The 2022 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb kicks off Sunday when more than 70 participants will climb the 12.42-mile, 156-turn, 4,720-foot mountain pass to a peak elevation of 14,115 feet above sea level. Pikes Peak is one of the oldest, most difficult and most dangerous motorsport events in America and this year is its 100th running. If you want to keep tabs on the thrilling and iconic hill climb, there are a few ways you can do so.
For pure live action for free, you can check out Mobile 1’s Facebook, which will be live-streaming the whole event. If you’re going to be away from a screen, driving, or doing yard work, but still watch to keep tabs on the action, you can listen to Colorado Spring’s local KRDO radio station. KRDO will also have live updates on its website. For you smartphone addicts, all Pikes Peak Hill Climb social media channels (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) will keep you posted as well. The hill climb will kick off at 7:30 a.m. Mountain Time (9:30 a.m. EST)
So that’s the what and how covered, now here’s the why. The 2022 Pikes Peak Hill Climb will have a few interesting storylines to follow. Three-time King of the Mountain David Donner will attempt to break the production car record at Pikes Peak in a Porsche 911 Turbo S with the Lightweight Package. While Donner’s 911 is mostly stock, it does have several safety modifications, such as a roll cage, a racing seat a with six-point harness, a fire suppression system, and a freer-flowing exhaust. Donner is partnered with Porsche collector Jim Edwards and 000 magazine.
Rhys Millen, son of Pikes Peak legend and five-time King of the Mountain winner Rod Millen, will try to take the King of the Mountain title this year, after failing to beat Romain Dumas last year, when the intake manifold of his Bentley GT3 Pikes Peak cracked near the end of his run. This time, though, he’ll be driving an E-Motion Engineering Porsche 911 GT3R.
Acura will also run the new 2023 Integra up the hill, driven and prepared by a voluntary team of engineers from Acura’s Ohio R&D plant. The Integra’s 1.5-liter turbocharged four-pot remains unchanged for Pikes Peak, still making 200 horsepower, and it will be paired with a six-speed manual transmission. Acura did make some upgrades to the suspension, brakes, and front differential but they were pulled from HPD (Honda Performance Development), so it should be a mostly factory Integra.
If you’re going to tune into any Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, this is the one, as it’s the 100th running of the iconic event. Not only is it steeped in tradition but it’s also one of the nerve-racking, white-knuckle racing events of the year and its one that shouldn’t be missed.
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