Pikes Peak International Raceway


Pikes Peak International Raceway 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". The speedway hosted races in several series including the Indy Racing League and two NASCAR series 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.

History

Racing in the Pikes Peak Region included 19th century horse tracks, 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 another was to the factory's southeast at the south end of the Nichols Field taxiway. On the Pike's Peak Ocean-to-Occan Highway west of the city was the end of the 1951 Colorado sports car rally, a 1953 dirt dragstrip "some four miles east of Colorado Springs" was used for "the first statewide drag race", 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". The Platte Avenue go-kart track closed, the greyhound track closed 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 south of Colorado Springs and 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.

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

International Speedway Corporation

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. In 2002 ISC gained "the right of first refusal should PPIR owners decide to sell their 1,200-acre complex" and in October 2005 for $11 million, "bought out the owners of Pikes Peak International Raceway" In 2006, meetings "between attorneys representing and International Speedway Corporation" were conducted before ISC "announced in February that it was eyeing land in Commerce City as well as eastern Aurora for the track. It envision a $360 million to $400 million track and stadium that could hold 75,000 to 80,000 fans." 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". ISC sold PPIR in November 2006, 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. Pikes Peak International Raceway would host the richest event in SRL Southwest Tour history as announced on April 23, 2013. PPIR also hosts regional club road course races such as the National Auto Sport Association 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.

