2025 REQUEST FOR INVITATION PROCESS OPENS NOV 7 | |
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Each year the PPIHC welcomes applications from competitors around the world and will review approximately 100 submissions before issuing 70 invitations. Applications should include documents such as the driver's resume, racing references, vehicle specs and photos, and build sheets documenting roll cage safety requirements.
Interested teams and competitors may apply online between November 7, 2024 and January 30, 2025 at PPIHC.org.
And mark your calendar for the 103rd Running of the Race to the Clouds, Sunday, June 22, 2025.
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2024 PPIHC RACE HIGHLIGHTS | | |
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YEAR-ROUND CONTENT
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OFFICIAL PPIHC MERCH
FALL IS IN THE AIR
Order your Mountain Beanie and matching scarf and get ready for the winter chill! Plus, Puffer jackets, Carhartt coats, flannel shirts, hoodies, lots of gift ideas, and more!
View all Official PPIHC Merch and order HERE
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FRAMEABLE MOMENTS WITH
LARRY CHEN
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"This photo captures the striking beauty and changing scenery of this challenging mountain road, highlighting the intense challenge that drivers must endure."
Payton Smith, Larry Chen Photo
Pictured: In this 'change of seasons' photo, three-time PPIHC competitor, Matus Huska, challenged Pikes Peak in his 2011 Audi TTs placing 6th in the Pikes Peak Open division with his time of 10:49.233.
Larry Chen Photo
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Early Automobile Tours on Pikes Peak
Reprinted from the 1916 Race Program
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Notice under TOLL CHARGES, "The Pikes Peak Highway is also open to all gas, electric or steam self-propelled vehicles. So, EVs have likely been on the mountain from the early days of the famous auto highway.
Pedestrians and equestrians were also required to pay a toll.
Plus, if you drove your own car to the summit, you were "eligible for Life Membership in the Pikes Peak Summit Motor Club." The certificates were signed by Spencer Penrose.
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Q: Who has the fastest time on Pikes Peak behind the wheel of a Mazda?
A. Rod Millen
B. Rob Dahm
C. Mad Mike Whiddett
D. Rhys Millen
(Keep reading to find the answer!)
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As the Title Sponsor of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, The Broadmoor has long been affiliated with the famed "Race to the Clouds." With a common founding father in Spencer Penrose, both the hotel and the race continue to promote his legacy by showcasing the best of the Colorado experience.
"The Broadmoor is proud to partner with the Pikes International Hill Climb team in the race established by our founder, Mr. Spencer Penrose," shared Jack Damioli, President and CEO of the Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond award-winning resort. "For over a century, this race has played a significant part in promoting the Pikes Peak Region and America's Mountain."
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Meet Amanda Baida
PPIHC Board of Directors
Amanda Baida is the founder and owner of InnerSocial Marketing, a social media marketing agency based in Colorado Springs. Working with small local businesses and non-profits, the company has grown to service national and even global brands on social media strategy. Together with her team, they have leveraged social media and other digital marketing tools to empower businesses from a wide array of industries to grow their brand awareness, generate leads, and convert prospects into customers.
Baida grew up in Woodland Park, CO in a family of graphic designers and went to college at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs where she received her Bachelor's degree in marketing. It wasn't always her intent to stay in Colorado, but after traveling to exciting places all over the world, including Dubai, Singapore, Chile, and Australia, she was back home in Colorado where she focuses on adventures with her young family. In addition to operating InnerSocial Marketing, Baida loves mountaineering, summiting nearly 40 14ers (including Pikes Peak twice), and enjoys fishing, camping, snowsports and kayaking.
"As someone who is native to the area and has lived on both sides of Pikes Peak, the PPIHC has always had a special place in my heart," she shared. "It's always a highlight of summer and, with close family and friend ties to both the mountain and the race, it's very special to have life come full circle and be able to sit on the Board of Directors. My uncle, Jeff Blough, managed the Pikes Peak maintenance crew for as long as I could remember, plus, Vahsholtz was a household name in Woodland Park. This is an exciting opportunity to be a part of Colorado history!"
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The Colorado Hill Climb Association continues to offer drivers and fans unique opportunities to experience the 2024 season. Thanks to Joel Yust for capturing the action at the most recent event, Temple Canyon, on Sept 1.
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Codie Vahsholtz is challenging the UTV class with CHCA this year. At Temple Canyon he finished second by less than two seconds with his time of 03:32.10.
Vahsholtz raced for nine years on Pikes Peak in the Motorcycle division, setting three records. His first year in a racecar was 2021 where he was crowned Rookie of the Year. He continues to race the #18 in the Open Wheel division and has qualified in the Fast 15 every year.
