There is no other venue like it anywhere in the world. Anywhere. There are other hill climbs, sure, and even a few other visually epic race locations…but nothing like this one. Pikes Peak is the oldest hill climb in the country, the second oldest annually run motor race in the country, and the most famous and prestigious hill climb in the world. Most great driving legends from across motorsport disciplines find their way here eventually, and if they don’t it’s not because they didn’t want to. The challenge is fantastic, of course, but more than that it’s the place. The look and feel of the environment itself is intoxicating. It draws you in and, once you’ve been here, it’s very difficult to tear yourself away.
I’ve been racing here for a decade, now, and for the past two years covering it for My Life at Speed; and I spend most of my time away from Pikes Peak planning how I’ll be going back the next year. Though, each year on the day I head home, I say to myself that this will be the last year, but that thought only lasts until I get home and stand in my garage; and know that I need to find a way to get back.
I’ll never hold an overall record…and the likelihood that I’ll ever reach the times laid down by the top Time Attack drivers is pretty slim. But that’s never been the goal. The goal is to simply do better than I did the last time, and no matter what else happens during the week, make sure that I’m standing on the summit on race day. That’s about the best thing a guy like me can hope for. Beat the mountain. Beat my best time. Get the high fives on the way down. That’s all.
Here are my favorite photos from the 2013 running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. – Kenneth Stouffer
It was good to see my friends up on the hill again this year. A long and trying day for most, with weather delays and less than ideal conditions. Even with that, we still saw everyone safely home. That’s a good year.
The rest of my favorites from the week are in the gallery below. Enjoy.
I've been around some form of racing since I was a kid. First hanging around Ascot in Southern California. Then, after moving to Texas as a teen, I got hooked on drag racing and did that for almost fifteen years. In between I have raced Dirt bikes and Quads.
2011 Marked my 8th and final year racing up Pikes Peak: Five in the Pro Quad division and three in Time Attack. Future racing plans are in the works, but until then I'm at the track shooting for My Life at Speed as much as I possibly can.
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