Pikes Peak

"johnr240z" (johnr240z) 07/02/2014 at 15:12 • Filed to: None

16

83

Last weekend was my first time going to Pikes Peak. Quite an amazing experience... I've watched videos but nothing can compete with actually being there. The sounds of the engines roaring past you and the smells of brakes, tires and gas in the air... just beautiful. One of my favorite moments was hearing the sound of a V8 come around the corner and expecting some big American muscle car... and then a tiny blue Porsche 914 slides into view.

This year was the first year they had spectator restrictions according to the people around me. Spectators were only allowed to view from specified viewing areas and had to remain behind chain link fences. The fences were worthless and leaned against poles or held up with twine. They offered no protection, obscured your view and made pictures come out terribly. Also the viewing areas were too small so you were crowded along with other people in bad locations. My viewing spot was on a 45 degree hill that I was constantly sliding down near the start of the Ski Area location. My ankles were a bit sore from standing at an angle for 10 hours but I managed to get some good pictures. Luckily the cars that took the correct line were on the outside and could be seen clear of the fence.

Drivers also complained about the fences and limited spectator locations. They said it looked like a ghost town and it felt like driving on the practice runs. It lacked the emotion they felt in previous years of driving up the mountain with people all along the sides cheering them on.

The fans I spoke with have been coming out for years and were disappointed. They know and accept the risks involved with spectating a sport so dangerous. A couple said they wouldn't be back next year.

Whether all these spectator restrictions are necessary, I'm not sure. As far as I know there weren't any spectator injuries. Sadly, Bobby Goodin died after crossing the finish line. It was awesome to watch him fly by on his Triumph, getting his knee an inch from the ground as he took the turn. The only other injury I heard about was Steve Wickham in the Electric RAV4. He was taken away in an ambulance but I couldn't find info on his condition or what happened.

In spite of all this, I really enjoyed the event and will be returning next year. I plan to camp the night before to claim a spot. And hopefully they'll do away with chain link fences and use a rope to section off spectating areas. It would offer the same amount of protection.

Some of my favorites:

#888 Robert Walker - 4th Unlimited Division - 2013 Scion FRS

#167 Christopher Lennon - 2nd Vintage Class - 1973 Porsche RSR

#372 Ralf Christensson - 1st Vintage Class - 1967 Ford Mustang

#2 Michael Skeen - 1st Pikes Peak Open - 2009 Nissan GTR

#1 Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima - 3rd Electric Modified - 2014 Monster Sport E-RUNNER

#86 Bobby Goodin - 4th Middleweight Motorcycle Class - 2014 Triumph 675R

RIP.

#406 TJ Fry - 3rd Exhibition - 1995 BMW M3

He swapped the side graphic from his website to "Will you marry me?" at the last moment before the race. The car was running with a missing cylinder and he just wanted to make it to the summit where his girlfriend was waiting for him. She said yes of course.

#56 Chris Strauch - 5th Pikes Peak Open - 1973 Porsche 914

This car sounded incredible. I wonder what engine he had in it.

#326 Tim Hardy - 5th Time Attack 1 - 1987 BMW E30

#51 Aaron Kaufman (Gas Monkey Garage) - 2nd Exhibition Class - 1963 Ford Falcon

#959 Dave Carapetyan - DNF Unlimited Division - 2003 Mitsubishi Evo

The car died a couple turns before the Ski Area. I loved this pic of the crowd cheering him on as he's towed to the Ski Area lot.

#66 Masahito Watanabe (Not sure on second rider) - 1st Sidecar - LCR GSX-R1000

The sidecars were ridiculous.. the second guy would just hang out the side and lean the vehicle around the turns. It was like watching a bobsled go up a mountain.

#99 Mike Ell - 3rd PPC Quad - 2013 Rattler

#96 Brandon Tubbs - 2nd PPC Quad - 2014 REC Raceworks

Brandon Tubbs is 15 years old. The youngest person to ever complete the Pikes Peak Hillclimb.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 15:15

0

With the flooding we had this year they were probably being cautious. Land erosion is a scary thing

JayHova > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 15:59

0

That's some serious downforce!

SubiSanchez > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 16:03

3

So that's what happened to the GT-R from the Pirelli World Challenge. Sweet!

