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".[2] The speedway hosted races in several series including the Indy Racing League and two NASCAR series (Busch and Truck) until operations were suspended 2005–08. A wide variety of amateur racing groups use PPIR for racing and training, and many NASCAR teams use PPIR for testing.

Pike's Peak International Raceway

Location	16650 Midway Ranch Road, Fountain, Colorado, 80817
Coordinates	38°35′29.85″N 104°40′34.39″W
Capacity	10,000 40,000[1]
Owner	Pikes Peak International Raceway, LLC
Opened	1997
Construction cost	$50 million
Major events	USAC Silver Crown Series
D-Shaped Oval
Surface	Asphalt
Length	1.00 mi (1.61 km)
Turns	4
Banking	10°
Road Course
Surface	Asphalt
Length	1.30 mi (2.09 km)
Turns	9
Banking	varying
Short Oval
Surface	Asphalt
Length	0.25 mi (0.40 km)
Turns	4

Previous logo

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[3] and to the north by 1903, the "Roswell Racing Park"),[4] 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.[5] On the Pike's Peak Ocean-to-Occan Highway[6] west of the city was the end of the 1951 Colorado sports car rally (terminus at the Crystola Inn),[7] a 1953 dirt dragstrip "some four miles east of Colorado Springs" was used for "the first statewide drag race",[8] 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".[9] 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 a remaining racing venue 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.[10]

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.[11] The asphalt track was constructed 6 ft (1.8 m) below the "normal ground level",[12] C.C. Myers planned "to get a big-time NASCAR race in 1998",[13] and the facility had an open house for the local community on May 31, 1997.[14] The first race's attendance (June 8) was 16,810,[15] the Richard Petty Driving Experience used PPIR July 2–17,[2] the first IRL Series race on June 28 was televised,[16] and a Winston West 500K race was held in July 1997.[17]

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.[18] In 2002 ISC gained "the right of first refusal should PPIR owners decide to sell their 1,200-acre complex"[18] and in October 2005 for $11 million,[19] "bought out the owners of Pikes Peak International Raceway"[18] (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"[18] 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."[18] 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".[18] ISC sold PPIR in November 2006 (the purchase closed in the first quarter of 2007),[19] 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.[20] Pikes Peak International Raceway would host the richest event in SRL Southwest Tour history as announced on April 23, 2013.[21] 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.[22]

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	Dan Wheldon	Andretti Dallara/Honda	Honda Indy 225
2005-08-21	Indy Lights	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[23]
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	Dario Franchitti	Andretti Dallara/Honda	Honda Indy 225
2004-08-22	Indy Lights	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	Scott Dixon	Ganassi G-Force/Toyota	Honda Indy 225
2003-06-14	Indy Lights	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	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	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	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	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	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	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	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. 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)
4. 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]
5. Freeman, Paul (2013-10-13). "Colorado Springs area". airfields-freeman.com. Retrieved 2013-11-17.
6. Colorado Springs, Colorado City and Manitou City Directory. Vol. XIII. The R. L. Polk Directory Co. 1916. Pike's Peak Ocean-to-Occan Highway
7. 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")
8. 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 requires |journal= (help)
9. Routon, Ralph (May 29, 1997). "No telling how many will attend first races". The Gazette.
10. 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.
11. Hellman, Wayne. "Investors buy into race track". Gazette Telegraph.
12. 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.
13. Routon, Ralph (April 13, 1997). "Rising steel eye-opener along I-25". The Gazette.
14. 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.
15. "Pikes Peak International Raceway". NASCAR.com.
16. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xN2ih-Lmirk 1997 IRL Race TV Broadcast
17. Bergsten, Tim (June 11, 1997). "Petty's racing school not for Sunday drivers". The Gazette.
18. "Proposed Track News: Denver". Jayski's® Silly Season Page. July 18, 1998.
19. Bainbridge, Jim (November 23, 2006). "PPIR may become a private racetrack". The Gazette.
20. 2013 Silver Crown Schedule
21. http://www.srlsouthwesttour.com/pikes-peak-international-raceway-to-host-richest-event-in-spears-southwest-tour-history/
22. https://ppir.com/2019-time-attack-series
23. http://racing-reference.info/tracks?id=183 Full field sesults of each IRL, Infinity Pro, Busch & Truck Series Race

External links

External video
NASA Rocky Mountain racing