COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – On June 27, a baker’s dozen of Porsche privateers will challenge America’s Mountain during the 99th Running of Broadmoor Pikes Peak Int’l Hill Climb.
The dozen Porsche entries will be spread across three divisions, Time Attack 1, Pikes Peak Open and the bespoke Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama.
As it was in 2020, Porsche is in-line to make a challenge for the overall win when the race returns to its traditional date in June. Leading the effort will be Romain Dumas, who returns to Pikes Peak in a Porsche. As announced on Feb. 15, the Frenchman will team with longtime dealer and motorsport partner Champion Porsche to field a 911 GT2 RS Clubsport in the popular livery of the Florida operation.
While his all-time record may remain safe, the outright victory is within the grasp of the track-only variant of the road-going Porsche 911 GT2 RS. Major competition in the Time Attack 1 Division will come from David Donohue, who was a leading contender in the BBi Autosport-prepared Porsche in 2020. A third Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport – a twin-turbocharged machine capable of 700 Hp – has been entered by Germany’s Christoph Breuer. It will be his first attempt at the event which is also wildly popular in Europe and Asia.
Two more Europeans will travel to Colorado this summer with first-time aspirations in the Time Attack 1 Division with Porsche-built race cars. Laurent Millara has entered a 2008 Porsche 911 GT3 while Steve Zimmer has modified his Porsche Cayman GT4 for the intense competition of Time Attack 1.
Five of the dozen Porsche entries in the Race to the Clouds come in the invitation-only one make division known as the Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama. Headlining the group of contenders, all racing the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport race cars, is veteran rally and stunt driver Tanner Foust.
Challenging Foust will be 2020 Rookie of the Year Kathryn Mead, who is making her second start in the Cayman race car after an impressive run last season. Local George Hess is back for another attempt to sit atop the division standings as is Charles Wirken. Cameron Ingram is the fifth entry in the division. Ingram – whose Road Scholars is a longtime supporter of eight-time event winner and division coach Jeff Zwart – is making his competition debut in the new mid-engine Porsche after intense preparations.
The Pikes Peak Open Division is home to three Porsche-based entries. Raphael Astier – who calls Huntington Beach, Calif., home – will return to try and better his production-car based event record in the BBi-built turbocharged, modified 2015 Porsche 911 GT3 Cup car. Andy Kingsley faces down the challenge in a modified twin-turbocharged 2002 Porsche 911. Colorado Springs’s own Chris Strauch looks to impress his neighbors in the division with a 1970 Porsche 914 Wide Body he has modified.
“The Pikes Peak Hill Climb’s heritage in North America, and the strong international following it has, continues to be an excellent venue to showcase Porsche strengths in competition,” said Erik Skirmants, Event Manager, Pikes Peak, Porsche Motorsport North America. “Power to weight is critical in a hill climb, as well as the tested durability of our motorsport cars. We have a few modified/shop-prepared Porsches as there has always been but with the introduction of the turn key Clubsport models, we have shown that Porsche has series produced models that are instantly competitive on the world stage. We are very happy with the mix of competitors who will be showing that the Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport sets the bar for versatility and speed exactly as produced.”