Pikes Peak Hill Climb was Sunday!

The 100th running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb starts this past Sunday, June 26, at 9:30 A.M. ET. Among more than 70 competitors is Scott Birdsall with his 1949 Ford F1 (at 52:40). If you listen to Speed School Podcast with Gale Banks ep 5, you’d know Scott has returned this year with a 3.0L EcoDiesel-equipped LeMans Prototype car featuring a Banks racing intake manifold. Old Smokey, Scott’s infamous Cummins-powered Ford F1, will be piloted by TV’s Aaron Kaufman.

The race up Colorado’s Pikes Peak is a 12.42-mile time trial event, where one car at a time climbs the 156-turn paved scenic roadway and finishes at the summit at 14,115 feet above sea level. Six divisions of cars compete, ranging from production cars to open-wheel aerodynamic freak shows. It’s one of the most challenging races on earth. It tests man and machine. At 14,115 feet above sea level, the air is so thin that many drivers require oxygen. And, combustion engines struggle to breathe and cool themselves, requiring the use of complex turbo and intercooling systems. Stay tuned to find out how Gale and the Banks team will plan to overcome this lack of air density next year. (Yes, we’re dropping a hint, wink wink). 

Our friends at AMSOIL have been covering Scott Birdsall and Aaron Kaufman’s journey from the moment they hit the mountain. Check out their daily vlogs here.

The green flag dropped at 7:30 am Mountain time (6:30 am PT, 9:30 am ET) Sunday, June 26. Watch the action from the Mobil 1 Facebook page.