COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Qualifying and practice for the 102nd Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo continued on Wednesday morning.
The Unlimited and Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama divisions rotated into the lower section to qualify for Sunday’s race, but other divisions higher up the mountain saw the weather affect their time on course.
Multi-time European Hill Climb champion and PPIHC event rookie Christian Merli laid down the top time for the Unlimited division from the get-go. He started with a 3:48.718, and after Dan Novembre put the pressure on in the second run with a 3:50.484, Merli would immediately respond with an even faster 3:42.689. That time would stand, as Novembre shaved three seconds off on his next attempt but could get no closer.
In the Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama, times kept plummeting with every pass even as light rain began to fall. In the end, Nuno Caetano, Laura Hayes and Robb Holland were separated by under seven tenths of a second on their fourth runs—with Caetano topping Hayes by a razor-thin .013 of a second.
While their sessions were weather-delayed, the Pikes Peak Open and Exhibition divisions were at least able to make multiple passes on the middle section. Top Pikes Peak Open qualifier Romain Dumas was once again the leader of the field in this section with a 2:17.780, more than 15 seconds faster than Jimmy Ford, who qualified second behind Dumas yesterday.
All four Exhibition entries were within the overall top six in section, with the Hyundai IONIQ 5 N TA Spec machine of Dani Sordo clocking the fastest time. In a last-minute change, Randy Pobst replaced Robin Shute in the No. 49.
Unfortunately, inclement weather got the best of today’s upper section running, preventing the Time Attack 1 and Open Wheel divisions from running at speed today. Competitors and organizers were met with heavy fog and ice accumulation at the summit. As with the middle section, rookies were given the opportunity to make a sighting run.