PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB: Millen reigns on Pikes Peak
5 July 1999
Millen Wins With Fastest Time But 10-MinuteBarrier Remains Elusive COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (July 4, 1999) - Driving a truck specifically built for the challenge, Rod Millen won the 1999 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb's Unlimited division but was unable to break the elusive 10-minute barrier. More than 160 competitors from six countries and 22 states competed in the 77th Annual "Race to the Clouds" today on the Pikes Peak Highway near Colorado Springs. Racing on slippery roads in gusting winds and rain, Millen, a 47-year-old New Zealand native now living in Huntington Beach, Calif., reached speeds of 131 miles per hour en route to posting the event's top time of 10:11.15. Millen was hoping to break his record of 10:04.54, set in 1994. "It was a little slippery, but that's Pikes Peak," said Millen. "I don't think it was the rain so much as the gravel on the course. It's part of the challenge we've recognized since 1994. We need a really clean road. I'll be back next year for sure." Millen's son Rhys, the 1999 high performance showroom stock division champion and record holder, greeted his father with a hug at the finish line. "He's pretty disappointed. I know for years how much it's meant to him, and he's never gotten a break here," said Rhys Millen. "He's pretty frustrated. You've got to be here every year to take advantage of what Mother Nature dishes you." The narrow gravel road starts at an elevation of 9,402 feet and finishes atop the Peak at an altitude of 14,110. Forty-two percent of the course is made up of corners and there are 156 left and right-hand turns. The course has no guard rails and is known for its ever-changing weather conditions. In other Hill Climb action, father and son Leonard and Clint Vahsholtz of Woodland Park, Colo., won the sprint and super stock car divisions, respectively. The elder Vahsholtz posted a new sprint division record time of 11:47.31. "I had a real good run," noted sprint champion Leonard Vahsholtz. "The car ran perfect. I didn't make any mistakes." Unofficial auto/truck times from the 77th Annual Race to the Clouds follow this release and are available by email or online at www.ppihc.com. Unofficial motorcycle results will be posted on the Hill Climb website, www.ppihc.com, later today. The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is held annually on July 4 in cooperation with the City of Colorado Springs and the U.S. Forest Service. The Race attracts an international field of auto, truck, and motorcycle competitors. Its 12.42-mile course on a groomed gravel highway to the 14,110 ft. summit of Pikes Peak is open to the public. The event is presented by ADT Automotive. Other sponsors include Pennzoil, Pirelli Tire, Toyota Motor Sales USA, The Robert Bosch Corporation, Rex Tire of Colorado Springs, Ultra Wheel Co., Contract Freighters, Inc., Kenworth, and Barnett Tool. The Hill Climb is the principal fund raising event for the Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb Educational Museum. The entire 1999 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb media guide and all news releases are available online at www.ppihc.com. High-resolution photos are available for media use only at http://ppihc.com/1999/media/hi-res. 1999 PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB UNOFFICIAL RESULTS Challenge of Champions 1 Roger Mears, 99 Toyota Celica, Bakersfield, Calif., 6:18.04. 