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  • 21 Aug, 2019

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Pikes Peak International Raceway
Pikes Peak International Raceway (PPIR) is a racetrack in the Colorado Springs area within the city limits of Fountain, Colorado, that by October 12, 1997, was "the fastest 1-mile paved oval anywhere". The speedway hosted races in several series including the Indy Racing League and two NASCAR series (Busch and Truck) until operations were suspended from August 2005. A wide variety of amateur racing groups use PPIR for racing and training as the circuit is now closed to sanctioned professional auto racing due to the purchase of the track by PPIR LLC from NASCAR/ISC in 2008 after the track was put up for sale in 2006. The sale included a clause that prohibited sanctioned professional auto racing, as well as the need for additional safety upgrades at a cost of $1 million+ for professional racing series that the new ownership had no interest in implementing with the clause in place.

History

Racing in the Pikes Peak Region included 19th century horse tracks (e.g., to the west of Colorado Springs' Palmer House along Fountain Creek by 1882 and to the north by 1903, the "Roswell Racing Park"), and the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb started in 1916 on the 1915 Pikes Peak Highway. In 1938, a track was north of the Alexander Aircraft factory and c. World War II another was to the factory's southeast at the south end of the Nichols Field taxiway. On the Pike's Peak Ocean-to-Occan Highway west of the city was the end of the 1951 Colorado sports car rally (terminus at the Crystola Inn), a 1953 dirt dragstrip "some four miles east of Colorado Springs" was used for "the first statewide drag race", and a stock car track was along Powers Road in the early 1960s. The "last local track" for auto racing east of the city through the late 1970s was the Colorado Springs International Speedway which "had crowds in the 3,000-4,000 range on summer weekends". The Platte Avenue go-kart track closed c. 1990, the greyhound track closed c. 2005 and is now an off track betting facility, and the Olympic velodrome in Memorial Park is one of the remaining racing venues within the city.

Pikes Peak Meadows

Pikes Peak Meadows was a dirt horse racing track facility opened in 1964 20 mi (32 km) south of Colorado Springs and 25 mi (40 km) north of Pueblo, Colorado, with a large, blue, covered grandstand on the west. After its horse racing ended in 1993, C. C. Myers "announced plans in May 1996 to build a major auto racing facility" at Pikes Peak Meadows.

Speedway development

In 1997, "Apollo Real Estate Advisors LP formed a joint venture January 30 with Raceway Associates, a partnership headed by California contractor and developer C.C. Myers Inc, to own and run the 1,300-acre" speedway complex. The asphalt track was constructed 6 ft (1.8 m) below the "normal ground level", C.C. Myers planned "to get a big-time NASCAR race in 1998", and the facility had an open house for the local community on May 31, 1997. The first race's attendance (June 8) was 16,810, the Richard Petty Driving Experience used PPIR from July 2–17, the first IRL Series race on June 28 was televised, and a Winston West 500K race was held in July 1997.

International Speedway Corporation

The stands and part of the infield, viewed from the south

Earlier in 1996, a competing track near Denver in Adams County, Colorado was attempted by Penske Motorsports, Inc. which merged in 1999 with the International Speedway Corporation. In 2002 ISC gained "the right of first refusal should PPIR owners decide to sell their 1,200-acre complex" and in October 2005 for $11 million, "bought out the owners of Pikes Peak International Raceway" (racing operations were suspended and the scoreboard was moved to Texas Motor Speedway.) In 2006, meetings "between attorneys representing [Commerce City, near Denver] and International Speedway Corporation" were conducted before ISC "announced in February [1997] that it was eyeing land in Commerce City as well as eastern Aurora for the track. It envision[ed] a $360 million to $400 million track and stadium that could hold 75,000 to 80,000 fans." A new opposition group, Commerce City Citizens and Business Alliance, endorsed anti-raceway candidates which won local elections, and in May 1997 "ISC executive Wesley Harris said the 1,300-acre parcel the company was considering near Denver International Airport was not compatible with its needs". ISC sold PPIR in November 2006 (the purchase closed in the first quarter of 2007), and PPIR operations resumed in 2008.

