the Turbo Dynamics 450 ball bearing turbo is capable of 480-wheel torque at sea level. Most of the performance parts on the car are from COBB Tuning, and IAG Performance.”

Sober continued, “The MeisterR Suspension coil-overs handled the bumps very well in the upper section. Kozmic Motorsports wired the car on a Haltech ECU with multiple sensors to support this demanding race, and it really paid off. Radium Engineering supplied the FIA fuel cell required for safety, and it even has a surge tank built into the cell! The car ran well at high elevation and all of my temps remained in check, even when we tested in Texas at 95 degrees.”

REACHING THE GOAL

Asked about the goal for his inaugural race on Pikes Peak, Sober shared, “I decided in September 2023 that I wanted to enter, and I prioritized doing what was necessary to FINISH.” He continued, “The car got the required equipment for safety and performance reliability, and I trained myself physically and mentally. I felt I had prepared exactly what I needed to finish the race, and no more. I don’t have an extensive spares collection, so my focus was keeping the car healthy on the way up.”

Putting his 2013 race-prepped Subaru Impreza STI to the ultimate test, Sober’s strategy paid off. He reached the 14,115′ summit of America’s Mountain in 11:14.233 for 7th place in the Time Attack 1 division.

DREAMING OF NEXT TIME

Recalling his successful run on Pikes Peak, Sober said, “It was the coolest experience of any event I’ve done, by far.”

Sober, like all drivers with the need for speed, is dreaming of his next attempt on the mountain while he tears down the car and begins preparation for next time. He shared, “Qualifying and practice sessions were so easy and relaxed, but when it actually came to race day, it seemed like it was over so quickly. It’s reinspired me. I’m so into this sport and love everything about it. I can’t wait to be back.”

GET TO KNOW ZACHARY SOBER

Fun Facts:

“I love throwing darts. I can play for hours against friends, and I am not picky about which beer is served!”

“The first car I bought was a 1985 IROC-Z Camaro, and built the engine myself in my garage.”

“I will school you in a game of hockey! I am graceful and balanced on skates, and on my feet, which has absolutely contributed to my auto racing success.”

Favorite section: “I really love the lower section…zooming past the trees, and approaching the blind corners that you can’t see through.”

What prepared you for Pikes Peak? “Hours and hours of research, reading advice from racing professionals, experimenting in the simulator, recording and watching video, and always looking to improve something.”

Advice for someone dreaming of racing on Pikes Peak: “There’s a lot of risk in racing, so start with a lower form of competitive motorsports, like solo autocross. Learn racing procedures and establish a process to ensure your success. Accuracy is important. You have to do your homework, be prepared, and know that you have a good package ready to go.” 

CHECK OUT THE ONBOARD VIDEO FROM ZACHARY SOBER’S ROOKIE RUN IN 2024

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Charles Zhao, Jason Zindroski; Zachary Sober

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

The Colorado Springs Airport provides a travel experience that prioritizes friendliness, safety, and comfort. Enjoy the speed and convenience of a small airport with options on daily nonstop flights and hundreds of connections worldwide. COS is committed to delivering exceptional service and a warm welcome to all our passengers, making your journey memorable from start to finish. For more information visit FlyCOS.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.­ Your adventure begins here at the Colorado Springs Airport.

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

ROBB HOLLAND TAKES ON PIKES PEAK GT4 DIVISION

Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, draws top competitors from across the USA and around the world. In June, Colorado’s own Robb Holland strapped in behind the wheel for his eighth run on Pikes Peak, this time in the inaugural Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama division.

THE ROAD TO GT4

In 2016, the 100th Anniversary of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, Robb Holland made his first attempt at the 14,115′ summit. In an impressive rookie run, he finished 4th in the Time Attack 1 division in his Audi TTRS, setting a front-wheel-drive record that stood for two years – 10:56.878.

