Hungary’s Kris Antal Will Compete In The Unlimited Division At The 90th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb In Colorado Springs

Hungary’s Kris Antal Will Compete In The Unlimited Division At The 90th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb In Colorado Springs  

Colorado Springs, November 28------------In recent summers at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, as well as throughout the history of the nation’s second-oldest motor sports race, the Unlimited Division has garnered intense interest.

It peaked last year when Japan’s Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima finally broke the ten-minute barrier, driving his 910-horsepower GoPro Suzuki SX4 Hill Climb Special up the 12.42 mile course to the 14,110-foot summit in 9:51.278, the event’s version of the breaking the four-minute mile by Roger Bannister in 1954.

Now that the course is fully paved for the first time in its history, race officials expected that there would be an increase in the number and experience of entries in various divisions and classes, accompanied by the increased popularity and awareness of the event internationally.

So, it’s no surprise then that the first two entries in the Unlimited field on July 8 are accomplished international drivers.

Great Britain’s Mark Rennison was the first international driver to register for the 90th running of the Race to the Clouds. He’ll be back after withdrawing a year ago on top of a fourth-place finish behind Tajima in the Unlimited division in 2009. Rennison will be behind the wheel of a 1983 Ford RS200 in the Unlimited field, won by Tajima last year for the sixth straight time.

The second entry in the Unlimited field is Hungarian speed race veteran Kris Antal, a 21-year professional who began with go-karts and touring cars and advanced to competition in Formula-1 Championships and an 8th place finish at the PPIHC last summer in the Time Attack 2WD in his Toyota Celica GTS Turbo.

Antal says he is building a new auto especially for the Peak and the Unlimited Division and he calls it a Krispeak KA 12, a custom 4WD model with a Suzuki engine, designed for the challenge on America’s Mountain.

A total of 76 drivers and racers have registered and additional competitors are being reviewed by the race committee for acceptance.

Official driver and racer registration is open at www.ppihc.com

The deadline for registration is June 15, and only the first 100 motorcycles and 50 autos are guaranteed entry at this point.

100th Anniversary Membership Club

Competitors have been racing to the summit of Pikes Peak since 1916, which makes the race the second longest running in the United States. Almost 100 years later, drivers and racers from around the world still continue the Race to the Clouds.  In celebration of the history and legacy of the race the 100th Anniversary Membership Club has been created.

Members receive exclusive discounts and perks, even a chance to win a ride up the mountain in the official pace car! 

To become a member or for more information on the 100th Anniversary Membership Club follow the link to the membership page.

Dusty Brandel

President of the American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association, Inc. Worked with Mike Hollander since Tapsis, Compuserve, etc. and has posted to the website since the beginning. First Female photo-journalist to be given a garage and pit pass for the NASCAR garage, 1972 at Ontario Motor Speedway. One of first seven female writers, photographers given access to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway garage and pits in 1971. Past President of Greater Los Angeles Press Club, 1992-96, and first female editor of the 8-Ball publication for the Press Club

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Volume 2011, Issue 10, Posted 8:44 PM, 11.28.2011