Pikes Peak Celebrates 100 Years Of Competition In 2016

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, or popularly known as 'The Race to the Clouds' celebrates its centenary year. The hill climb event is organised at Pikes Peak in Colorado, USA. The very first race was contested back in 1916, and back then, it was part of the AAA and USAC IndyCar Championship.

Over 100 competition cars and bikes will be present to celebrate the centenary celebration of Pike Peak Hill Climb event. The 2016 event was won by Romain Dumas, who drove a Norma M20 RD Limited Special in a time of eight minutes and 51.445 seconds.

The Pikes Peak Hill Climb track is treacherous and consists of 156 turns. It is a 12.42 mile long hill climb and the Sebastian Loeb has set the fastest time overall. Back in 2013, Loeb set a time of eight minutes and 13.878 seconds, which stands till date.

Previously, the hill climb event was contested on an unpaved surface. From 2002, the City of Colorado Springs commenced surfacing the road, ten percent every year. The 2011 Pikes Peak Hill Climb was the last that witnessed both, paved and dirt sections.

Several racers and vehicles producing over 1000bhp have tried to set a time under the nine-minute barrier and have failed. Pikes Peak Hill Climb challenges both the driver as well as the vehicle.