Holland debuted his Corvette Z06 in 2017. The build began as a salvage-titled car with potential and emerged as a race-ready contender. Holland’s result was a nearly identical time to his prior run, a 10:55.166. He later led viewers through his 2017 run in PPIHC’s Mastering the Mountain series.

In 2022, the milestone 100th Running of the famed Race to the Clouds took place, and Holland was among the elite field of drivers facing off against the mountain. His vehicle of choice for the special occasion was a 2022 Porsche GT4 RS Clubsport. The mountain decided to shroud itself in fog that day, so no one came close to beating any records. Holland described a close call at Cog Cut in the thick fog, unable to see beyond the nose of his race car.

FROM FOGGY TO FASTER

Holland’s luck changed in 2023 when he set his best time yet in the same car. Clocking a 10:37.499, he claimed 5th place in the Pikes Peak Open division in his #99 Porsche.

GT4 UNVEILED

An advocate of bringing the GT4 division to Pikes Peak, Holland was thrilled to learn it was about to be a reality. In June, he was part of the first-ever GT4 division on the mountain, the Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama.

Competing in his 2023 Porsche 718 GT4 RS Clubsport, Holland went head to head with Nuno Caetano’s same-model Porsche, Chris Becker’s Ford Mustang, and Laura’s Hayes turbo-charged Toyota Supra.

Holland would finish second in the normally aspirated class in 10:56.880, recalling, “In 2024 everything was going great, right up until Bottomless Pit when I lost a radiator hose. So, it was pretty miserable after that.”

Watch the 2024 live stream, Pikes Peak Live, presented by Mobil 1 and catch Robb Holland’s pre-race interview at 51:45, and his race day run at 2:41.30.

TWO CHAMPIONSHIPS TO WRAP UP 2024

Racing on Pikes Peak is only one dimension of Holland’s career. His Rotek Racing team captured the 2024 championships in both GT America and GT4 America series that culminated at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in October.

“I think one of the most interesting things that people might not know is the car I ran at Pikes Peak is the same car that won the SRO championships for us this year. The only thing that was different was that we have to run extra ballast and a restrictor in SRO. Other than that, the car is in identical trim to the Pikes Peak car.

It made the race (on Pikes Peak) this year substantially easier, as we weren’t working on issues with the car, or set up, as all of these things translated straight from everything we’ve done in SRO.”

SIGHTS SET ON 2025

Holland already has plans in place for next year, sharing, “We’ll be back in the SRO championships in GT4 with Porsche, of course…and we’ll be back on Pikes Peak running our cars in the GT4 division.”

GET TO KNOW ROBB HOLLAND

Fun Facts:

“I’m still a cyclist at heart so I try to ride pretty much every day.”

“First car I ever bought was a Saab 900. It was fun and quirky at the time. I probably would’ve been better off with something a bit more reliable.”

“When I’m not racing, I’m figuring out ways to be racing!”

Three Denver go-to spots:

“Maci Café for Panini’s”

“Steam Espresso Bar for coffee”

“Guard and Grace for steaks”

Like to read: “Anything ever written by Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett”

Favorite Track: “The Nürburgring. I was one of the first Americans to move over to the Nürburgring full-time and I have a number of class victories in the VLN series there.”

WATCH ROBB HOLLAND’S FASTEST PIKES PEAK RUN IN 2023

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia; PPIHC Archives, Robb HollandABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

The Colorado Springs Airport provides a travel experience that prioritizes friendliness, safety, and comfort. Enjoy the speed and convenience of a small airport with options on daily nonstop flights and hundreds of connections worldwide. COS is committed to delivering exceptional service and a warm welcome to all our passengers, making your journey memorable from start to finish. For more information visit FlyCOS.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.­ Your adventure begins here at the Colorado Springs Airport.