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Scott Crouch raced at Temple Canyon in two groups, Rally All Wheel Drive and Unlimited, winning Rally AWD in 03:51.33.
His PPIHC history includes fourteen starts and he's finished every race. Beginning as a co-driver for Travis Pastrana, Crouch has continued to race Subaru WRX models. His best time on Pikes Peak was recorded this year, a 10:46.133.
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Spencer Steele also competed in two classes at Temple Canyon, winning both. His Open Wheel time was 03:19.44, and his Unlimited clocking was even faster at 03:17.65.
Steele has competed on Pikes Peak for two decades, winning the Open Wheel division three times.
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Other PPIHC racers who finished first in class include: Travis Newbold in the Motorcycle class with a time of 03:36.15; Tyler Portillo in Pro Quads in 03:21.87 and Steven Olona in Rally 2WD in 03:53.30.
PPIHC's Todd Cook, Earl and Rodney O'Maley, Brian Hardman, Donner Billingsley, Jimmy Olson and Jeff Zwart were also spotted in the pits.
The next CHCA race takes place at Pikes Peak International Raceway, just south of the track. Come out and support this group of grassroots racing enthusiasts on September 28 and 29!
Volunteers always welcome!
Want to be more involved, Board Member nominations close October 1.
Contact Dee at CHCA for more info!
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WORLD TIME ATTACK CHALLENGE
Cole Powelson was spotted at the Sydney, Australia event. Powelson is the 2024 PPIHC Open Wheel division champion. He has competed for six years in either his SIERRA Alpha, or his Nissan GT-R.
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GOODWOOD REVIVAL
Romain Dumas, 5-time PPIHC King of the Mountain and overall course record holder, was in contention for the St. Mary's Trophy at this year's Goodwood Revival. Check out his 29th to 3rd place journey while strapped in to a big Ford Galaxie 500!
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Paul Goldsmith
1925 - 2024
Paul Goldsmith raced in 1965 in the Stock Car division in his sole PPIHC entry. He drove the #36 Pontiac, but unfortunately scored a DNF.
From Daytona Beach to Indy, to motorcycle tracks across the country, Goldsmith had great success wherever he raced. His connections to the legendary Smokey Yunick and Ray Nichels helped him succeed.
Goldsmith is a member of the AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame, the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame.
Remembering Paul Goldsmith
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REMEMBERING A LIFE WELL-LIVED | |
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We wish to honor and support our friend and colleague, Alex Urban, PPIHC Event Manager, who recently lost her father to ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).
Alex's love of sport, and eventually the PPIHC is due, in part, to her father’s passion for teaching fundamentals, encouraging student athletes, and enjoying competition.
Robb Feeback was a coach, teacher and mentor in youth sports in Colorado Springs and in Delta, Colorado. One of his final wishes was the establishment of a scholarship fund to encourage students throughout Colorado to pursue their sports dreams.
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"Every 90 minutes, doctors deliver a new ALS diagnosis. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disease. ALS destroys motor neurons, eventuating muscle weakness, paralysis and difficulty breathing and swallowing. Most ALS sufferers live 2-5 years after diagnosis. Every 90 minutes, ALS claims another soul. Racing For ALS believes this is not an incurable disease, it’s an underfunded one. Our mission is to raise awareness and direct funds to speed a cure." Racing for ALS.com
Racing for ALS was represented at the 2024 PPIHC by competitors Ryan Cheek and Jeremy Lowder, both strong supporters of this cause.
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TRIVIA ANSWER:
If you guessed Red Bull sensation, Mad Mike Whiddett, you're correct. Whiddett, a first-time racer on America's Mountain in 2023, entered a 2022 Mazda 3 in the Exhibition division, finishing 5th with a time of 10:34.980.
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If you guessed 2024 PPIHC Rookie, Rob Dahm, who raced his 1993 Mazda RX-7 in the Pikes Peak Open division, you were close. Dahm's time of 11:04.797 made him the fastest RX-7 on Pikes Peak.
And if you thought Rod or Rhys Millen was the correct answer, you're not far off. Rod won in a Mazda in 1989 and 1991, setting a division record at the time. Millen's son, Rhys, entered for the first time in 1992 with a Mazda, winning his division and earning Rookie of the Year.
Imagine the buzz if these powerhouses teamed up to bring more Mazda to the Mountain!
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Photo credits: Larry Chen Photo: Larry Chen, Payton Smith, Charles Zhao, Jason Zindrosky; Joel Yust, PPIHC Archives, The Broadmoor, Styled Aesthetics, Elora Danen Photography | | | | |