2 Parnelli Jones, 99 Toyota Celica, Torrance, Calif., 6:31.02. 3 Ivan Stewart, 99 Toyota Celica, San Diego, Calif., 6:36.26. Exhibition - Pro Truck 1 Brian Stewart, Dodge, San Diego, Calif., 15:14.64. 2 Gary Vosburg, Ford, N. Las Vegas, Nev.,14:12.16. Electric 1 Teruo Segita, Honda, Japan, 15:19.91. (New course record) High Performance Showroom Stock 1 Rhys Millen, Nissan Skyline GTR, Huntington Beach, Calif., 12:13.47. (New course record) 2 David Donner, Subaru/1998 Impreza, Colorado Springs, Colo., 12.16.07. 3 Jeff Zwart, Porsche/1998 Turbo-S, Woody Creek, Colo., 12:26.33. 4 James Adams III, Dodge/1998 Viper, Suffolk, Va., 13:11.50. 5 Andrew Kalman, BMW/1995 M3 Lightweight, San Francisco, Calif., 14:33.47. 6 Blake Fuller, Honda/Civic, Sarasota, Fla., 14:56.61. 7 Kenji Momota, Toyota/1993 Supra, Garland, Texas, 15:28.65. Pikes Peak Open 1 Jean Pierre Richelmi, Lancia/Delta Integrale, Monaco, 11:48.26. 2 Masaki Ohashi, Mitsubishi/1998 Lancer EVO V, Japan, 11:52.07. 3 Andrew Bornhop, Hyundai/1996 Elantra, Orange, Calif., 12:39.62. 4 Shigeo "Sugar" Sugaya, Subaru/1998 Impreza SRX, Japan, 12:43.20. 5 Kahee Namikawa, Subaru/1995 GC8, Japan, DNF. 6 Paul Choiniere, Hyundai/1999 Tiburon, Shelburne, Vt., DNF. Sprint 1 Leonard Vahsholtz, 1997 Sprint, Woodland Park, Colo., 11:47.31. (New course record) 2 Butch Hardman, 1976 Champ, Golden, Colo., 12:34.31. 3 Ted Marcovich, Wells/1997 Coyote, Franktown, Colo., 13:07.53. 4 Randy Pearce, Hardman/1989 Upright Sprinter, Golden, Colo., 13.07.74. 5 Mike Burnell, Brazier Built/1992 Champ, Colorado Springs, Colo., 13:18.24. 6 Jimmy Keeney, Kewe/1997 Sprint, Colorado Springs, Colo., 13:21.46. 7 Vicki Keeney, Kewe/1990 Sprint, Colorado Springs, Colo., 13:36.71. 8 Bruce Kristoff, Custom Coyote, Woodland Park, Colo., 14:03.64. 9 Robert Rybicki, 1998 Rhino Chaser, Yorkville, N.Y., 14:42.03. 10 Thelma Brazier, 1997 Coyote, Monument, Colo., 15:17.33. 11 David Regester, Wells/1999 Coyote, Woodland Park, Colo., DNF. 12 Bruce Hayes, HHD Chassis/1999 Upright Sprinter, Aurora, Colo., DNF. 13 Lori Brady, Ford/1999 SuperSprint, Peyton, Colo., DNF. 14 Wade Renck, Ream/1998 Champ, Colorado Springs, Colo., DNF. 15 Anthony Marcovich, Wells/1997 Coyote, Franktown, Colo. DNF. 16 John Guynn, Ream/1996 Sprint, Colorado Springs, Colo., DNF. 17 John Wells, Wells/1999 Coyote, Green Mountain Falls, Colo., DNF. Super Stock Car 1 Clint Vahsholtz, Ford/1999 Mustang, Woodland Park, Colo., 11:49.06. 2 Gay Smith, Ford/1993 Mustang, Colorado Springs, Colo., 12:05.55. 3 Bobby Regester, Chevrolet/1999 Camaro, Florrisant, Colo., 12:22.71. 4 Lynn Cowan, Chevrolet/1992 Camaro, Colorado Springs, Colo., 12:24.31. 