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

BIRDSALL SHAKES OFF SCARY CRASH

MAKING PLANS TO WOW PPIHC FANS IN 2025 AND BEYOND

Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, draws top competitors from across the USA and around the world. Santa Rosa, California’s Scott Birdsall returned in 2024 to make his fifth attempt at the summit. Familiar to most fans for his eye-catching race truck, this time he entered his 2022 CG/Superlite LMP1.

READY TO RACE AGAIN

“Pikes Peak is something that’s going to be part of my life until I can’t drive competitively anymore,” says Birdsall. “I love it. So what am I looking forward to the most? Just getting there and going up the mountain again.”

That’s not taken for granted after his run in 2023. “Old Smokey,” Birdsall’s immensely popular 1949 Ford F-1 that set the diesel-powered record on the mountain in 2020, suffered a spectacular crash that saw it plummet 175 feet and roll multiple times. Fortunately, he walked away from the crash completely uninjured.

“Having a component failure like that was shocking,” he admits. “That’s probably the most fear I’ve felt in anything. You’re going 100 plus miles an hour into a hard left, and you put your foot down and nothing happens, and, you have milliseconds to think, what am I going to do? Do I downshift? No, it’s just going to spin uncontrollably if I try to downshift it. So my next choice was to try to scrub off speed.”

“I had some kind of miracle happen because there’s no way that I should have walked away from that completely uninjured. I mean, not a bruise on me. I hiked up to the top and was cool as a cucumber. My heart rate was 88 when I got to the summit. The medic jokingly called me Iceman!”

To race up Pikes Peak, drivers must have an incredible level of trust—in the mountain, in their equipment, in themselves. Birdsall credits the rollcage he built with his shop guys, as well as his Stilo ABP helmet and Sabelt seat and belts, for being able to walk away from such a wreck—and as a result, he was ready to roar back in 2024.

“It didn’t really change my approach much,” he says. “I’ve crashed before and pretty spectacularly in road racing and moto, and I’ve got one little off at Pikes Peak in 2018, but 2023’s crash was epic. I guess it just shows that you have to give that mountain the utmost respect, because you can make a driver error or you can have a component failure at any moment, and the mountain is not a soft place to be! It hasn’t really changed my outlook or how I’m going to drive the mountain. I’m going to go out there and drive as hard as I can.”

FROM F1 TO LMP1

With Old Smokey out of commission, Birdsall returned to Pikes Peak with a completely different machine. The CG/Superlite LMP1 is based on the Cadillac Northstar LMP that raced at Le Mans in the early 2000s, equipped with Birdsall’s signature turbodiesel power.

“The reason I chose the LMP car is totally out of convenience,” he admits. “My friend Pat from Safecraft/Next Gen Diesel, who is also one of my sponsors, had an unused LMP1 chassis just laying around. He had always been taunting me with it, so I said, ‘all right, let’s throw a diesel in it.’ That’s basically how the prototype was born.”

Birdsall has a successful run under his belt in 2022 in his Superlite in the Exhibition division clocking a 14:35.897 run.

The visual differences between the Superlite and Old Smokey couldn’t be more obvious, and as Birdsall explains, the required driving styles couldn’t be more different either.

“(With) Smokey, you drive it aggressively and on the ragged edge because it’s not a downforce car, it’s just pure mechanical grip. The rear wing is only there to add more weight to the rear at speed, so you’re not spinning tires at 160 miles an hour. Driving Smokey is like going to war. You’re battling, you’re aggressively driving the truck, and you’re not worried about bumps or a lot of things. You just kind of drive the thing really hard.

“The LMP1 is the complete opposite. You’ve got to be smooth with it—every input has to be smooth. You have to be careful of where you go on the track because of the bumps and you don’t have much suspension travel. It’s far more demanding than the truck, especially being a downforce car. You have to battle the aero bubble. It’s a much more complicated machine to drive than Smokey.”

