87th
Annual PPIHC
Pike's Peak International Hill Climb
Colorado Springs, CO
July 19, 2009
|
|
Michael Coburn Wins
Pike's Peak Hill Climb & Breaks Quad 450
Record
| Pikes
Peak International
Hill Climb - ATV Links |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Colorado Springs, CO - The Pikes
Peak International Hill Climb is one of the oldest
motorsports racing events in the United States and
is a test of endurance of both man and machine.
As the elevation increases, riders reflexes begin
to slow and muscles become fatigued, while engines
begin to lose power in the thin air, but Pikes Peak
newcomer Michael Coburn was able to overcome those
challenges and not only take the 450 Quad win, but
set a new division record.
“I wasn’t really sure what to expect
since it was my first time there,” said
the National Pro Extreme DirtTrack racer. “I
just went out there and tried to do my best and
when it was over, I didn’t even think that
I had won, let alone break a record,” Coburn
explained.
|
Michael
Coburn racing his way to the top of Pikes
Peak Mountain (Photo by Jay
Bonvouloir) |
Events and time qualifiers at Pikes Peak began
on Tuesday July 14th, bright and early at 4am
and went for three days with the celebratory “Fan
Fest” on Friday evening where all of the
fastest qualifiers get to display their rides.
“There was about 30,000 people at Fan Fest.
It was pretty amazing to see that many people
there,” said Coburn, who, over the course
of the three day practice and time qualifiers,
was on top of his game and even set two qualifier
records on the first day. Racers are then given
Saturday off to work on their machines if needed
and get ready for Sunday’s main events.
For the Quad main events, racers leave the starting
line three at a time with the top qualifiers going
first. They are then timed as they wind their
way up the mountainside.
| PPIHC
Race Quick Facts |
| Race
Length: |
12.42
Miles |
| Track Width: |
20 - 50 Feet |
| Surface: |
Gravel/Asphalt |
| Start Elevation: |
9,390 Feet |
| Finish Elevation: |
14,110 Feet |
| Elevation
Gain: |
4,708 Feet |
| Average Grade: |
7% |
| Turns: |
156 |
|
According to the Pikes Peak website, the 12.42 mile
course boasts 156 turns, some of which are accompanied
by sheer drop offs hundreds of feet down. The course
goes from a starting point elevation of 9,390 feet
all the way up to 14,110 feet. “It was pretty
intense in some places. In the part that they referred
to as the “W” section, (between the
1st and 4th leg of the climb) you look over to the
left and all you see is sky. It was a little unnerving
so I just tried to stay focused on the course,”
said Coburn.
|
Michael
Coburn racing his way to the top of Pikes
Peak Mountain |
Coburn attributes part of his success in the
“Race to the Clouds” to his experience
as a TT racer in the Extreme DirtTrack Series.
“The course was like one big TT track, so
it was something that I’m really used to
and I think that helped a lot, because I felt
pretty comfortable out there,” said Coburn
who finished with a records breaking time of 12:18
in the Quad 450 class.
Coburn was very impressed with his experience at
Pikes Peak and is making plans to return next year.
“It was a really great experience for me.
The scenery was fantastic, the racing was fun and
the fans and spectators were awesome, so I really
want to come back next year, but I want to build
a bike and run in the 500 class and try for that
record as well,” he said determinedly.
www.ppihc.com
1631 Mesa Avenues Suite B-1
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
|
