After a huge wildfire delayed the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, it has finally had its day in the spotlight, and it did not disappoint. The entire PPIHC was chock-full of craziness and highlights, along with some low-lights worthy of mention.

The biggest highlight of the day was seeing a record set at last year's race fall. It fell not only once, but twice in only 10 starts. Switzerland's Romain Dumas – a PPIHC rookie – fired up the hill, completing the course in just 9:46.18 in his 2012 Porsche->ke1 GT3 RS. This demolished the 9:51.278 record set by Nobuniro Tajima In 2011. Just 10 starts later, Rhys Millen, an 18-year PPIHC veteran, beat Dumas' time by 0.02 seconds in his 2012 Hyundai Genesis coupe. Yeah, figure that one out; a Hyundai->ke201 beat a Porsche GT3 RS->ke617.

Dejected, Dumas vowed never to race Pike's Peak again, claiming it is unfair because he raced in rainy conditions, while Millen got a drier track to run on. In all honesty, though, 10 starts just doesn't seem like a long enough time frame to cause a huge discrepancy in track conditions. We're calling “Sore loser” on this one. That's no way to get a good name in the racing world.

A huge low-light in this year's race is the fact that the 2011 champion and former record holder, Nobuniro Tajima, didn't even get a shot at the title, as his electric motor burned up. Tajima had a pretty good chance to win the race in back-to-back years, but that was apparently not in the cards this year. We're sure he'll be back near the top next year.

Let's take a look at the top-3 in each class, plus the top-10 overall results.

Click past the jump to see these results.

250 Division

This division consists of all 250 cc motorcycles and dirt bikes.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Jason Archuleta

11:41.015

2005 Yamaha YZ250

2

Zach Warnock

11:44.169

2011 KTM 250SX

3

Codie Vahsholtz

11:52.529

1996 Kawasaki KX


450 Division

This division consists of all motorcycles and dirt bikes with a 450 cc engine.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Travis Newbold

11:06.618

2009 Honda CRF450X

2

Greg Chicoine

11:12.312

2009 Kawasaki KX500SPPR

3

Daniel Berendes

11:12.970

2008 Honda CRF 450


750 Pro

This division covers singe-cylinder 4-stroke 700 cc dirt bikes and twin-cylinder 750 cc dirt bikes.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Gary Trachy

10:40.753

2010 TM 660 SMX

2

Jeff Grace

11:02.472

2005 KTM 610 SMR

3

James McKay

11:31.423

2006 Husaberg FS650C


1205 Division

This division covers all dirt bikes that are 900 cc or greater with 2- or 3-cylinder engines.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Carlin Dunne

9:52.819

2012 Ducati Multistrada

2

Greg Tracy

9:58.262

2010 Ducati Multistrada

3

Bruno Langlois

11:05.342

2010 Ducati Street Fighter


Electric

This class, as you would expect, covers all of your electric vehicles

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Furnio Nutahara

10:15.380

2012 Toyota Motorsport TMG EVP002

2

Hiroshi Masuoka

10:30.850

2012 Mitsubishi Motors i-MiEV Evolution

3

Elias Anderson

11:00.857

2012 HCE Lightning XP12


Exhibition Powersport

This is an interesting class that includes all powerssport vehicles – Utility-Terrain Vehicles, ATVs, 750 cc and up quads, etc. – that simply do not fit in any other category.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Douglas Siddens

10:15.380

2009 Polaris RZR-X

2

Glenn Conser

10:30.850

2008 Yamaha R1

3

Mike Applehans

11:00.857

2006 Suzuki GSXR


Exhibition

Much like the Exhibition Powersports division, these are cars, trucks, and SUVs that simply do not fit in any other division.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Ryan Knoop

10:15.380

1958 Lister Knoop/Mann Special

2

Ken Gushi

10:30.850

2012 Lexus IS F CCS-R Concept

3

Andrew Comrie-Picard

11:00.857

2010 Scion xD


Open Wheel

Just like the name implies, this division includes open-wheel racers of all kinds. This is typically one of the fastest divisions in the entire race.

