FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 5, 2023
JOSTENS CREATES UNSER LEGACY KING OF THE MOUNTAIN RING FOR PPIHC’S 101st RUNNING
Colorado Springs, Colorado — The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo is pleased to announce the first ever Unser Legacy King of the Mountain Ring crafted by Jostens.
The Unser family has and continues to build a legacy at PPIHC. Since the mid-1920s, the Unser’s have set out to tame the beast that is the 12.42-mile course to Pikes Peak.
Earning a total of 26 King of the Mountain crowns, the Unser family has deep roots in this race’s history with those in the racing circle often referring to Pikes Peak as Unser Mountain.
“It seemed such a natural fit for the Unser Racing Museum to collaborate with Jostens to create a wearable trophy for the annual King of the Mountain. The Unser family arrived from Switzerland and settled in Colorado City in 1895. Their three sons loved racing the dirt road to the top of the mountain on their motorcycles. Next came the sons and grandsons of those three, and their love of and success on the mountain propelled them to legendary careers. Now we have 4th generation daughters and sons who are reaching for the clouds. It’s always been a magical place for the Unser family,” explained Susan Unser of the Unser Racing Museum.
The Unser Legacy King of the Mountain Ring is crafted in 10k Yellow Gold featuring over 1.01 carats of diamonds. The ring reads King of the Mountain Est 1916 atop and has many notable features of PPIHC on the left and right sides.
“We are super excited to partner with everyone at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb for their exciting 101st running,” says Curt Bruns of Jostens. “The King of the Mountain will now receive a champion ring following the event, just like they do for the Daytona 500, Indy 500, and many more. This will be the first-ever PPIHC championship ring, and who better to create it than Jostens, in partnership with the Unser Racing Museum, to celebrate the incredible legacy that family has left on this mountain.”
ABOUT JOSTENS: Since 1897, Jostens has been a trusted partner in the academic and achievement channel, providing products, programs and services that help its customers celebrate moments that matter. The company’s products include yearbooks, publications, jewelry and consumer goods that serve the K-12 educational, college and professional sports segments. Jostens is owned by Platinum Equity and can be found online.
ABOUT UNSER RACING MUSEUM: Opened in 2005 in honor of the Unser Dynasty, Unser Racing Museum showcases a strong family motorsports legacy The museum is currently relocating to Speedway Motors Museum of American Speed in Lincoln, Nebraska and looks forward to welcoming visitors in 2024.
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.
Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