JameyPricePhoto > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:04

1

That's not why at all.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > JameyPricePhoto 07/02/2014 at 16:05

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ya probably not I just like to believe theres a reasonable explanation for unreasonable restrictions

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > JayHova 07/02/2014 at 16:06

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at that height does a spoiler actually do anything? Serious question, I'm curious

Nick Sterna > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:11

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They started restrictions two years ago. They hired police to stand along the track and yell at people if they moved in front of the tape barriers. It was one of the reasons I didn't go last year. I had been to the previous two hill climbs before that and there were virtually no fan restrictions.

JayHova > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:12

5

Blind guess: might work better that a lower one as it sits in a proper air stream above the turbulences created by the car's body.

phydeaux > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:12

1

Yes, much more than being tucked down tot he body, out of the clean air. Especially in an event like Pikes Peak, where the air gets thinner, you want to put that wing up where it will get a good flow.

multiple wheels for each day of the week > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:14

1

A drunk woman was hit by a tripod she placed on the course last year and sued . hence the fake attempt at safety

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:15

2

The reason was because of some idiots last year. Some lady got clipped by a car and sued (I hope she failed...because she's a moron...but still), and some dudes almost got hit as they tried to cross the road.

Some people just like to ruin things for everyone...

/Track Volunteer gave me the down-low

Enginerrrrrrrrr > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 16:16

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Nice! I'll have a post up some time with pics from up at Devil's Playground. I think I took ~600 photos...definitely not posting that many though...

Dusty Ventures > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 16:16

3

The fences seem like a bit much but I do believe some more stringent spectator protocol and enforcement was needed. In previous years I've seen spectators standing on the outside of corners between the road and the guardrail, crossing the road scant seconds before the car arrives, or worse standing in the middle of the road trying to spot the approaching car around a blind corner. The spectators may say they know and accept the risks, but that doesn't mean the organizers have to accept them as well, especially when they know a single spectator fatality would probably mean a permanent end to the Pike's Peak Hill Climb.

KevEd614 > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 16:16

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Mike Ell is not 16 years old, he's in his 30's.

KevEd614 > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 16:16

0

Mike Ell is not 16 years old, he's in his 30's.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Enginerrrrrrrrr 07/02/2014 at 16:18

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bummer

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > phydeaux 07/02/2014 at 16:19

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interesting

thejustache > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 16:19

1

I've heard about Pike's Peak probably before I've heard about any other hillclimb or race in general, and always thought it would be cool to go. I'm sure it would still be fun, but after what you've said about the fences and limited viewing areas it's making me all the happier to attend Mt Washington instead. Other than advice to stay off the vegetation and marshals once the race was live, it seemed like you could pretty much wander wherever you wanted and that was a very cool aspect of it...

johnr240z > KevEd614 07/02/2014 at 16:19

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Sorry, I must have gotten the wrong name or number. Who was the 16 year old?

fezzic181 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:23

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It does more. It's a wing not a spoiler. It needs clean airflow to work correctly. If you have a wind tunnel handy you can make the wing work closer down to the car or you can just slap it way up there where you have a much better chance of getting smooth airflow.

Scootin159 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:23

3

These wings were banned in F1 due to safety concerns - not because they didn't work. As everyone else has said, getting them up into clean air improves their efficiency - meaning more downforce for a given amount of drag. Unfortunately in early F1 days, these wings all too often looked like this before the end of the race:

There is one exception to this however.... there is a distinct advantage to having the rear wing work in conjunction with the rear diffuser - basically having the area of low pressure behind the rear wing pull air through the rear diffuser. In order to get this effect though - you need to have the rear wing very close to the output of the rear diffuser, something that isn't possible on a sedan with 20-30" of vertical surface to the rear trunk/bumper area like that. Here's an example of a wing that works well in conjunction with the rear diffuser:

johnr240z > KevEd614 07/02/2014 at 16:24

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I edited the post to remove that. I just looked it up, Brandon Tubbs is 15 years old, #96 and in the quad class. I remember one of the announcer's over the radio saying that Brandon Tubbs was wearing black so I must have mixed them up. Thanks.

