$30,000 Reward // Pikes Peak 2008

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is on the calendar for next month, with a scheduled date of July 20th. An uphill battle, literally, is sure to take place, as competitors from nearly every country power their way up the 12.42 miles that makes up Pikes Peak. With a 4,708 foot elevation gain, 156 turns and a gravel-pavement surface to contend with, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is the apex of uphill, rally, endurance sprint racing. The green flag waves at 9:30am on the 20th, with the toll gate opening at 4am to let spectator cars up the mountain. Assuming all goes well (no big crashes etc.), expect to spend the better part of the day atop the mountain. The starting line sits at nearly 9,300 feet above sea level, with the finish resting at a staggering 14,110 feet above. Altitude sickness commonly ails rally spectators, as massive elevation gains may upset the tummy. Not for the faint of heart, whether driver of spectator, Pikes Peaks has been run since 1916, making it the second longest running motorsports event here in the U.S. With a multitude of classes, from open wheel to sidecar, truck to all out Pikes Peak specific rally cars, the event always makes for an interesting time. Often referred to as “the Race to the Clouds” the climb is a severe test of both driver and machine. The thin air robs the vehicles of nearly 30% of their power as they reach the top, accompanying driver fatigue and muscle strain, making each turn more difficult than the next. Current record for a climb to the top // 10:01 set by Nobuhiro Tajima in 2007. There is currently a $30,000 purse at stake for the first driver to breach the ten minute barrier. With that kind of cash on the line, expect this years event to be an exciting one. Check out the map of the course, with all 156 turns and huge elevation gains. And for something a bit more adrenaline filled, ride along here in the 1990 WRC Peugeot 206, as it climbs the infamous Pikes Peak, in an excerpt from the French film Climb Dance. // 06.09.2008