Current races

On December 6, 2012, USAC announced that PPIR would be on the 2013 USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series schedule. Pikes Peak International Raceway would host the richest event in SRL Southwest Tour history as announced on April 23, 2013. PPIR also hosts regional club road course races such as the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) and SCCA as well as local enthusiast events such as track days, drifting events, and car shows.

PPIR currently hosts the largest autocross racing series in the Rocky Mountain Region, PPIR Time Attack. The series consists of 8-10 races per year on varying courses on the infield of the track. Courses run from 40 seconds to 1min 5 secs with competitors taking five runs to best their times. The series is based on weight to power and drivetrain classes, including front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, all-wheel drive and a XX class for non-conforming cars or non-street-legal cars.

Lap records

As of July 2005, the fastest official race lap records at Pikes Peak International Raceway are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Event
Road Course: 2.074 km (1997–present)
WSC 0:49.238 Andrea Montermini Ferrari 333 SP 1997 Festival of Road Racing
Trans-Am 0:53.628 Brian Simo Ford Mustang 1999 Pikes Peak Trans-Am round
Superbike 0:54.748 Eric Bostrom Ducati 999R 2004 Pikes Peak AMA Superbike round
Supersport 0:55.458 Jake Zemke Honda CBR600RR 2005 Pikes Peak AMA Supersport round
Ferrari Challenge 0:58.207 Chris Cox Ferrari 360 Challenge 2000 Pikes Peak Ferrari Challenge North America round
D-Shaped Oval: 1.609 km (1997–present)
IndyCar 0:20.7067 Tony Kanaan Dallara IR-03 2003 Honda Indy 225
Indy Lights 0:23.9174 Paul Dana Dallara IPS 2004 Pikes Peak 100
Star Mazda 0:26.187 Graham Rahal Star Formula Mazda 'Pro' 2005 Pikes Peak Star Mazda round

Race results

PPIR race winners
Date Series Winning driver Vehicle Event
2014-09/28 SRL SPEARS Southwest Tour Derek Thorn SPEARS Manufacturing Colorado 100
2013-09/29 SRL SPEARS Southwest Tour Greg Voigt SPEARS Manufacturing Colorado 100
2013-09-27/28 NASA Rocky Mountain Garrett Edmunds Chevrolet
2013-06-29 USAC Silver Crown Series Bobby East Tony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Performance Group Chevrolet Performance/Curb Beast/Kistler TRAXXAS USAC Silver Crown Championship "Rocky Mountain Classic" 100
2013-06-29 USAC National Midget Championship Tracy Hines Parker Machinery/Turbines, Inc. Spike/Stanton Toyota Honda USAC National Midget “Rocky Mountain Classic” 25
2009-05-23 United States Late Model Association Danny Burson
2005-08-21 IRL United Kingdom Dan Wheldon Andretti Dallara/Honda Honda Indy 225
2005-08-21 Indy Lights United States Jeff Simmons Team ISI Dallara / Infiniti Infiniti Pro Series Pikes Peak 100
2005-08-21 NASCAR West Series Steve Portenga Chevrolet NAPA Auto Parts 150
2005-07-23 NASCAR Busch David Green Brewco Ford (#27) ...Salute to the Troops 250
2005-07-23 NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series

NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series

Jim Pettit, II Ford King Soopers Freedom 150
2005-07-03 USAC National Midget Championship

USAC Western States Midget Series

Michael Lewis Rocky Mountain Classic
2005-07-03 USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Series Dave Steele Rocky Mountain Classic
2004-08-22 IRL Scotland Dario Franchitti Andretti Dallara/Honda Honda Indy 225
2004-08-22 Indy Lights United States P. J. Chesson Pioneer Dallara / Infiniti Infiniti Pro Series Pikes Peak 100
2004-07-31 NASCAR Busch Greg Biffle Ford Gould Pumps/ITT Industries Salute to the Troops 250
2004-07-31 NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series Eddie Hoffman Freedom 150
2004-07-04 USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Series Jay Drake King Soopers Rocky Mountain Classic
2004-07-04 USAC Valvoline National Sprint Car Series Dave Steele King Soopers Rocky Mountain Classic
2004-07-04 USAC National Midget Series