Scootin159 > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:26

1

Also worth mentioning.... it's technically a "wing", not a "spoiler". The difference is air can pass under a wing (sits up from the trunk on uprights), but not under a spoiler (connects to the trailing edge of the trunk). They both produce pretty similar results (downforce at the cost of drag) - but via very different methods.

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:27

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Just look up Chaparral ;)

Also at that height it's essentially in the free stream, not affected by any of the other body work. You can actually use the body work though to channel more air to the wing (not a spoiler since air passes over and underneath it) but it's difficult, so keeping it up high guarantees good air flow.

johnr240z > Dusty Ventures 07/02/2014 at 16:28

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Yeah, I agree some restrictions are necessary. I'd be happy if they just opened up more spectating areas and set up ropes instead of fences to mark where you could be.

Zundfolge > Dusty Ventures 07/02/2014 at 16:29

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The restrictions are dumb and will ultimately kill this event as nobody will want to come see it. There have only been 5 fatalities in 92 years (unfortunately one was this year) and only one of those was a "spectator" (and I put that in quotes because he was actually a race official).

I live in Colorado Springs and have never gone to the race (mostly because its expensive) but based on what friends of mine have said that do go regularly, many of them are not going to go next year because its just not fun anymore ... too many safety Nazis.

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Enginerrrrrrrrr 07/02/2014 at 16:30

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just looked it up thats really interesting

uofime > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:31

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That's a wing not a spoiler. As a spoiler you are correct it would be useless because spoilers are intended to condition the flow over the car's body. At that height it is pretty ineffective at doing that.

As a wing, yes it works well sitting up there, but like you I question if it needs to be that high. The roofline of the car looks like it has a nice smooth transition (windseild-roof-back glass-trunklid) which makes me suspect it has nice, non-turbulent, attached flow. If that is indeed the case then the height is completely useless and just adds weight and moves the CP further back.

This is easy to check if that assumption of attached flow is correct by attaching streamers and a go-pro to the roofline of the car, but a lot of people are completely ignorant when it comes to matters of aerodynamics.

toyotasupraman > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 16:32

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Well, shit, I didn't expect HIM to be there.

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:32

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WHEEEEEEEEEEEE

Gnowknayme > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:36

1

The explanation is that spectators are dumb. I've been to the race several times over the last 10 years, and way too many spectators do stupid things. Due to the nature of the race, any time there's an accident or mechanical failure, the race stops for a while. The delay can be anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours. The longer the delay, the more likely it is that people will start wandering out into the middle of the road, and there's no warning that the race is starting up again. This is even more of a problem with the popularity of electric racers that you can't really hear.

Where I was watching from last year, people were constantly being yelled at to get out of the road. I can't find any articles about it, but I believe one of the delays last year was due to a spectator who was hit by a car. I remember a few years ago seeing a racer pull up to Devil's Playground slowly, and the driver got out and told someone that he had to go off-road to avoid someone who was walking on the road, and he damaged his car.

Keeping people behind some sort of barrier is probably for the best.

Gnowknayme > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:36

0

The explanation is that spectators are dumb. I've been to the race several times over the last 10 years, and way too many spectators do stupid things. Due to the nature of the race, any time there's an accident or mechanical failure, the race stops for a while. The delay can be anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours. The longer the delay, the more likely it is that people will start wandering out into the middle of the road, and there's no warning that the race is starting up again. This is even more of a problem with the popularity of electric racers that you can't really hear.

Where I was watching from last year, people were constantly being yelled at to get out of the road. I can't find any articles about it, but I believe one of the delays last year was due to a spectator who was hit by a car. I remember a few years ago seeing a racer pull up to Devil's Playground slowly, and the driver got out and told someone that he had to go off-road to avoid someone who was walking on the road, and he damaged his car.

Keeping people behind some sort of barrier is probably for the best.

Gnowknayme > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:36

0

The explanation is that spectators are dumb. I've been to the race several times over the last 10 years, and way too many spectators do stupid things. Due to the nature of the race, any time there's an accident or mechanical failure, the race stops for a while. The delay can be anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours. The longer the delay, the more likely it is that people will start wandering out into the middle of the road, and there's no warning that the race is starting up again. This is even more of a problem with the popularity of electric racers that you can't really hear.

