Don't Think About It, Don't Give Up, and Other Lessons from the 2026 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
Key takeaways
- Good weather and bad pavement made for quick but challenging runs up the mountain.
- Larry Chen/Pikes Peak Media The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb was run this year on Sunday, June 21.
- Even being a spectator at the hill climb means a 3 a.m. wake-up on race day to make it up to the starting line before the road closes and the green flag drops.
Why this matters: an automotive development that could shape industry direction or buying decisions.
Good weather and bad pavement made for quick but challenging runs up the mountain.
Larry Chen/Pikes Peak Media The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb was run this year on Sunday, June 21. We were attending with Acura, which was aiming to beat its previous front-wheel-drive record with Dai Yoshihara behind the wheel of an Acura Integra Type S.Overall winner this year was Romain Dumas with a time of 8:18.202 125 in the No. 125 2025 Ford Super Mustang Mach-E.To claim a record at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) requires commitment. Teams come in a month before the race, take on nocturnal sleep schedules to make the pre-dawn practice days, and fight against all the human self-preservation instincts that suggest not flooring a car along an open edge with a 2000-foot drop.
Even being a spectator at the hill climb means a 3 a.m. wake-up on race day to make it up to the starting line before the road closes and the green flag drops. There's no loop at Pikes Peak. The cars start seven miles up Pikes Peak Highway, and then race up the next 12.42 miles, a route that encompasses 156 turns and gains nearly 5000 feet, to finish at a heady 14,115 feet in the clouds.