Test Your Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Knowledge 1
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Test your Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Knowledge 1. What year did the first automobile reach the summit of Pikes Peak? 2. Who organized the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in 1916? a. General Palmer b. Will Rogers c. Spencer Penrose d. Thayer Tutt 3. Since 1916, only seven years passed with no racing on Pikes Peak. Do you know the reasons why? 4. What two famous brothers have won on Pikes Peak and at the Indianapolis 500? 5. Who is the only woman to set an overall course record on Pikes Peak? 6. Who was the first driver to complete the race in under 10 minutes? a. Sebastien Loeb b. Rod Millen c. Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima d. Romain Dumas 7. Who holds the record for the most years raced on the mountain? a. Louis “The Old Man of the Mountain” Unser b. Randy Schranz c. Steve Goeglein d. Paul Dallenbach 8. Who captured two wins, and set race two records, on the same day? 9. What is the nickname for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb? a. The Run for the Sun b. The Race Like the Wind c. The Race to the Clouds 10. What vehicle holds the record as the fastest ever on Pikes Peak? Trivia Answers: 1. 1901 - On August 12, 1901, two Denver men named Yont and Felker were the first to drive to the top. Their trip in a two-cylinder Locomobile Steamer took just over nine hours and was accomplished by pushing as well as driving their motorcar. 2. (c) Spencer Penrose - Spencer Penrose, one of Colorado Springs’ major benefactors, realized the tourist potential of such a beautiful landmark. In 1915 Penrose finished converting the narrow carriage road into the Pikes Peak Highway, which, by today’s standards would be better described as a descent gravel road. In order to publicize his adopted hometown, and draw visitors to his Broadmoor Hotel, he devised a simple plan; run an invitation-only automobile and motorcycle race to the summit of Pikes Peak on the new highway. The Pikes Peak National Hill Climbing Contest was first held on August 10, 11, and 12, 1916. 3. World War I and World War II – No racing was held on Pikes Peak from 1917 through 1919, or from 1942 through 1945. 4. The Unsers – Al Unser and Bobby Unser. Bobby Unser, inspired by a generation of racing Unsers, first entered the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in 1955. He captured 13 wins, including 5 consecutive course records. Bobby never failed to finish at Pikes Peak. His years competing at Indianapolis were equally impressive, with three wins, each in a different decade. Al Unser followed in big brother Bobby’s footsteps and began racing on Pikes Peak in 1960. He achieved back-to-back wins on the mountain in 1964 and 1965. Al would become known around the world as one of an elite group of only three Indy competitors to garner four victories at the 500 – A.J. Foyt, Al Unser and Rick Mears. 5. Michèle Mouton - By the mid-1980s, rally cars on Pikes Peak were attracting increasing numbers of competitors, including Michèle Mouton driving an Audi Sport Quattro. With her WRC co- driver Fabrizia Pons sitting alongside her, Mouton won the division. The following year, also in an Audi Quattro, Mouton raced as a solo driver shattering the perception of female competitors on Pikes Peak. She set an overall course record of 11:25.39 – besting every competitor on the mountain. 6. (c) Tajima - Nicknamed “Monster” for his superb wild driving style and towering stature, Tajima’s career was defined by pushing the limits. Tajima won in the Unlimited division six consecutive years, ultimately breaking the elusive ten-minute barrier in 2011 for the first time clocking 9:51.278. 7. (b) Randy Schranz – With 40 years of competition on Pikes Peak, Randy Schranz has raced longer than any other competitor. His first race was in 1972. Randy, father of racer Layne Schranz, is a member of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb Museum Hall of Fame. 8. Leonard Vahsholtz - Leonard captured his most unique win on Pikes Peak in 1993 with a record in the Stock Car Division. After a quick helicopter flight back down to the Start Line, he got behind the wheel of his truck and set yet another record in the Super Stock Truck Division. One day, two record-setting runs, unprecedented in Pikes Peak Hill Climb history. 9. (c) The Race to the Clouds 10. 2018 Volkswagen I.D. R Pikes Peak - In 2017, Volkswagen literally fast tracked their latest racing project – an 8-month concept-to-competition timeline for their all-electric I.D. R Pikes Peak racecar. With then three-time Pikes Peak Champion, Romain Dumas behind the wheel, and Volkswagen’s precisely engineered machine, the result was groundbreaking – a new course record of 7:57.148 and a fourth King of the Mountain title for Dumas. .