Where I was watching from last year, people were constantly being yelled at to get out of the road. I can't find any articles about it, but I believe one of the delays last year was due to a spectator who was hit by a car. I remember a few years ago seeing a racer pull up to Devil's Playground slowly, and the driver got out and told someone that he had to go off-road to avoid someone who was walking on the road, and he damaged his car.

Keeping people behind some sort of barrier is probably for the best.

Gnowknayme > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:36

0

The explanation is that spectators are dumb. I've been to the race several times over the last 10 years, and way too many spectators do stupid things. Due to the nature of the race, any time there's an accident or mechanical failure, the race stops for a while. The delay can be anywhere from 15 minutes to a couple of hours. The longer the delay, the more likely it is that people will start wandering out into the middle of the road, and there's no warning that the race is starting up again. This is even more of a problem with the popularity of electric racers that you can't really hear.

Where I was watching from last year, people were constantly being yelled at to get out of the road. I can't find any articles about it, but I believe one of the delays last year was due to a spectator who was hit by a car. I remember a few years ago seeing a racer pull up to Devil's Playground slowly, and the driver got out and told someone that he had to go off-road to avoid someone who was walking on the road, and he damaged his car.

Keeping people behind some sort of barrier is probably for the best.

theBKA > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 16:37

2

In addition to being in the less turbulent air coming off the roof, the height and angle of the wing supports increase the force through greater leverage, like a cheater bar for a wrench but more awesome.

PatrickPM > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 16:40

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You call that a wing?

johnr240z > Enginerrrrrrrrr 07/02/2014 at 16:51

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How was Devil's Playground? I heard that the weather up there was usually pretty rough and you were far from the track so I stayed down in the Ski Area for my first year.

johnr240z > thejustache 07/02/2014 at 16:53

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After watching the Mt Washington hillclimb videos it seems like that might be the next big one. It's still partly dirt and I hear it's more of a challenge. It's a shame that both hillclimbs were on the same weekend this year. I feel like some competitors skipped Pikes Peak to do Mt Washington instead.

Enginerrrrrrrrr > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 16:58

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We were actually quite close to the track, plus if you hiked up a bit you had a great vantage point of the switchbacks. The weather was rough only in that we had crazy gusts of wind. It would be totally calm, warm, etc; then a massive gust of wind would blow a bunch of chairs and such down the hill. People had to put boulders in their chairs when they would leave.

Weather was good otherwise, scattered clouds and sunny. Was cold as hell at 3am though...

I camped at Ski Area, then drove up when we were let out at 3am so I could get a good spot. I was glad we were able to get down the mountain before the other lots though... that was a long day...

johnr240z > toyotasupraman 07/02/2014 at 16:58

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Yep, there was another guy from Gas Monkey Garage there with the Pace car. 1965 Chevy C10

Dave-O > Denver Is Stuck In The 90s 07/02/2014 at 17:01

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check out the cars in the world time attack challenge. Some very interesting things going on with downforce there.

johnr240z > Enginerrrrrrrrr 07/02/2014 at 17:01

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Yes it was quite a long day... but worth it. I left at around 2:30 am from the Fort Collins area and got to my spot in the Ski Area just at 7. I don't think I got home that evening until 11pm. Next year I'm definitely camping and bringing more gear with me.

thejustache > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 17:07

1

There is a lot of distance between the two races so I'm not sure how many competitors cross over, but you are right I'm not sure why they put them on the same day. Personally I'd like to see as many cars as possible from Pikes race here, and people from here racing Pikes Peak as well!

Enginerrrrrrrrr > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 17:12

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WOW. If I didn't live in Colorado Springs, I don't know if I would have made that trip without camping.

I am definitely changing up the gear I bring next time. Some guys had full grills...brilliant. Also, sleeping in the car, there's no real need for a tent if I am just going to wake up at 2:00 to pack up and move to a new spot at 3:00. I am also bringing better food and warmer clothes. I had shorts, a light jacket, and a light sweater... definitely not enough. My gf sat in the chair in her sleeping bag the whole day haha.

Btw the camping pass was $100...might just be worth it to camp out right before the admission gates the night before for free...