USAC Western States Midget Series

Dave Steele King Soopers Rocky Mountain Classic
2003-07-26 NASCAR Busch Scott Wimmer Chevrolet TrimSpa Dream Body 250 presented by Dodge
2003-07-26 NASCAR International Truck & Engine Corporation Midwest Series Steve Carlson Chevrolet Wright Group Event Services 150
2003-07-04 USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Series Jay Drake Rocky Mountain Classic
2003-07-04 USAC Valvoline National Sprint Car Series

USAC Western Sprint Car Series

Tracy Hines Rocky Mountain Classic
2003-07-04 USAC National Midget Series

USAC Western States Midget Series

Dave Steele Rocky Mountain Classic
2003-06-15 IRL New Zealand Scott Dixon Ganassi G-Force/Toyota Honda Indy 225
2003-06-14 Indy Lights United States Aaron Fike RFMS Dallara / Infiniti Infiniti Pro Series Pikes Peak 100
2002-07-27 NASCAR Busch Hank Parker Jr. Dodge NetZero 250
2002-07-27 NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series Tim Schendel Chevrolet Rent-Rite West 150
2002-06-16 IRL Brazil Gil de Ferran Penske Dallara/Chevrolet Radisson Indy 225
2002-06-16 USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown Series Brian Tyler
2002-05-19 NASCAR Truck Mike Bliss Xpress Chevrolet (#16) Rocky Mountain 200
2002-05-19 NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series Eddy McKean Pontiac Pikes Peak 100
2001-07-28 NASCAR Busch Jeff Purvis Chevrolet NAPA Auto Care 250
2001-07-28 NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series Jon Lemke Chevrolet Rent-Rite West 150
2001-06-17 IRL United States Buddy Lazier Hemelgarn Dallara/Oldsmobile Radisson Indy 200
2001-06-17 USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet Series Dave Steele
2001-06-16 Supermodified Racing League Troy Regler Pikes Peak 25
2001 NASCAR Truck Joe Ruttman Dodge Jelly Belly 200
2001-05-20 NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series Craig Raudman Chevrolet Sunstate Equipment Company 100
2000-07-22 NASCAR Busch Jeff Green Chevrolet NAPA Auto Care 250
2000-07-22 NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series Travis Kvapil Chevrolet Jensen Audio 150
2000-06-18 IRL United States Eddie Cheever Cheever Dallara/Infiniti Radisson 200
2000-06-18 USAC MCI WorldCom National Midget Car Series

USAC MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car Series

Ryan Newman
2000-05-21 NASCAR Truck Greg Biffle Ford Grainger.com 200
2000-05-21 NASCAR Featherlite Southwest Series Ross Thompson Chevrolet Sunstate Equipment Company 100
1999-08-29 IRL United States Greg Ray Menard Dallara/Oldsmobile Radisson 200
1999-08-29 USAC MCI WorldCom National Midget Car Series

USAC MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car Series Ryan Newman

1999-07-24 NASCAR Busch Andy Santerre Chevrolet NAPA Auto Care 250
1999-07-24 NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series Travis Kvapil Chevrolet Jensen 150
1999-06-27 USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet Series Tracy Hines Rocky Mountain Classic
1999-05-16 NASCAR Truck Mike Wallace Ford NAPA 300K
1999-05-16 NASCAR West Mike Wallace Ford King Soopers 150
1998-09-27 USAC Western Sprint Car Series Tony Hunt
1998-08-16 IRL Sweden Kenny Bräck Foyt Dallara/Oldsmobile Radisson 200
1998-08-15 ASA AC-Delco Challenge Series Mike Garvey Pontiac Cornwall Tools 200
1998-07-26 NASCAR West Kevin Harvick Chevrolet Kidde Safety Safety 200
1998-07-26 NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series Rick Carelli Chevrolet Pikes Peak 150
1998-07-25 NASCAR Truck Ron Hornaday Jr. Chevrolet Tempus Resorts 300K
1998-07-14 NASCAR Busch Matt Kenseth Chevrolet Lycos.com 250
1998-07-12 USAC Silver Crown Series John Heydenreich Rocky Mountain Classic
1998-07-12 ARCA Bondo Mar-Hyde Series Tim Steele Ford Pikes Peak ARCA 150
1998-07-12 USAC National Midget Car Series