2024 ON THE SIDELINES

With high hopes for 2024, Birdsall was forced to withdraw his entry just weeks before the race. He shared, “So much happened to sideline our 2024 effort with the LMP1 car. The biggest would be our switch from compound supercharging, to twin charging. In compound turbos, there is a small turbo for good boost response, and a larger one for top end power. This setup was very reliable, but we had issues getting power quick enough in the hairpins. We switched to a twin charge setup which uses a roots style supercharger, and a large turbocharger. Development was long, and after having trouble with belt life, overboost, and high heat, we finally got it working well.

“A day or two before we were scheduled to leave, some one-off parts on the blower sheared, and we couldn’t get them remade in time. We’ll try this setup one more time in 2025, and are hoping for the best. I just hated letting down the fans!”

Birdsall shared his favorite memories of past years on Pikes Peak, exclaiming, “Fan Fest is awesome! Next to the race, Fan Fest is my favorite part. I get to meet all the people that are fans and sign autographs, and I get to hang out with all my driving buddies.”

“It’s crazy the amount of different things this event throws at you, and how much you have to be on your toes just to get to Sunday. You’re driving through three different weather systems on the way up, varying levels of traction, increasing altitude—engines don’t like altitude.

“The biggest reason I keep coming back is, I’ve been racing a long time, and this is truly a mental and physical challenge. Going to an organized road race, you can almost figure out all the variables right there, but at Pikes Peak you just don’t know what you’re going to get in any given day, or any given hour.”

GET TO KNOW SCOTT BIRDSALL

Fun Facts:

“I could actually live on an IV drip of chocolate.”

“If I wasn’t a race car driver, I’d probably still be racing motorcycles. I raced from 8 years old until I was about 30. Motocross was my thing!”

Must Have on the Mountain: “Sunrise at Devils Playground and silence when I’m strapped in at the Start Line.”

Will we ever see Old Smokey rise from the grave?

“ABSOLUTELY. Believe it or not, after a 175 foot drop to its roof, and 10 or 11 rolls, the chassis is still straight. The body is a write off, but that is easily replaced. The suspension arms and energy absorbing parts did their job. We are focused on a 2026 PPIHC start with Smokey V.2 which will be a far more advanced machine, but have the same look and vibe of V.1.”

What intrigues you about building out vintage vehicles?

“Older cars have so much more soul than new cars! New cars feel like appliances with a massive disconnect between the driver and the machine. Older cars are more mechanical, more visceral, and far more exciting to drive. So, if it has more than one or two cup holders, it’s probably not for me.”

WATCH SCOTT BIRDSALL’S WILD RIDE ON PIKES PEAK

Contributor: Chris Leone

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Louis Yio, Charles Zhou, Jason Zindroski; Scott Birdsall

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

The Colorado Springs Airport provides a travel experience that prioritizes friendliness, safety, and comfort. Enjoy the speed and convenience of a small airport with options on daily nonstop flights and hundreds of connections worldwide. COS is committed to delivering exceptional service and a warm welcome to all our passengers, making your journey memorable from start to finish. For more information visit FlyCOS.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.­ Your adventure begins here at the Colorado Springs Airport.

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

ROOKIE DRIVER DOMINICK TAPIA EMBRACES PPIHC’S CONTROLLED CHAOS

Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, presents a unique racing venue to drivers and crew members. Unlike most racetracks, the 12.42-mile, 156-turn, Race to the Clouds, throws constantly changing weather conditions, unpredictable wildlife, and all the difficulties of reaching a 14,115′ finish line, at every competitor. Colorado Springs’ Dominick Tapia was ready to accept the challenge in June as he moved from long-time crew member, to first-time racer.

PASSION IGNITED

“My first experience with Pikes Peak dates back to the early 1990s. I was very young, but I remember getting to tag along with my uncle to watch on race day. Little did I know that would become a core memory that ignited a passion for racing. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I made it back to Pikes Peak to spectate and, for the greater part of a decade, I came back every year watching the race through the dirt sections as more and more of the mountain became paved.”

