FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, June 12, 2023
PPIHC ANNOUNCES HURLEY HAYWOOD 2023 GRAND MARSHAL
Colorado Springs, Colorado — Legendary sports car racer Hurley Haywood will serve as the Grand Marshal of the 2023 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo. Haywood will make a demonstration run up the mountain in a Taycan Cross Turismo Turbo S on Sunday, June 25.
“Few names have made their mark on American motorsports the way that Hurley Haywood has,” said Melissa Eickhoff, PPIHC Executive Director. “We’re thrilled to have him take part in this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb as Grand Marshal, and can’t wait to see him head up the mountain to kick off this year’s race day.”
The #59 Brumos Porsche colors that Haywood helped make famous over more than four decades of racing will be present in the race as well, with David Donohue once again competing in a Porsche GT2 RS Clubsport in hopes of setting a new Time Attack 1 record.
“With all the success that Porsche has had on Pikes Peak and with David Donohue running a Brumos car again, I’m super excited to be part of the event. I look forward to seeing you all in June!” shared Haywood.
ABOUT HURLEY HAYWOOD
One of a select handful of drivers to complete the Triple Crown of endurance racing, Haywood has won the 24 Hours of Daytona overall five times, 24 Hours of Le Mans three times, and 12 Hours of Sebring twice. The two-time IMSA GT champion was selected to compete in the International Race of Champions four times, most recently in 1995, and concluded his driving career in 2012 with a podium finish in his final 24 Hours of Daytona.
Accolades have come steadily for Haywood since he was inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2005. He remains the Honorary Chief Instructor at the Porsche Track Experience at Barber Motorsports Park, and he has served as the Grand Marshal of all three Triple Crown endurance racing events that he’s won in his career. His autobiography, co-authored by Sean Cridland, Hurley: From the Beginning, was released in 2018, and a documentary, Hurley, was produced by Patrick Dempsey and released shortly thereafter.
ABOUT THE PORSCHE TAYCAN TURBO S CROSS TURISMO
Grand Marshal Hurley Haywood will be piloting a Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo – the top model of the Taycan range – up to the top of Pikes Peak this year. The Taycan is no stranger to the mountain, having completed a 1,400 mile journey here previously, achieving a Guinness World Record for the greatest altitude change set by an electric car. All Taycan Cross Turismo variants feature a Gravel mode that simultaneously increases the ride height an additional 10 millimeters, sets the suspension firmness, traction and stability control, as well as the torque management system, to maximize grip over loose surfaces, like mud, sand, and gravel. Combined with additional body cladding to minimize errant rock chips to the body, the Taycan Cross Turismo is just as effective on rough surfaces as it is on the asphalt. On more sure-footed roads, the Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo can accelerate from a stop to 60 miles per hour in 2.7 seconds. All variants of the Taycan Cross Turismo feature dual-motor all-wheel drive, two-speed rear transmission, Porsche Adaptive Suspension Management in conjunction with air suspension, Performance Battery Plus and its 800-volt battery architecture, adaptive aerodynamics, panoramic glass roof, and Porsche’s PCM system.
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
