Colorado Springs, CO – The recent 100th Running of the iconic Race to the Clouds on Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain drew first time competitors and seasoned veterans from around the world.
Eleven rookies waited on the starting grid for the green flag to welcome them to the 12.42-mile course for their inaugural run. Five of the six divisions included a rookie driver within their ranks. The Open Wheel division was the only group composed entirely of veteran drivers.
Henry Hill of Cedar City, Utah, earned Rookie of the Year honors with his time of 11:36.502, finishing 5th in the Unlimited division and 23rd overall in the field of 72 competitors. His radar speed through Halfway Picnic Grounds, perhaps the fastest part of the course, was an impressive 122 mph. Hill’s #8 2021 Wolf GB08 F1 Extreme was one of three Wolf racers in the powerful Unlimited division. Returning two-time King of the Mountain, Robin Shute, made it a three-peat with his overall win again this year. Former open wheel competitor, Dan Novembre, made his move to the new division in his Wolf entry.
Q&A with Henry Hill
Q: Talk about the Wolf and why you chose it?
I chose the Wolf GB08 Extreme because it’s a great platform to be competitive in at a very low running cost. This is Wolf’s first production unit of this new model so as a team we’ve been learning a ton. It has the newest FIA safety equipment and Halo integrated into the platform. Plus, the fans love it. I know with everything we learned from this event the car can be extremely competitive for the overall win in the future.
Q: What other tracks have you raced the Wolf?
I’ve run it at Miller Motorsports Park, Button Willow, Willow Springs, a few tracks in AZ and at Daytona.
Q: What made it well-suited for Pikes Peak?
The car is very light with large amounts of aero. That combo is always strong at Pikes Peak, but this also has great support from Wolf which is vital when putting a new car into a new environment. It gives me great visibility and a big V8 engine. Everything on it is easy to access and service which you need with such short turnaround times.
Q: Compare your experience on Pikes Peak to racing at other venues:
I think most other race events are the same. You show up, register, qualify, then start the race. Pikes Peak isn’t that way because you’re not lapping, you just get the one run. At other races, you lap over and over again throughout the week so you can easily have a course memorized. No matter what you try with PPIHC you may have corners you’ve only seen 2 or 3 times. I think the mountain rewards you each year you come back by letting you build on that knowledge.
Q: Let’s talk highs and lows from your rookie year.
The low – this would 100% be the transmission. The lowest point of the event was getting back from Wednesday’s Practice/Qualifying to find out that my transmission had several holes in the case. The damage was so bad we made plans to just pack up and spectate the remainder of the event. Luckily a local shop – Cole/Crew @ 4D Engineering – saved the day. We made some aluminum inserts and tig welded the entire rear of the case back together. I should say the transmission is amazing – this was just an issue missed during service. It really provided a challenge that forced the entire team to work from Wednesday morning until that car had to go back on the mountain to repair all the damage. I had an awesome crew that continued work during all hours.
We also lost a practice day because of a stripped wheel stud. I think it’s good to be humbled and this event never misses a chance to remind you!
The high – Crossing the finish line after the week we all put in. I didn’t even know my time until I left the mountain. I just wanted to get to the top because that is what we had worked so hard to achieve as a team.
Q: Let’s talk Race Day weather.
These were the most difficult race conditions I’ve ever run in! I hadn’t had a chance to use rain tires on this car and I should have run on slicks when I went up the mountain. The rains overheated right away, and we had a oiling issue causing the tire to get slightly coated
Q: Favorite part of the course?
Cove Creek up to Ragged Edge. You come out of the tree line and get this amazing view of the entire valley while going flat out towards a hair pin. I never got tired of this section.
Q: Best advice you received?
Robin Shute told me, “Don’t worry about being fast – just focus on spending the maximum amount of time learning the mountain. That holds the most value.”
Q: Any plans to return in 2023?
100%! We’re hoping to have a highly upgraded version for next year along with incorporating the knowledge from this year to put down a much faster time.