“I loved spectating in the dirt sections because it was like controlled chaos, and it gave me an adrenaline rush just watching. The last time I went as a spectator was 2013 when Sébastian Loeb (pictured) set a course record.”

FROM CREW TO COMPETITOR

For most first-time racers on America’s Mountain, the event is daunting; long hours, unexpected mechanical issues and only one chance to make a full-course run. Dominick Tapia hadn’t raced on the mountain, but he had spent the past 10 years as a crew member for Derek Boyd, learning what it took to make it to the top. Tapia shared, “The transition from crew to driver was a long time in the works, but then it all came together quite suddenly.”

When Tapia strapped in behind the wheel of Boyd’s 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X, he felt at home, “Working on Derek’s crew for the last decade prepared me for what it takes to compete at Pikes Peak. The intense practice schedule, lack of sleep, unpredictable and constantly changing weather, and the importance of respecting the mountain, I was ready for all of it.”

It wasn’t just Tapia’s experience as a crew member that propelled him into the driver’s seat; he had proven himself in a racecar. He placed first in class in the 2023 PPIR Track Attack Series in his 1993 Honda Civic.

RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

Tapia’s work experience played a major role in advancing his racing career on Pikes Peak. He explained, “Ten years ago, Derek Boyd, and his father, Marvin, decided to build a car for Pikes Peak. Marvin was the GM of the Bob Penkhus Motor Company, a Volvo, Mazda and Volkswagen dealership in Colorado Springs. He put together a team of employees from the dealership, and I was one of them. I’d had that dream of racing Pikes Peak, but working for Derek and helping out with his Hill Climb efforts, fueled that fire even more.

“Marvin and Derek knew I carried the dream of competing someday and, in 2022, at a post-race team celebration for Derek it was announced that they would like to give me the opportunity to drive the Evo X we’d been campaigning all these years, if I was up for it. It was a dream come true.”

“As the team began looking for a chassis for a new build for Derek, he continued to drive the Evo X in 2023 and entered in 2024. In March, I got a call from him stating he would be withdrawing because it wasn’t in the cards for him to compete but, pending approval from the PPIHC, he would like me to take his seat and compete in the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. With the opportunity from the Boyd family/Halona Farms, the support from the car builder/crew chief at 4D Engineering, and partnership from Bob Penkhus, where I still work, my lifelong dream came true.”

Derek Boyd raced the Evo from 2014-2023, clocking his best time in his 2023 run, just a few seconds from a sub-10 minute mark at 10:03.367.

Tapia was part of this dynamic crew every year.

Boyd shared his thoughts on Tapia, both as a team member and a competitor, “Dominick has been with us from the very first year I competed in the Hill Climb in 2014 and has been a cornerstone of our team!

“He’s always positive and ready to dive into any situation to get the car prepared for the daunting challenges of Pikes Peak. While there have been highs and lows in developing the Evo over the years, Dominick’s spirit was unbreakable and he’s definitely part of the glue that holds this team together.”

“I consider him a very good friend and am beyond thrilled with his performance in the Evo this past year! While he has extensive racing experience, he understood from the start the challenges the mountain can throw at both car and driver. He was well prepared from the beginning for the grueling demands of race week. He knew the mountain well and it definitely showed in his rookie performance.”

FIRST RUN = FAST 15 QUALIFIER

One of the most exciting events during race week is the 10-block street festival in downtown Colorado Springs known as Fan Fest. After four days of early morning activity on the mountain, the fastest qualifiers are announced at a fan autograph session and presented with awards commemorating their achievements. Tapia was included in that impressive group, pictured with fellow-qualifiers Loni Unser and Don Wickstrum (above) and Tom Tang (below).