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > Dave-O 07/02/2014 at 17:16

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Thats actually really cool

Denver Is Stuck In The 90s > uofime 07/02/2014 at 17:20

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I think this is the most educated response I have gotten. And I did not know until now that there is a difference between a wing and a spoiler.

Josh Dutcher > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 17:33

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This was my eighth straight PPIHC. The new spectator areas had me worried about photography and being packed in like sardines, and from the looks of these photos I may have been right to worry. However, my friends and I staked out a spot less than 100 feet past the start line where there was a long section of short chain link - your average backyard height, easy to shoot over. And yeah, the fencing is there for crowd control, certainly not catch fencing intended to protect anyone in case of a car coming through it.

Here's my shot of Bobby. RIP:

The rest of my shots are here if anyone's interested, including some from Fan Fest.

Dusty Ventures > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 17:49

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That's what they used at Mt Washington, yellow rope and banner tape, along with marshals with radios who made it very clear they'd radio base and stop the climb if anyone dared go beyond the ropes.

JayHova > JayHova 07/02/2014 at 17:55

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'than a lower one'....spell checker had a malfunction.

Vi517, JDX Racing > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 17:58

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I left FoCo at 6....pm. Got to the parking lot at 9 pm and slept in the car. If you don't mind sleeping in your car, I'd recommend it!

johnr240z > Josh Dutcher 07/02/2014 at 18:00

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Nice shots! Much better than mine, I'm not a photographer by any means. I borrowed my friend's Nikon camera for the event and tried my best.

Dusty Ventures > Zundfolge 07/02/2014 at 18:02

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I agree, the restrictions implemented this year were overkill and I said as much in my first post. But at the same time there's no way things could continue the way they've been over the past decade. There have been very few fatalities (thank god), but at the same time there have been way too many close calls, and in today's world where lawsuits are constantly increasing in frequency and scale and the event is under ever increasing scrutiny from numerous parties they need to keep a perfect record in regards to spectator safety. One little mistake and they're done for good, and it's only through sheer luck it hasn't happened already (if you have any doubts about this take a good look at Paul Dallenbach's 2012 crash. Fifteen feet to the left and there would have been numerous fatalities). In the past twelve years alone I know of at least two races, and their parent racing series, that have been forced to be shut down for good due to spectator fatalities. I've been told by event organizers at rallies that if one happened at a rally today it wouldn't just be the certain end of the event, but possibly the end of rallying in the country. That is the fragility of these types of events today.

Robert Paulson > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 18:07

2

For what it's worth, my GF and I spoke to one of the stewards early in the morning while we were waiting for the action to begin. He told us that no company would write them event insurance unless they put up the fences for crowd control. My GF is in insurance and she said this sounds completely plausible. I can't verify how accurate that statement is, I'm just throwing it out there.

This was our second time, the first being 2011 when there was still dirt portions on the climb. It was not nearly as enjoyable this year. The fencing was only part of the issue in my opinion. There were less spectators on the mountain than in previous years, yet getting up there took what seemed like forever and the process to get spectator vehicles onto the mountain was lacking in any semblance of organization or direction. They say gates opened at 3 but I call BS on that because we sat on the road for a good 45 minutes to an hour from roughly 4:30-5:something and we were still a mile from the entrance where you turn left off of 24.

Granted, crowd control was absolutely necessary. In 2011, people were way too close and I myself was one of them at some point in the day. But all I could picture was the unlikely event of a car crashing a fence and then dragging a net of death in it's wake. Add to that the fact that spectators were much more tightly grouped together because of the limited viewing, and you basically increase the potential for injury if a driver loses control in a spectator area. We were at Glen Cove where the highway has two lanes. The lane where the racers took their line had a fence next to it and the untraveled lane did not. We chose to watch from the untraveled side because of that.

There were less racers than previous years, but the race somehow still took forever. The cars were not released with the same frequency as 2011. The organizers had previously stated they wanted to release a racer every 60 seconds within the classes. this just did not come anywhere close to happening. There's no reason the event should have even lasted as long as it did. I understand the more minor red flags and Bobby Goodin's tragic accident factored into the time, but my previous statement stands.

Tl;Dr - I think the event was poorly organized, and the "safety" fences were a ridiculous half-measure.

