2013 Pike Peak Hill Climb. Who's in?

[sheispoison]

All asphalt real road race. Anyone else committed to running in 2013? I'm sure if you're reading this you saw my, Glenn's and Applehans's videos. it's nuts! So who's in?

[JimWilson29]

I would like to depending on what the entry fees are for 2013.

[sheispoison]

I'm pretty confident that there's going to be normal classes for us which means no high "exhibition class" bullshit entry fee. So, probably about $400.

[Fastt Racing]

I will be in this year for sure..... as long as they let me in of course :oops: When do they approve the class, and start accepting resume & entry form submitted to the organizer.

[hcr25]

There is no doubt I'm doing it again. The hill climb was the funest roadracing experience I have every had. I'm not talking about just the actual race either, more about the whole experience. It is by far better then any AMA or WERA nationals I have done. Were else can you race in front of thousands of fans, the number I heard was 30K!
Mike

[Mforza]

In what category I will fit with my Skorpion? :D

[marty]

I'm down for sure.

[The GECCO]

Heaven help the poor soul who tries to keep me from racing the hill climb next year...

[Jon]

From the info I'm seeing on this and other sites there are more than likely going to be hundreds of motorcyclist entering and they will have to put a cap on it so by all means I would have your entries in early.

[MadVlad]

I'd love to, however having no racing experience I don't think they'll even consider me haha but I'll be rooting you guys on from the sidelines!

[TD675]

I won't be racing in it but I do have a lot of pit crew experience that I would be willing to offer up to any MRA racer who will be competing.

[cneske]

IM IN! ME ME ME!

[marty]

Rules are up :D

http://director.usacracing.com/ppihc/files/pdfs/rulebook.pdf

Registration info

http://www.usacracing.com/ppihc/competitors/registration

[JimWilson29]

Rules are up :D

http://director.usacracing.com/ppihc/files/pdfs/rulebook.pdf

Registration info

http://www.usacracing.com/ppihc/competitors/registration

Looks like they added a 750 superbike class but 1000cc bikes will still have to run the exhibition class.

[sheispoison]

Aside from raising all the entry fees VERY significantly, here's a few other bullshit rules they threw in...

8. All riders/co-riders must wear an approved head and neck restraint. Leathers with a hump on the back WILL NOT BE APPROVED AS A NECK RESTRAINT. (Sidecar passengers exempt)

A. For every division with the exception of the Pikes Peak 1205 division, all motorcycles must use either DOT approved tires or DTII dirt track tires. In the event of inclement weather, motorcycle rain tires will be approved at the discretion of the Assistant Director of Competition or designee.

So basically only the 1205 class can run slicks. I'm kinda bummed that they are still working so hard to keep the roadrace bikes out of this.

[rforsythe]

So basically only the 1205 class can run slicks. I'm kinda bummed that they are still working so hard to keep the roadrace bikes out of this.

I've seen Torque, all us crotch rocket riders are just a bunch of thugs anyway. With synchronized dismounts.

In any event I'd be interested in pit crewing for someone...

[cneske]

WTF! No 1000 class? thats a real bummer

[cneske]

anyone have a motorcycle i can "borrow"?
anything 750 or under. i "promise" that nothing bad at all will happen to it.
I swear i will only ride it to church on sunday ^_^.

[marty]

So does anyone think they may be interested? Has anyone signed up? I am on the fence because it gets a little boring sitting in a campground all day by yourself for a week.

They did just change the tire rule to allow any type of tire for all classes

[archie251]

FWIW I was told that the officials are making changes to prevent an all day fiaso like last year. What that is I have no idea but at least they recognize the problem.

[hcr25]

Who told you that?

[archie251]

Jim Vidmar

[hcr25]

I would be curious to know what he thought the delays were and what could be done to fix them. In my opinion not much could have been done different.

[archie251]

My hunch is that the order will be changed so that there doesn't need to be 5 minutes between car runs. My hope is that there will be an intermission and we can come down then. Regardless, there has to be numerous things that can be done. Roughly 100 bikes made it up the hill in about 90 minutes and then it took over 8 hours to get 50-60 cars up.

[The GECCO]

My hunch is that the order will be changed so that there doesn't need to be 5 minutes between car runs. My hope is that there will be an intermission and we can come down then. Regardless, there has to be numerous things that can be done. Roughly 100 bikes made it up the hill in about 90 minutes and then it took over 8 hours to get 50-60 cars up.

Your numbers are a little off.

First, there is not 5 minutes between car runs. There is a 20-30 second gap between competitors in the same class, and up to a 5 minute gap between classes (depending on the qualifying times of the last competitor in the first class compared to the first in the next class)

Second, according to the official results, there were 66 competitors in the "motorcycle" part of the program, and 86 cars.

Granted, it did take the cars a lot longer, but that was simply because they had a lot of crashes, some that required helicopter rides. Also, the race had to be stopped for two helicopter rides for drunk/idiot spectators. Either of these things (serious crashes or stupid spectators) could have just as easily happened during the motorcycle program.

[archie251]

I said roughly 100 based on how many were supposed to be there so obviously that wasn't accurate. However, just because cars were supposed to take off 20-30 secs apart doesn't mean they did. A bunch of us personally observed multiple cars that were clearly in the same class come by us up to 8 mins apart. There were times when we watched a car come across the finish and could see the next car going into bottomless pit. This happened over and over. Im not saying all this should have been anticipated last year or that there was a solution on the spot but there is room to improve. Regardless of what the numbers are there is a better way. Its been done in the past. It should take longer to run the cars but five times as long to run fewer cars? Whether they need more ambulances or more cops or more tow trucks, or just a different running order, there is a way. I am actually optimistic about it.