With a time of 10:20.479, Tapia finished fifth in the Unlimited division in 2024, an impressive first-time result. He shared, “In all honesty, I had worse expectations than my actual experience. Seems I’m always expecting and preparing for the worst, but everything from practice to race day went relatively well this year. It all comes down to just getting lucky. With the weather holding out for my practice sections and the car being mechanically sound, thanks to 4D Engineering and the crew, I don’t think my first year of competition could have turned out any better.”

GET TO KNOW DOMINICK TAPIA

Fun Facts:

“I’m a Colorado Springs native so it’s definitely nice having Pikes Peak in my backyard.”

“I bought my first car at 14 years old, a 1966 Bel Air. I worked on it for a few years before I got my drivers license, but ended up selling it before I even got to drive it, legally!”

“My wife and I have a wide variety of vehicles – 12 in total – ranging from a 1927 Model T Ratrod, to a ’67 Cadillac Coupe deVille, a few 1990s Hondas built for autocross/time attack, a couple Mitsubishi Evos, and a slammed Honda Odyssey that usually gets most of the attention wherever it goes.”

Favorite section: “Currently, it’s the lower section. I think for most rookies that section becomes an instant favorite because it’s the most relatable to flow, speed, and the comfort zone of road racing. I think with more experience I’ll enjoy the upper section more once I get more confident with carrying more and more speed up there.”

Best advice you received about racing on Pikes Peak: “I think the most common themes from everyone you talk to are, ‘Just make it to the top’ and ‘Respect the mountain.’ You truly don’t appreciate those statements until you look back at your run from the finish line and see that maybe you were only driving 9/10ths and it goes against the fierce competitor within you but finishing is the biggest battle. It’s finding a balance of speed with mechanical maintenance as to how you’re driving throughout your run because you only get one chance to make it to the finish so finding that balance is key.”

If you could drive any car on Pikes Peak, what would it be? “In all honesty I would race anything on Pikes Peak. I like driving anything and everything. I do have a passion for Group B rally cars though, so I’d love to experience what it was like to drive a car of that era.”

Favorite race track: “With my crazy schedule I don’t get to many out of state tracks and I’m a sucker for convenience so most of my time is spent at all the local Colorado tracks like Pikes Peak International Raceway (PPIR), Pueblo Motorsports Park and High Plains Raceway.”

Watch PPIHC Rookie, Dominick Tapia’s Race Day Run in 2024

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia,Charles Zhou; Dominick Tapia

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

The Colorado Springs Airport provides a travel experience that prioritizes friendliness, safety, and comfort. Enjoy the speed and convenience of a small airport with options on daily nonstop flights and hundreds of connections worldwide. COS is committed to delivering exceptional service and a warm welcome to all our passengers, making your journey memorable from start to finish. For more information visit FlyCOS.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.­ Your adventure begins here at the Colorado Springs Airport.

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

PPIHC ROOKIE ETHAN HUNTER GRABS FIRST PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB PODIUM

Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, is perhaps the only event where factory-backed race teams with million dollar budgets go head-to-head with self-sponsored grassroots racers.

A perfect example of this was the 2024 Pikes Peak Open division where Ford Performance and Romain Dumas not only won the division, but captured the coveted King of the Mountain title. Along with Dumas, two Colorado-born drivers and long-time friendly competitors, Jimmy Ford and PPIHC rookie, Ethan Hunter, took their places on the podium following the 102nd Running of the Race to the Clouds.

Sharing his inspiration for entering the PPIHC, Hunter explained, “I’d heard about Pikes Peak since I was a kid, but I always thought it was for the superstars, and something that wasn’t attainable. I also grew up racing with Jimmy Ford who had raced on Pikes Peak, and in 2023 he told me, ‘Come on, let’s do it!’ That was the first I’d thought of actually doing it.”

PORT CITY CHEVROLET REVEAL

As his first run on the mountain approached, Hunter presented his race car at Technical Inspection. The 2013 stock car weighed in at 3,100 pounds, was powered by a 6.7L, gasoline-powered engine and outfitted with Hoosier racing tires. According to Hunter, “The chassis manufacturer is Port City and this was originally built as a circle track car, so it was designed to turn left. My dad and I did the conversion to the PPIHC race car.”