Robert Paulson > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 18:09

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My issues with this year's event aside, it was a real treat to see that RS200.

Vi517, JDX Racing > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 18:18

0

I went as well. I was at Glen Cove and viewing was pretty epic. I would be ok with the restricted areas, but the really need to get rid of the fences. Half of my pictures are terrible as a result of them.

Dang pole.

Focus on the Viper not the fence!

JGrabowMSt > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 18:30

0

Knowing there were fences, I'm glad I couldn't make it. Sadly, if the fences stay, Pikes Peak is a trip I might bother to make. You know, as a photographer, and an automotive enthusiast.

And hooligan that likes to get right up close and personal.

haberb > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 18:46

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Hey, that's uncanny. I was there also and it was my first time, and I was even at Ski run as well, and from the looks of it, the same location. We were probably standing a few feet apart. We came as early as possible and it was a challenge just to find any spot. Can't imagine if there were even more people like previous years. You forgot to mention the best part of the climb, the parade, when you can stand by the side of the road and high five riders and drivers as they return after the race.

johnr240z > haberb 07/02/2014 at 18:53

0

Wow, quite a coincidence. I was wearing a red Poovey Farms Racing shirt (from Archer) and holding a camera most of the time. Yes! The parade was awesome. My SD card was full so I didn't get any pictures of that. Also I was struggling with a major headache at the end so I didn't get to high five anyone. I think I was dehydrated and I forgot my sunglasses so the sunlight didn't help matters.

3matx > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 19:23

2

That's a shame they made spectators go to fenced off locations. Last year (2013) there was an incident where a spectator on the lower half of the course leaned too far into the racing line and was hit by the passing cobra race car. It's dumb things like that which make precautions necessary for the promoters. I was fortunate enough to be there last year in the glen rose area. Got to hike up the hill to a good vantage point, tied a hammock between two trees and experienced the hill climb and Loebs incredible run.

T-800 > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 19:26

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There is a Honda I see occasionally around my area with a spoiler this big, I wish I was exaggerating.

Danger > Dusty Ventures 07/02/2014 at 19:42

1

Agreed, this isn't the Isle of Man. This could get shut down after one incident causing bad press.

KroK13 > Gnowknayme 07/02/2014 at 20:26

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One of my coworkers went last year, and he said one girl was killed because she stuck her head out too far and was hit by the rear wing of a passing car. Spectator corralling sucks, and even then the event program says standing behind a fence doesn't guarantee safety, but at least people aren't running around by that one tree at Engineer's Corner.

KroK13 > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 20:30

0

Now that spectators are being confined to certain areas, I doubt I'll ever go to Sunday's race. I went up for Tuesday practice, and it was awesome. Security was super relaxed, and I was able to hide behind a guardrail and snap pictures of cars that were mere feet from me. I would recommend it to anyone frustrated by the new safety regulations.

Also, if you think that RS200 looks sick in the daylight, you should see it when it pops up next to you out of the darkness. My reaction when I recognized that shape and livery was priceless.

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R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 21:12

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Holy wing!!!!

R Saldana [|Oo|======|oO|] - BTC/ETH/LTC Prophet > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 21:12

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This is awesome!!

Araporrada > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 21:18

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The blue 914 had a LS7.

Araporrada > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 21:19

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The blue 914 had a LS7. I talked to the driver about the car, looked fun.

johnr240z > Araporrada 07/02/2014 at 21:23

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Ah that's what it was! It sounded like a huge V8. Cool that you got to talk with him, I would have loved to see that car up close.

fritzo > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 23:11

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#52 Dave Jablonski - 1987 Chrysler Caravan

NJAnon > johnr240z 07/02/2014 at 23:35

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So they paved the hill climb, setup fencing and they think that's not safe enough? They also limit spectators 500 yards away from everything?! Man that must be a awesome motorsport experience *smh*

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > johnr240z 07/03/2014 at 00:47

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Exactly.

Wheelerguy > johnr240z 07/03/2014 at 01:59

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We need more of this. And we want to see a DOWNHILL RUN!!!

timateo81 > johnr240z 07/03/2014 at 07:55

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sexsexsexsexsex

Fjordman > Gnowknayme 07/03/2014 at 10:43

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This is correct, I was at last years running. The spectator died from the collision, or so I was told at this years running.