ABOUT THE PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB
First staged in 1916, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is the second oldest race in America. The invitation-only event, often referred to as The Race to the Clouds is held annually on the last Sunday of June on Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain, near Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. The famous 12.42-mile (20 km) course consists of 156 turns, boasts an elevation gain of 4,725 feet (1,440 m), and reaches a finish line at 14,115 feet (4,302 m) above sea level. The PPIHC’s six race divisions feature a wide variety of vehicles – from production-based Time Attack challengers to purpose-built Open Wheel racers and state-of-the-art Unlimited vehicles. The current race record was set in 2018 by Romain Dumas and Volkswagen in the all-electric I.D. R Pikes Peak – 07:57.148.
Photo Credit: Louis Yio, Luis Garcia
Contact:
Lisa Haight
Event Coordinator / Media / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
Although Wyatt Dallenbach had the fastest qualifying time leading up to Sunday’s race, Spencer Steele (pictured) set the fastest time of the day with a 05:02.83 to claim the overall win and top honors in the Open Wheel division. Fast qualifier, Wyatt Dallenbach, would settle for second place.
Paul Dallenbach in his #98 set the best time in the Unlimited division. Dallenbach’s exploits on Pikes Peak are well known. He has competed for 29 years – more than half his life – in the Race to the Clouds, notching 3 King of the Mountain crowns, and a place in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb Hall of Fame.
Jeff Zwart in the #11 Porsche won the Rally 2WD group in 05:31.72. Acclaimed film director and competitor, Zwart directed Ken Block’s epic Climbkhana: Pikes Peak video in 2017. With 17 years of competition on America’s Mountain, Zwart has claimed seven division wins and is a member of the Hall of Fame.
Jimmy Ford won two titles at Lands End. The structure of the event allows drivers to compete in two divisions. Ford garnered a Stock Car win in 05:24.98 (pictured) and a Sportsman division victory in 05:27.35. Ford challenged Pikes Peak for the first time in June.
Travis Newbold captured a win in the Lands End Motorcycle division in 05:25.17. Newbold was a consistent podium finisher on Pikes Peak, taking home first place, along with a division record, in 2012 in the 450cc class.
Renée Brinkerhoff of Valkyrie Racing piloted the 2022 Official Pace Car, a bright yellow 2022 Acura NSX Type S that was visible to fans along the course despite the foggy setting. With mixed road conditions but no ice on the course all competitors now had the opportunity to race toward the checkered flag at the 14,115-foot summit. Although full course runs were possible, the extremely limited visibility and slick surface would extinguish all hope for a record-setting pace.
The Exhibition division’s 14 drivers lined up behind Blake Fuller who would take the initial green flag to start the day’s competition. Topping the division was David Donner (Colorado Springs, CO) behind the wheel of a 2022 Porsche Turbo S, the first of four drivers to win sporting the prestigious badge, with a time of 10:34.053.
Onboard footage of Levi Shirley’s (Dodge City, KS) 81 Ultra4 racer bombarded the internet as the infamous Engineers Corner caught Shirley by surprise. Shirley rolled his vehicle once, landed perfected on all fours and proceeded out of the ditch unfazed to complete his first race to the clouds. While unofficial, Shirley now holds the record for fastest car to roll and finish the 12.42 mile course.
Newcomer, Henry Hill (Cedar City, UT), also behind the wheel of a Wolf, the 2021 Wolf GB08 F1 Extreme, claimed Rookie of the Year honors for scoring the fastest time of the twelve first-timers on the mountain in 11:36.502.
Alcon Brakes presented the No Holding Back award to Andy Kingsley (Buena Vista, CO) for a competitor who has overcome challenges and persevered to reach the checkered flag on race day. Jonathan Edwards of Alcon Brakes shared, “It’s remarkable to see these local racers competing against factory teams. We chose Andy to receive this $10,000 product award since we see his dedication to coming back year after year, basically as a one-man show, with grease under his fingernails, as crew and driver. He’s making this happen and Alcon wants to help elevate his vehicle to the next level.”