EARLY MORNINGS

“I usually really hate waking up in the morning,” Hunter shared. “I love sleeping in, and I was worried about waking up for those early practices. After the first day though, I was so excited, I couldn’t wait! That adrenaline rush at 2:00 a.m. was a first for me!”

THE FINAL TURN

By race day, most drivers know which corner is their favorite. Hunter gave some insight into his, “For me, it’s the last corner before the finish. When you see that, it’s all over, and all this weight is just lifted off your shoulders.”

Crossing the finish line, Hunter described his experience, “I expected to be emotional, and I really was. When I got to the top it was a crazy feeling. It’s so hard to describe, you just have to experience it.”

With a time of 10:47.501, Hunter’s first year behind the wheel landed him on the podium in third place.

He offered insight into his 2024 achievement, “I think everything just had to line up. We had a bit of luck and our car stayed together. I was in third place all day and was pacing back and forth on the summit, but I had to wait for Loni Unser and Jeff Zwart, two top drivers. First Loni broke, and then when I heard Zwart didn’t finish that was it. It was definitely intense for me.”

ON THE PODIUM

“We were well prepared and didn’t have any hiccups all week. To be on the podium with Jimmy was great. Our parents were reliving the old quarter midget days watching us compete! And sharing the podium with Romain? That was pretty cool, too. The whole weekend was just magical.”

While Hunter once thought of the race as unattainable, he embraced encouragement and advice from PPIHC drivers and seized every opportunity to learn. With support from his family, team, and sponsors, Hunter is poised to take his PPIHC experience to the next level. He also hinted at a new build for 2025.

GET TO KNOW ETHAN HUNTER

Fun Facts:

“I’m definitely a cat dad!”

“My first car was a Mitsubishi Eclipse. I got caught street racing and my dad sold it.”

“I may be the only person in Colorado who races in six different divisions – Super Late Models, asphalt sprints, drifting in my fifth-generation Camaro, spec-Miata, Pikes Peak, and now I’m rebuilding a CHCA gravel hill climb car, a Mitsubishi Evo for the Rally 4WD class. I also like racing RC cars and am looking forward to the Gobbler Shootout at TNR Raceway in November.”

Favorite section: “The flow and how fast you can go, kind of like road racing in the big, sweeping corners.”

Challenging section: “The W’s. It was harder in the hairpins to get my big car turned in the other direction.” 

Really grateful for: “My sponsors, Golden Gate Medical Supply and Golden Gate Transportation. They have really helped me out in all my racing, year after year.”

Best advice about racing on the mountain: “I called all kinds of people. Tommy Boileau, told me what kind of speeds I should be running in each section and certain corners. Jimmy Ford told me to ‘Make it to the top’ and he gave me some insider tips. Steve Goeglein, who raced on Pikes Peak for 33 years in his Camaro loved seeing my car. After talking to him, I really felt like I was carrying on the Chevy tradition.”

Hunter’s Top-3 Colorado Favorites:

“Bishop Castle is a great place to visit!

“I enjoy a beer at the Corner Pocket in Fountain, Colorado.”

“I love to cook on the grill, especially the steaks from Ranch Foods Direct.”

PPIHC Rookie, Ethan Hunter, Makes 2024 PPIHC Debut!

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Charles Zhou, Jason Zindroski; Bishop Castle

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

The Colorado Springs Airport provides a travel experience that prioritizes friendliness, safety, and comfort. Enjoy the speed and convenience of a small airport with options on daily nonstop flights and hundreds of connections worldwide. COS is committed to delivering exceptional service and a warm welcome to all our passengers, making your journey memorable from start to finish. For more information visit FlyCOS.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.­ Your adventure begins here at the Colorado Springs Airport.

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org