Now, I am a fan for making the race safer for both the spectators and the racers, but fencing us in like cattle was the worst thing they could have done. It ruined the atmosphere and the view. The worst part of it all though was the makeshift crosswalk. They had crossing guards that either didn't have radios, or weren't using them. They would use the same method people used in years past, go after a car goes by. More than once, a nearby cop physically stopped the group crossing after they were told they could go because a racer was just a few corners away.

In the end, the idea was sound, but the execution terrible. If you were going to leave the fenced areas, you would be written a $200 trespassing ticket. Beyond that, I was at halfway picnic grounds and when a car was coming, everybody flocked to the fence to see. When this happened, I couldn't see anything but asses a glimpse of the car going 100+ MPH followed by more asses. Beyond the obvious visual shortcomings of the fences, they also put a damper on the crowd. There was far less enthusiasm and cheering this year than all the other years I have attended (4 out of the past five).

Johnr240z mentioned that a couple said they weren't coming back. They aren't the only ones. When I was talking to people, at least 3 PPIHC veterans and 5 newcomers mentioned that the fences ruined the race and they wouldn't be back.

multiple wheels for each day of the week > NJAnon 07/03/2014 at 22:41

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your not 500 yards away and since paving the road speeds have dramatically increased Loeb averaged ... let me say that again AVERAGED 87+ MPH which is a huge leap from the dirt days .

NJAnon > Enginerrrrrrrrr 07/06/2014 at 10:44

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And thats why its a jacked up experience. If a drunk woman is all it takes to throw a wrench in the whole thing, then whats to stop other idiots just taking advantage? You know they have the running of the bulls thing in Spain where people die, and they could have stopped that long time ago but people keep coming out there. Pikes Peak needs to go ahead and let the people stay in the road.....

Enginerrrrrrrrr > NJAnon 07/06/2014 at 12:14

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But in the good 'ol US of A, judges actually listen to idiots when they sue for causing their own injuries.

Pikes Peak doesn't want lawsuits... because they would still have to pay something even if the judge gives it to Pikes Peak. Negative press could hurt the whole thing. I understand why they are doing it even though it's very stupid and people should understand the consequences of being in the road during a race...

Enginerrrrrrrrr > Robert Paulson 07/06/2014 at 12:23

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Totally agree with you. I was up at Devil's Playground and the race took forever. I can understand maybe keeping it to +2 minutes in between runs just because of the length of the track, but it certainly wasn't that. We brought a dog (which apparently isn't allowed anymore, even though the website said that it just had to be on a leash) and luckily the marshall that walked by said he didn't care because the rule didn't make sense. He did shut down a charcoal grill though... even though this has been a crazy wet summer and I doubt anything would have happened.

Pikes Peak really just needs to man-up and put warnings out stating how our lives are in our own hands and they do not have liability for the spectators. I don't see how that is so hard to throw in to the mix. It seems many rally races do the same thing. Make people sign a waiver to buy tickets, and you are off the hook.

Let's hope they learned something this year for the upcoming years.

Dusty Ventures > johnr240z 07/07/2014 at 13:33

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Thought you might be interested in this, it's a piece by longtime Pikes Peak racer Jeff Zwart about the new spectator setup.

johnr240z > Dusty Ventures 07/08/2014 at 12:49

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Thanks! Great article. I think the spectator restrictions are necessary to keep the event alive... As the article and you mentioned in another comment, one more accident could end this kind of event in America. I just hope next year they can open up more spectator areas and do away with the fences and find some other means to crowd control the people.

I look forward to the race again next year.

Dusty Ventures > johnr240z 07/08/2014 at 13:08

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I suspect they went with fences because they feared if they just went with rope/banner tape and got similar crowds with similar mindsets to the people who'd been coming in the past (the ones used to having no restrictions) they would have ignored the tape/rope. Hopefully now that the precedent of barriers and zone restrictions has been set they'll go with the rope, or at least shorter fences. And yes, I definitely agree they need to open up more spectator areas so they're not as crowded.

3matx > 3matx 08/01/2014 at 16:42

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Hey how do you start to post and write for this site?