In the Brumos Racing red, white and blue livery, David Donohue (West Chester, PA) stood out among the field of twenty drivers from six countries in the Time Attack 1 division capturing the win in a 2019 Porsche GT2 RS Clubsport in 10:35.830. Donohue dominated the division throughout “Peak Week” setting the quickest trial times in all three sections of the course.
The Open Wheel division was a battle of drivers from Colorado. Codie Vahsholtz (Woodland Park, CO), 2021 Rookie of the Year, laid down the fourth fastest time of the day winning his division in 10:38.259. In only his second year competing on four wheels, Codie is an Open Wheel champion.
Paul Dallenbach (Basalt, CO), inducted to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb Hall of Fame at the Road to 100 Reception earlier in the week, placed second in the division in a new entry, but still sporting the #98, a 2020 Sierra Alpha.
Rhys Millen (San Juan Capistrano, CA) triumphed in the Pikes Peak Open division driving the 2016 E-Motion Porsche GT3R TT with a time of 10:52.664. Millen etched his fourteenth division win into the record books when he shared the victory with his father, Rod, 5-time King of the Mountain and Pikes Peak Hill Climb Hall of Famer. The senior Millen ran his 20th race on America’s Mountain in the same Toyota Tacoma he piloted to win overall in 1998 and 1999. The legendary driver and iconic racecar were fan favorites all week.
As the final car reached the summit, BMW Performance Center driver, Matt Mullins, in a custom M5 Competition prepared to lead the competitors back down the course in the Parade of Champions. Spectators lined sections of the course for the unique opportunity to high-five the winners, shout their congratulations and snap pictures of their favorite drivers.
TORRANCE, Calif., June 14, 2022—Perfectly timed to its arrival this month at Acura dealers nationwide, the 2023 Acura Integra will make its motorsports debut June 26 at The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo. The next-gen Integra will compete in the 100th running of the “Race to the Clouds” alongside four production-based race cars from Acura, including two NSX Type S supercars, all prepped, driven and crewed by a team of volunteer engineers out of the company’s R&D facilities in Ohio.
Driven by Pikes Peak rookie Paul Hubers, the race-prepped Integra’s red, gray and white livery pays homage to Acura’s first-ever race car. This iconic graphic scheme was first seen on the first-generation Integra that went on to win back-to-back IMSA Championships (1987, 1988) with driver Parker Johnstone.
Featuring a factory stock turbocharged 1.5-liter engine and 6-speed manual transmission, the next-gen Acura Integra has been prepped for its first motorsports competition with upgraded brakes, suspension and differential sourced from the Honda Performance Development (HPD) parts catalog. Modifications also include lightweight 18×9-inch HRE wheels that reduce unsprung weight, while 245-series Pirelli racing slicks increase the contact patch and cornering grip.
David Hackl, inaugural winner shared, “In 2021 we were the recipient of the Alcon Brakes No Holding Back award. It was a complete surprise and incredibly moving to receive this nomination from Alcon and the whole Pikes Peak family. Winning this award reinforced our steadfast dedication to running our historic Audi Quattro in this prestigious race and gave us the opportunity to set more aggressive goals for success in 2022 including being the fastest Audi ever. We are ecstatic to have Alcon Brakes on board at every turn up the hill. The team at Alcon Brakes worked tirelessly to make this one-off custom package for our special car, and the control and confidence these brakes provide will no doubt be a game changer for us in the 2022 Race to the Clouds.” Hackl will compete for the 9th time this year in his #2 1983 Audi Quattro. His best time was recorded in 2020 when he finished in sixth place in 11:10.177.
“It is a huge privilege for Alcon to be involved with the 100th Running of the iconic Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, both as a supplier to competitors and as an award partner,” shared Jonathan Edwards, Group Sales Director, Alcon Brakes. “The event, steeped in history, is one that we hold very dear to our hearts. We can’t wait for race day and look forward with great pride to awarding the No Holding Back prize to a most worthy competitor.”