Unfortunately, there are no lap times listed to the open wheel division at this time.

Pikes Peak Open

These are cars that look similar to their stock counterparts, yet they have had heavy modifications performed on the engines, transmissions, and suspensions.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Romain Dumas

9:46.181

2012 Porsche GT3RS

2

Randy Schranz

11:11.218

2012 Shelby Cobra

3

Jeff Denmeade

11:19.722

2009 Skelta G-Force


Quad Modified

The only limitations in this class are its dimensions and the fact that the engine displaces only 500 cc. Other than that, the options are wide open on these quads.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Steve Tutt

11:40.521

2004 Honda TRX450R

2

Scott Kolm

11:53.226

2007 Yamaha Raptor

3

Mike Tollett

12:00.056

1987 Suzuki LT 500 R


Sidecar

These are exactly what the division title says they are... Motorcycles with sidecars, a driver, and a passenger. As expected, not many people are crazy enough to compete in this division, leaving only three teams this year.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

John-Thomas Wood

11:41.406

1996 Suzuki Windle F2

2

Wade Boyd

11:44.682

1970 Calgard Special GSXR 1000

3

Hans Schulz

15:26.140

2001 Suzuki Hyabusa 1300


Super Stock Car

These are essentially PPIHC-ready NSACAR vehicles. They are built for two purposes: to be fast and to be safe. That is it.

This class had only three participants and no times are available at this time.

Time Attack

This division is for production-based, two-and four-wheel-drive vehicles only. They must also be a closed-body variety.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Rhys Millen

9:46.164*

2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

2

David Kern

10:20.774

2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

3

Toshiki Yoshioka

10:49.009

2000 Nissan Silvia


*New PPIHC record

Unlimited

This division is a no-holds-barred division. The cars can be built to any specification, just as long as they pass the initial safety inspection.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

David Donner

10:04.652

2012 Palatov D4PPS

2

Cody Loveland

11:39.766

1991 Acura NSX


Vintage

This division is set up for only classic bikes with a 650 cc or 750 cc engine and twin-cylinders.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Marc LaNoue

12:39.782

1969 Triumph Bonnie

2

Lloyd Hale

12:46.479

1973 Shell Yamaha XS 750

3

Keith Speir

13:13.859

1969 Trimuph 750


Vintage Automobile

Any classic automobile is welcome in this class, but it must pass the safety inspection.

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

1

Jess Neal

12:03.858

1971 Plymouth Cuda

2

John Groendyke

12:26.357

1949 Cadillac 62 Coupe

3

John Rogers

12:26.371

1965 Ford Mustang


Overall Standings

The overall winner was determined by only a fraction of a second, as Rhys Millen beat Romain Dumas' record-setting time by just 0.02 seconds. The remainder of the top-10 list is pretty straightforward with the exception of Douglas Siddens' 2009 Polaris RZR-X coming in 10th. The RZR-X is a pretty bad-ass UTV, but to read about a UTV being in the top-10 of a race that included some of the most powerful cars in the world is simply awesome. At least it wasn't a Kawasaki Mule we guess!

Position

Name

Total Time

Vehicle

Position

1

Rhys Millen

9:46.164

2012 Hyundai Genesis Coupe

Time Attack

2

Romain Dumas

9:46.181

2012 Porsche GT3R

Pikes Peak Open

3

Carlin Dunne

9:52.819

2012 Ducati Multistrada

1205

4

Greg Tracy

9:58.262

2010 Ducati Multistrada

1205

5

David Donner

10:04.652

2012 Palatov D4PPS

Unlimited

6

Fumio Nutahara

10:15.380

2012 Toyota Motorsport TMG EVP002

Electric

7

David Kern

10:20.774

2005 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution

Time Attack

8

Hiroshi Masuoka

10:30.850

2012 Mitsubishi Motors i-MiEV Evolution

Electric

9

Douglas Siddens

10:40.669

2009 Polaris RZR-X

Exhibition Powersport

10

Gary Trachy

10:40.753

2010 TM 660 SMX

750


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