USAC Western States Midget Series

Jason Leffler Nine Racing Rocky Mountain Classic
1998-06-13 NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge Series Jim Inglebright Chevrolet Cornwell Tools 150
1997-08-17 AMA Superbike Miguel Duhamel Honda MBNA Superbike Final
1997-08-17 AMA Superbike Rich Oliver Yamaha ELF Fuels and Lubricants 250 Grand Prix
1997-08-17 AMA Superbike Jason Pridmore Suzuki Teamline 750 Supersport
1997-08-17 AMA Superbike Nate Wait Harley Davidson Progressive Insurance H-D Supertwins Final
1997-08-17 AMA Superbike Paul Harrell Yamaha Pirelli Formula XTreme Final
1997-07-27 NASCAR Winston West Michael Waltrip Ford NASCAR 500K
1997-07-27 USAC Western Sprint Car Series Kevin Urton
1997-06-29 IRL United States Tony Stewart Menard G-Force/Oldsmobile Samsonite 200
1997-06-08 USAC Silver Crown Series Kenny Irwin, Jr Rocky Mountain Classic
1997-06-08 USAC National Midget Championship

USAC Western States Midget Series

Ryan Newman Rocky Mountain Classic

References

  1. ^ "PPIR Facilities". Archived from the original on 2012-06-06.
  2. ^ Bergsten, Tim (October 12, 1997). "PPIR races through 1st year, tunes up for next". The Gazette. Myers, and Apollo Real Estate Advisory of New York, the track's co-owners, didn't borrow money to build PPIR. Neither has a loan to pay.
  3. ^ PAISLEY, JOE (21 August 2015). "Pikes Peak International Raceway may not host major races, but it sure isn't shut down". Colorado Springs Gazette. Retrieved 2021-08-28.
  4. ^ Panoramic Bird's Eye View of Colorado Springs, Colorado City & Manitou, Colo (Map). J. J. Stoner, Madison, Wis. ("Beck & Paul, Lithographers, Milwaukee"). 1882. Palmer House…Cascade [across from end of] Pikes Peak (image link to the Library of Congress)
  5. ^ The Giles City Directory of Colorado Springs and Manitou (PDF) (almanac). The Giles Directory Company. May 1903. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2013-11-12. Retrieved 2013-11-02. Chapters: The Giles Classified Business Directory of Colorado Springs [p. 559] … of Colorado City [p. 715] … of Manitou [p. 755]
  6. ^ Freeman, Paul (2013-10-13). "Colorado Springs area". airfields-freeman.com. Retrieved 2013-11-17.
  7. ^ Colorado Springs, Colorado City and Manitou City Directory. Vol. XIII. The R. L. Polk Directory Co. 1916. Pike's Peak Ocean-to-Occan Highway
  8. ^ Maynard, L (December 1951). "Cold Confusion". Road & Track (magazine). Colorado Springs, Colorado--The Pikes Peak Sports Car Club conducted a "tops up" rally, thru a blinding snowstorm, on Sunday Oct. 21, 1951. The largest turnout of sports cars ever assembled for actual competition in the Rocky Mountain area: gathered in spite of the weather. … Twenty-nine entered the run, including four XK-120s, one Lea Francis, one Mercedes-Benz, one Jaguar Mk V sedan, and twelve MGs. A total of 60 people were at the finish . . . at Crystola Inn, on the Ute Pass above Colorado Springs …after noon, MGs and Jaguars started to appear on the snow-covered Denver highway at Johnson's Corner (Salida). … the run began at 1:30. The three check points (Woodbine Lodge, Roundup Ranch, and Snow Water Springs Lodge)… 5 inches of newly fallen snow that covered the winding and precipitous mountain roads (all over 6,000 feet) covered by the tour. … Two of the contestants turned back for lack of traction due to smooth tires, a Lea Francis from Denver and a diesel Mercedes-Benz from Colorado Springs. … The snowstorm continued throughout the run which lay over gravel mountain roads from Salida, Colorado, thru Jarr Canyon, over the pass to Deckers, and to Westcreek on the South Platte River. Thence over a paved, but snowy, highway to Woodland Park, and over the old highway to Crystola Inn ("on the Ute Pass above Colorado Springs")
