Acura Claims Multiple Victories at 2017 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

July 3rd, 2017 by

For the last weekend in June, Pikes Peak in Colorado was awash with race teams and spectators. If you’re a racing enthusiast, you’re familiar with the iconic, world-renowned, and thrilling Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC). We’re proud to say that Acura has earned a third-place finish, two first-place finishes, and set one record.

For those new to the realm of high-speed hill climbs, we’d like to provide some context.

Also known as “The Race to the Clouds,” the Pikes Peak hill climb is an annual race to the top of the eponymous mountain. It’s a one-day motorsports event that’s self-sanctioned and invitation-only. This year marked the 95th running, making it one of the oldest races in America. The race includes a diverse array of classes for cars, trucks, and motorcycles, and it’s a monumental race for every competitor.

The course:

  • 12.42 miles
  • 4,725-foot climb
  • 156 turns

Of course, nearing the top of the mountain, you’ll find the thinner air that comes with high elevations. Drivers need to be in tip-top form, and engines need to be tuned for the altitude. Drivers also have perilous cliffs and sheer mountainsides to worry about; Pikes Peak isn’t for beginners.

Starting in 2002, the city of Colorado Springs had to pave sections of the mountain road because the gravel had been eroding the environments downstream. By 2011, the whole road was paved. Love it or hate it, the pavement gave the PPIHC a new basis for record-setting.

  • 1st place in Open class and class record: 9:33.797 in an Acura TLX GT, driven by Peter Cunningham
  • 1st place in Exhibition class: 11:03.655 in an Acura TLX, driven by Nick Robinson
  • 3rd place in Time Attack class: 10:03.433 in an Acura NSX, driven by James Robinson
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