Race results

DateSeriesWinning driverVehicleEvent
2014-09/28SRL SPEARS Southwest TourDerek ThornSPEARS Manufacturing Colorado 100
2013-09/29SRL SPEARS Southwest TourGreg VoigtSPEARS Manufacturing Colorado 100
2013-09-27/28Garrett EdmundsChevrolet
2013-06-29USAC Silver Crown Series Bobby EastTony Stewart/Curb Agajanian Performance Group Chevrolet Performance/Curb Beast/KistlerTRAXXAS USAC Silver Crown Championship "Rocky Mountain Classic" 100
2013-06-29USAC National Midget Championship Tracy HinesParker Machinery/Turbines, Inc. Spike/Stanton ToyotaHonda USAC National Midget “Rocky Mountain Classic” 25
2009-05-23United States Late Model AssociationDanny Burson
2005-08-21IRL Dan WheldonAndretti Dallara/HondaHonda Indy 225
2005-08-21Indy Lights Jeff SimmonsTeam ISI Dallara / InfinitiInfiniti Pro Series Pikes Peak 100
2005-08-21NASCAR West SeriesSteve PortengaChevroletNAPA Auto Parts 150
2005-07-23NASCAR BuschDavid GreenBrewco Ford ...Salute to the Troops 250
2005-07-23NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Southwest Series
NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest Series		Jim Pettit, IIFordKing Soopers Freedom 150
2005-07-03USAC National Midget Championship
USAC Western States Midget Series		Michael LewisRocky Mountain Classic
2005-07-03USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown SeriesDave SteeleRocky Mountain Classic
2004-08-22IRL Dario FranchittiAndretti Dallara/HondaHonda Indy 225
2004-08-22Indy Lights P. J. ChessonPioneer Dallara / InfinitiInfiniti Pro Series Pikes Peak 100
2004-07-31NASCAR BuschGreg BiffleFordGould Pumps/ITT Industries Salute to the Troops 250
2004-07-31NASCAR AutoZone Elite Division, Midwest SeriesEddie HoffmanFreedom 150
2004-07-04USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown SeriesJay DrakeKing Soopers Rocky Mountain Classic
2004-07-04USAC Valvoline National Sprint Car SeriesDave SteeleKing Soopers Rocky Mountain Classic
2004-07-04USAC National Midget Series
USAC Western States Midget Series		Dave SteeleKing Soopers Rocky Mountain Classic
2003-07-26NASCAR BuschScott WimmerChevroletTrimSpa Dream Body 250 presented by Dodge
2003-07-26NASCAR International Truck & Engine Corporation Midwest SeriesSteve CarlsonChevroletWright Group Event Services 150
2003-07-04USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown SeriesJay DrakeRocky Mountain Classic
2003-07-04USAC Valvoline National Sprint Car Series
USAC Western Sprint Car Series		Tracy HinesRocky Mountain Classic
2003-07-04USAC National Midget Series
USAC Western States Midget Series		Dave SteeleRocky Mountain Classic
2003-06-15IRL Scott DixonGanassi G-Force/ToyotaHonda Indy 225
2003-06-14Indy Lights Aaron FikeRFMS Dallara / InfinitiInfiniti Pro Series Pikes Peak 100
2002-07-27NASCAR BuschHank Parker Jr.DodgeNetZero 250
2002-07-27NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge SeriesTim SchendelChevroletRent-Rite West 150
2002-06-16IRL Gil de FerranPenske Dallara/ChevroletRadisson Indy 225
2002-06-16USAC Weld Racing Silver Crown SeriesBrian Tyler
2002-05-19NASCAR TruckMike BlissXpress Chevrolet Rocky Mountain 200
2002-05-19NASCAR Featherlite Southwest SeriesEddy McKeanPontiacPikes Peak 100
2001-07-28NASCAR BuschJeff PurvisChevroletNAPA Auto Care 250
2001-07-28NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge SeriesJon LemkeChevroletRent-Rite West 150
2001-06-17IRL Buddy LazierHemelgarn Dallara/OldsmobileRadisson Indy 200
2001-06-17USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet SeriesDave Steele
2001-06-16Supermodified Racing LeagueTroy ReglerPikes Peak 25
2001NASCAR TruckJoe RuttmanDodgeJelly Belly 200
2001-05-20NASCAR Featherlite Southwest SeriesCraig RaudmanChevroletSunstate Equipment Company 100
2000-07-22NASCAR BuschJeff GreenChevroletNAPA Auto Care 250
2000-07-22NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge SeriesTravis KvapilChevroletJensen Audio 150
2000-06-18IRL Eddie CheeverCheever Dallara/InfinitiRadisson 200
2000-06-18USAC MCI WorldCom National Midget Car Series
USAC MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car Series		Ryan Newman
2000-05-21NASCAR TruckGreg BiffleFordGrainger.com 200
2000-05-21NASCAR Featherlite Southwest SeriesRoss ThompsonChevroletSunstate Equipment Company 100
1999-08-29IRL Greg RayMenard Dallara/OldsmobileRadisson 200
1999-08-29USAC MCI WorldCom National Midget Car Series
USAC MCI WorldCom Western Midget Car Series
Ryan Newman		-
1999-07-24NASCAR BuschAndy SanterreChevroletNAPA Auto Care 250
1999-07-24NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge SeriesTravis KvapilChevroletJensen 150
1999-06-27USAC Coors Light Silver Bullet SeriesTracy HinesRocky Mountain Classic
1999-05-16NASCAR TruckMike WallaceFordNAPA 300K
1999-05-16NASCAR WestMike WallaceFordKing Soopers 150
1998-09-27USAC Western Sprint Car SeriesTony Hunt
1998-08-16IRL Kenny BräckFoyt Dallara/OldsmobileRadisson 200
1998-08-15ASA AC-Delco Challenge SeriesMike GarveyPontiacCornwall Tools 200
1998-07-26NASCAR WestKevin HarvickChevroletKidde Safety Safety 200
1998-07-26NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge SeriesRick CarelliChevroletPikes Peak 150
1998-07-25NASCAR TruckRon HornadayChevroletTempus Resorts 300K
1998-07-14NASCAR BuschMatt KensethChevroletLycos.com 250
1998-07-12USAC Silver Crown SeriesJohn HeydenreichRocky Mountain Classic
1998-07-12ARCA Bondo Mar-Hyde SeriesTim SteeleFordPikes Peak ARCA 150
1998-07-12USAC National Midget Car Series
USAC Western States Midget Series		Jason LefflerNine RacingRocky Mountain Classic
1998-06-13NASCAR RE/MAX Challenge SeriesJim InglebrightChevroletCornwell Tools 150
1997-08-17AMA SuperbikeMiguel DuhamelHondaMBNA Superbike Final
1997-08-17AMA SuperbikeRich OliverYamahaELF Fuels and Lubricants 250 Grand Prix
1997-08-17AMA SuperbikeJason PridmoreSuzukiTeamline 750 Supersport
1997-08-17AMA SuperbikeNate WaitHarley DavidsonProgressive Insurance H-D Supertwins Final
1997-08-17AMA SuperbikePaul HarrellYamahaPirelli Formula XTreme Final
1997-07-27NASCAR Winston WestMichael WaltripFordNASCAR 500K
1997-07-27USAC Western Sprint Car SeriesKevin Urton
1997-06-29IRL Tony StewartMenard G-Force/OldsmobileSamsonite 200
1997-06-08USAC Silver Crown SeriesKenny Irwin, JrRocky Mountain Classic
1997-06-08USAC National Midget Championship
USAC Western States Midget Series		Ryan NewmanRocky Mountain Classic