  9. ^ Southworth, Bill. "Colorado Conquest". …through the efforts of the local Sea-Bee Reserve unit… Grading equipment was loaned by Douglas Jardine, a Colorado Springs contractor and commander of the unit. … president of the Cam Winders [club] "Our goal is to make Colorado Springs the mecca of all hot rodders in the Rocky Mountain area [by having] the strip paved… {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  10. ^ Routon, Ralph (May 29, 1997). "No telling how many will attend first races". The Gazette.
  11. ^ Bergsten, Tim (June 1, 1997). "Start your engines -- racing begins Saturday". The Gazette. In July, Michael Waltrip and Kenny Schrader … will race in the Winston West 500K race at PPIR. When Myers announced plans in May 1996 to build a major auto racing facility here, fans and business people could not believe their good fortune. … In 1994, Myers received national recognition for rebuilding the earthquake-ravaged Santa Monica Freeway 74 days ahead of schedule.
  12. ^ Hellman, Wayne. "Investors buy into race track". Gazette Telegraph.
  13. ^ Bergsten, Tim. "Completion of raceway on track for summer". The Gazette. Most of the bleacher structure that will seat 42,700 is in place … The bleachers wrap around the west side of the track, which was sunk 6 feet below the normal ground level to improve viewing.
  14. ^ Routon, Ralph (April 13, 1997). "Rising steel eye-opener along I-25". The Gazette.
  15. ^ Bergsten, Tim (May 28, 1997). "Countdown begins at new track". The Gazette. Anyone interested in having a closeup look at the track can take a free tour this weekend.
  16. ^ "Pikes Peak International Raceway". NASCAR.com.
  17. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN2ih-Lmirk 1997 IRL Race TV Broadcast
  18. ^ Bergsten, Tim (June 11, 1997). "Petty's racing school not for Sunday drivers". The Gazette.
  19. ^ "Proposed Track News: Denver". Jayski's® Silly Season Page. July 18, 1998.
  20. ^ Bainbridge, Jim (November 23, 2006). "PPIR may become a private racetrack". The Gazette.
  21. ^ 2013 Silver Crown Schedule
  22. ^ "PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL RACEWAY to HOST RICHEST EVENT in SPEARS SOUTHWEST TOUR HISTORY". 23 April 2013.
  23. ^ "2019 Time Attack Series presented by Heuberger Motors - Pikes Peak International Raceway". ppir.com. Archived from the original on 2019-07-02.
  24. ^ "Pikes Peak Int Raceway - Motor Sport Magazine". Motor Sport Magazine. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  25. ^ "Pikes Peak 2 Hours 1997". 28 September 1997. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  26. ^ "Pikes Peak Results, Story, Points". 3 October 1999. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  27. ^ "AMA Chevrolet Superbike Championship - AMA Superbike Weekend presented by Honda Motorcycles - Pikes Peak International Raceway - Fountain, CO - Round 8 of 18 - May 22–23, 2004 - Chevrolet Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited - Individual Times - Final Race Result" (PDF). 23 May 2004. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  28. ^ "AMA Superbike Championship presented by Parts Unlimited - AMA Superbike Weekend presented by Honda Motorcycles - Pikes Peak International Raceway - Fountain, CO - Round 5 of 10 - May 21–22, 2005 - Lockhart-Phillips USA Formula Xtreme Series - Individual Times - Final Race Result" (PDF). 22 May 2005. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  29. ^ "2000 Ferrari F355 Challenge Race Results". 29 April 2000. Retrieved 20 March 2023.
  30. ^ "2003 Pikes Peak Indycar". Motor Sport Magazine. 15 June 2003. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  31. ^ "2004 Pikes Peak Indy Lights". Motor Sport Magazine. 22 August 2004. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  32. ^ "2005 USF Pro 2000 Pikes Peak Race Statistics". 3 July 2005. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  33. ^ http://racing-reference.info/tracks?id=183 Full field sesults of each IRL, Infinity Pro, Busch & Truck Series Race
External videos
video icon NASA Rocky Mountain racing
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