THE RACE TO THE CLOUDS
P88
Feature
to surfers who chase the world's biggest waves, knowing full
well each mistake could be their last.
Like the Isle of Man TT Mountain Course, the rush of com-
pleting a good run at Pikes Peak is one of the most potent any
adrenalin junkie can find. That's why I have come back to this
most treacherous of races for the last four years, to get my
fix, and to become the first Australian to take the King of The
Mountain crown.
At 12.42-miles (19.98 km), the course starts at an elevation
of 9000 feet (2743 meters) before reaching a climax of 14,100
feet (4300 meters), nearly half the height of a cruising passenger
airliner. Pikes Peak mountain itself towers over the Colorado
Springs landscape like a matriarch, its snow-covered tips al-
ways in view from any area of the city.
The mountain is a source of great pride for the locals—a
symbol of mother nature's beauty and her fury—and one that
provides the most unique racing venue anywhere in the world.
The race itself dates back to 1916 and is the second oldest
motorsport event in the U.S. behind the Indianapolis 500, with
its history littered with the names of great drivers like Unser,
Loeb, Vatanen and Dumas, and riders like Fillmore and Dunne.
Motorcycles and cars share the day, held this year on the
30th of June, with the bikes on track first, usually between 7:30
am to 10:00 a.m. The latter time coincides with the best track
Day Two, 5:45 am.
Rennie's Aprilia
is sandwiched by
the two factory
Ducati's of
Dunne (right) and
Vahsholtz. At this
stage, the Ducati's
had the upper
hand.