[The GECCO]

I said roughly 100 based on how many were supposed to be there so obviously that wasn't accurate. However, just because cars were supposed to take off 20-30 secs apart doesn't mean they did. A bunch of us personally observed multiple cars that were clearly in the same class come by us up to 8 mins apart. There were times when we watched a car come across the finish and could see the next car going into bottomless pit. This happened over and over. Im not saying all this should have been anticipated last year or that there was a solution on the spot but there is room to improve. Regardless of what the numbers are there is a better way. Its been done in the past. It should take longer to run the cars but five times as long to run fewer cars? Whether they need more ambulances or more cops or more tow trucks, or just a different running order, there is a way. I am actually optimistic about it.

True, true. But, based on the fact that they didn't enforce the 115% rule and there were some REALLY slow cars....perhaps they did let them go at 30 sec intervals, though LoL

There's lots that could be done, but I think the best steps would be to do a better job of vetting the qualifications of the entrants and strictly enforcing the qualifying cutoff. I guess it doesn't matter to me, though, since my 1000cc bike is 'not safe'...

[archie251]

I agree about the vetting. Its as much a problem with some bikes too. The problem is, how do you say no to someone who has raced it every year for the last 20 years? I dont have an answer for that.

[The GECCO]

I agree about the vetting. Its as much a problem with some bikes too. The problem is, how do you say no to someone who has raced it every year for the last 20 years? I dont have an answer for that.

I agree. I passed some guys in practice that couldn't find the racing line if we painted it on the road for them.

It's hard not to "grandfather" in the guys who have been doing it for years, but for some of them this is the ONLY race they do and it's debatable if that really makes them "qualified". For the new competitors, if it were up to me you'd have to show a minimum of 5 seasons of competition in either roadracing or supermoto. And not just a couple races per year, consistent participation and at least decent finishes.

[archie251]

Unfortunately there arent that many true experts entering. Bikes are second fiddle as it is and I wouldn't want to see 35 bikes entered and all of the sudden we're unnecessary. Maybe that will change over the next few years with full pavement. Im also rooting for Carlin (or anyone really) to set the overall record next year. If the fastest vehicle ever was a motorcycle, that would be great for all the bike classes.

[cneske]

All i hear us that theres no way i can get in since my bike is too fast.
However yesterday i opened up my credit card bill and saw that i have been billed $2600 by the PPIHC. LOL, does that mean i still in?

[The GECCO]

All i hear us that theres no way i can get in since my bike is too fast.
However yesterday i opened up my credit card bill and saw that i have been billed $2600 by the PPIHC. LOL, does that mean i still in?

$2600? It's $1200 to enter the exhibition class, what else did you buy?

And just because they charged your card doesn't mean you're in. They won't make the decision until after the deadline, if you aren't accepted then they refund your entry fee.

[cneske]

Plus 4 days of practice, which is apparently very expensive

[The GECCO]

ah, yes, $350/day

[archie251]

Hey everyone. We are one rider short of the six needed for the 250 class. If anyone is still contemplating, they are accepting entries even though the deadline has passed.

[hcr25]

I'm not surprised on the light turn out. Raise the entry fee by 75% will have the effect. That being said I sent my entry in, just not in your class. What bike you riding this year?

[archie251]

Doing one more year on my YZ250. Hopefully. I spent way too much building that thing for one year!

[hcr25]

That makes sense and its not slow :)
How did you find out about the signup numbers?

[archie251]

Megan emailed me (and other 250 riders I think) asking us if we knew anyone to fill the 6th spot.

[The GECCO]

I see, well nothing to me about the superbike class so maybe its a go. If they dont get 6 what will they do? Put you in exhibition?

[hcr25]

Sorry that was me posting from the computer at HPR, not Glenn :D

[archie251]

Megan Implied that I could ride up a class but I'm not sure of that. I don't know where you would got up to so I would assume exhibition. I'm not about to do that so I'd have to either built a different bike or withdraw altogether. I'm pretty confident though that we'll get the sixth rider. I know two different guys who are thinking really hard about it.

[archie251]

If anyone is still thinking about it. I know a guy who is willing to loan out his cr250, completely set up.

[hcr25]

So even though registration closed on Jan 14th they are still allowing people to signup? They had to know by raising the entry fee so much this would hurt signups. Im curious to see what the Competitor list will look like.

[archie251]

As far as I know, they are only extending the deadline to get the sixth 250 rider. That being said, they don't think they raised entry fees because the new $700 fee is in the middle of the sliding scale they used last year, even though virtually everyone paid the low initial fee and every rider I speak to is of the same opinion. 75% increase.

[cneske]

Im in! Is there going to be a MRA presence there?
Being the social butterfly that i am i have acquired exactly 0 reliable friends. Can i tag along with somone else?

[archie251]

By "I'm in", do you mean that you're racing? If so, what class? I'm open to having someone tag along during the practice days but I live in Colorado Springs so maybe that doesn't help.

[cneske]

Im in means i have received my letter of acceptance. Since im on a 1000 i guess ill be in the exhibition class. I also signed up for all the practice days.

I have a lot of questions too, ie tires, what do i need to have at the top, etc.

If anyones done it before i would like to go over some details.

[archie251]

I can't help you with bike stuff but procedures and schedules I have a pretty good grasp on. Glenn or Mike Appelhans probably have the setup stuff close.