Pikes Peak Hill Climb Consolidates Classes For 2017

Troy Siahaan
by Troy Siahaan

For 2017, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be instituting rule changes for motorcycles as follows:

Motorcycle Tire Rules

  • All motorcycle entries are allowed to use DOT and/or manufactured race tires; however, due to the severe weather conditions common on Pikes Peak, the PPIHC will require all competitors to present tires at Technical Inspection that are appropriate for all weather conditions.

Sidecar, Vintage Motorcycle & Car Classes

  • The Sidecar, Vintage Motorcycle and Vintage Car Classes are no longer individual classes for competition in the PPIHC.  While there will no longer be specific classes for these vehicles to compete against themselves, these vehicles are still eligible to compete in the PPIHC if they meet the requirements for recognized divisions and classes.  An Appendix has been added to the back of the PPIHC Rule Book and includes the rules for each of these former classes, making it possible for competitors to set a new Sidecar, Vintage Motorcycle, or Vintage Car record.

In other Pikes Peak news:

Invited Field of Entries – Size:
Following a positive experience of presenting a limited field during the 2016 race, the PPIHC will, once again, limit the number of invited entries to approximately 100 vehicles for the 2017 race. The field of invited entries will be selected through the Official Registration/Request for Invitation process.

Entry Fees:
The entry fee for the 2017 race will be $1,500 for all participants.

Request for Invitation – Process:
The PPIHC Request for Invitation period will open on November 7, 2016 and close onJanuary 27, 2017. In order to be eligible to be considered for an invitation, prospective participants must complete and submit all general and division/class-specific information by the January 27, 2017 deadline. A complete list of the required general and division/class-specific information can be found at PPIHC.com in late October. The 2017 PPIHC Selection Committee will only consider a Request for Invitation that is completed in full; incomplete requests will not be reviewed. The Selection Committee will use this information to determine the invitation status of each request.

Formal invitations, waitlist, and declination letters will be sent to those who have submitted requests on or before February 17, 2017. Waitlisted competitors may be extended an invitation to join the 2017 field if participants from the original field withdraw their entry between February 20, 2017 and May 1, 2017.

Request for Invitation – Timeline:
October 2016 – Rule Book posted on PPIHC website
November 7, 2016 – 2017 PPIHC Registration Opens
January 27, 2017 – 2017 PPIHC Registration Closes
February 17, 2017 – Competitors informed if they will be invited to participate in the 2017 race
February 20, 2017 – 2017 Competitor List posted on PPIHC website
March 4, 2017 – Deadline for competitors to withdraw from the 2017 race with a refund
May 1, 2017 – Deadline for wait listed competitors to be added to the field

2017 Testing:
The PPIHC will host private test sessions on Pikes Peak for invited entries of the 2017 Event. Each testing day will have a maximum number of car/motorcycle participants, and registration will be on a first come, first served basis. The tests will be held on the dates listed below from 5:30am-8:30am. Registration for testing will open onNovember 7, 2017 and must be completed online. The registration form can be found at PPIHC.com in late October. The testing fee will be $750 per day for all participants.
Saturday, June 3, 2017:
Cars – Lower Section (15 Limit)
Cars – Upper Section (15 Limit)

Sunday, June 4, 2017:
Cars – Lower Section (15 Limit)
Cars – Upper Section (15 Limit)

Saturday, June 10, 2017:
Cars – Lower Section (15 Limit)
Motorcycles – Upper Section (30 Limit)

Sunday, June 11, 2017:
Motorcycles – Lower Section (30 Limit)
Cars – Upper Section (15 Limit)

Run Order:
Bike Program
The bike program will run slowest to fastest based upon qualifying times (regardless of division or class). The bikes will not run in any specific division/class order.

Car Program
The car program will run fastest to slowest based upon qualifying times (regardless of division or class). The cars will not run in any specific division/class order.

2017 Award Ceremony:
The PPIHC will have the Official Award Ceremony on June 26, 2017 (the day after the event) in Colorado Springs (location TBD) at 9:00am.

Purse:
The cash purse for the 2017 Race will be $100,000. The purse-eligible divisions will receive $75,000 of the total purse. Any competitor(s) breaking the eight minute thirty second mark (8:29.999 or faster) will split the remaining $25,000 of the purse with a maximum of $10,000 going to a single competitor. The purse and non-purse eligible divisions for cars and motorcycles are listed in the 2017 Rule Book.

Troy Siahaan
Troy Siahaan

Troy's been riding motorcycles and writing about them since 2006, getting his start at Rider Magazine. From there, he moved to Sport Rider Magazine before finally landing at Motorcycle.com in 2011. A lifelong gearhead who didn't fully immerse himself in motorcycles until his teenage years, Troy's interests have always been in technology, performance, and going fast. Naturally, racing was the perfect avenue to combine all three. Troy has been racing nearly as long as he's been riding and has competed at the AMA national level. He's also won multiple club races throughout the country, culminating in a Utah Sport Bike Association championship in 2011. He has been invited as a guest instructor for the Yamaha Champions Riding School, and when he's not out riding, he's either wrenching on bikes or watching MotoGP.

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