5 Bob Nankivell, Ford/1997 Mustang, Sedalia, Colo., 12:25.88. 6 Steve Goeglein, Chevrolet/1999 Camaro, Colorado Springs, Colo., 12:30.23. 7 Ralph (Chandler) Bruning, Jr., Chevrolet/1997 Camaro, Colorado Springs, Colo., 12:40.68. 8 Randy Schranz, Chevrolet/ 1994 Lumina, Colorado Springs, Colo., 12:48.23. 9 Michael Hathaway, Pontiac/1999 Grand Prix, Colorado Springs, Colo., 13:34.14. 10 Steve Overholser, Chevrolet/1999 Camaro, Colorado Springs, Colo., DNF. 11 Layne Schranz, Chevrolet/1999 Monte Carlo, Colorado Springs, Colo., DNF. 12 Terry Wark, Chevrolet/1997 Camaro, Colorado Springs, Colo., DNF. Super Stock Truck 1 Larry Ragland, Chevrolet/1998 S-10, Phoenix, Ariz., 11:24.36. (New course record) 2 Curt LeDuc, Dodge/1999 Ram, Cherry Valley, Calif., 12:02.85. 3 Tyler Casebier, Ford/1997 Ranger, Denver, Colo., 12:31.32. 4 Jerry Brady, Ford/1996 Bronco, Peyton, Colo., 12:32.20. 5 Chad DeVries, Ford/1997 Ranger, Wheatridge, Colo., 12:51.81. 6 Jim Olson, Chevrolet/1997 S-10, Denver, Colo., 13:04.78. 7 Jim Keeney, Chevrolet/1997, Colorado Springs, Colo., 13:10.30. 8 Richard DeVries, Ford/1997 Ranger, Wheatridge, Colo., 13:17.34. 9 Dean Burling, Chevrolet/1997 S-10, Lincoln, Neb., 13:54.10. 10 David Schmidt, II, GMC/1993 Sonoma X-Cab, Colorado Springs, Colo., 14:25.90. 11 Russell O'Day, Chevrolet/1993 S-10, Colorado Springs, Colo., DNF. Open Wheel 1 Stan Kossen, Wells/1984 Coyote, Parker, Colo., 11:34.45. 2 John Johnson, 1999 Greenwood/Hull, Reno, Nev., 11:40.40. 3 Barry Isaac, 1999 Lockwood Special, Colorado Springs, Colo., 12:40.11. 4 Keith Harper, Wells/1982 Coyote, Manitou Springs, Colo., DNF. 5 Jimmy Olson, John Wells/Edgewater Jeep/1993 Coyote, Denver, Colo., DNF. Unlimited 1 Rod Millen, Toyota/1999 Tacoma, Newport Beach, Calif., 10:11.15. 2 Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima, Suzuki/1996 Side Kick, Japan, 10:37.35. Quad Motorcycles 1 Lonnie Eubanks, 96 Yamaha, Tulsa, Okla., 12:42.19 2 Ray Storm, 88 Suzuki, Colorado Springs, Colo., 12:49.38 3 Kevin Gigot, 87 Yamaha, Garden City, Kan., 12:50.87 4 Ryan Detrick, 97 Yamaha, Tonganoxie, Kan., 12:51.69 5 Jay "Wildman" Sokol, 94 Yamaha, Colorado Springs, Colo., 12:51.89 6 Matt Lee, 92 Yamaha, Jenks, Okla., 12:56.12 7 Jim Goertz, 87 Suzuki, Niagara-on-Lake, Canada, 12:59.07 8 Jim Taylor, 87 Yamaha, Tempe, Ariz., 13:00.40 9 Bobby Parr, 99 LSR, Mount Pleasant, Texas, 13:02.21 10 Ed Marcelli, 97 Yamaha, Tucson, Ariz., 13:23.95 11 Rick Ambrosino, Jr., 96 Yamaha, Colorado Springs, Colo., 13:32.19 12 Tim Culver, 88 Honda, Muscoda, Wis., 13:32.75 13 Art Bedore, 87 Yamaha, Colorado Springs, Colo., 13:35.65 14 Dan Strickland, 93 Yamaha, Colorado Springs, Colo., 13:35.95 15 Theodore Bernhard, 88 Suzuki, San Rafael, Calif., 13:36.24 16 James Patterson, 96 Yamaha, Morrison, Colo., 13:38.22 17 Paul Gray, 91 Yamaha, Longmont, Colo., 13:49.81 18 Bill Lanphier, 99 Yamaha, North Hollywood, Calif., 13:58.86 19 Randall Marshall, 93 Yamaha, Colorado Springs, Colo., 14:21.05 20 Darin Reutter, 99 Yamaha, Brush Prairie, Wash., DNF 21 Travis Spader, 99 Yamaha, Brick, N.J., DNF
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