Ford Fiesta to Tackle Pikes Peak

A year before it hits the showrooms the Rallycross version of the new Ford Fiesta is slated to take part in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb this summer.

America’s second-oldest motor sports race

While practically everyone has heard of the Indianapolis 500, not nearly as many folks (unless they are die-hard race fans) have heard of the Pikes Peak hill climb or the mountain on which it is held.

Named after Lieutenant Zebulon Montgomery Pike who first attempted to ascend it in November of 1806 and first documented it as part of then-President Thomas Jefferson’s orders to determine the borders of the Louisiana Purchase, the peak which dominates the western horizon behind Colorado Springs, Colorado was not successfully summitted by a European until the spring of 1820.

A carriage road to the summit was built in 1888. Once the first automobile reached the top on August 12 of 1901, it took less than 15 years for the first organized race to the summit – an event that was held between August 10th and August 12th, 1916. The rest, as they say, is history.

The hill climb

Covering a distance of 12.42 miles, the course of the annual “Race to the Clouds” begins at Mile 7 on Pikes Peak Highway (9,390 ft) with an average grade of 7% and winds its way (there are 156 turns on the course) up 4,721 vertical feet to the finish at the summit.

The current overall record is held by none other than Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima of Japan who blew through the course in 10:01.408 on July 21st of 2007 at the wheel of a 1,000 hp purpose-built Suzuki XL7 “Hill Climb Special” (ya think?).

Ford Fiesta Rallycross

This year, Ford’s new Fiesta, although not due in showrooms until 2010, will make its U.S. racing debut on July 19th, as the Olsberg Motor Sport Evolution team from Sweden brings over two new Fiesta Rallycross cars to compete in this year’s event.

“The new Fiesta is an engaging, fun to drive car that is off to a very successful start in Europe and Asia,” said Jim Farley, Group Vice President, Ford Global Marketing and Communications. “Thanks to Andreas Eriksson, we’re able to introduce the Fiesta to racing fans in the U.S. ahead of its launch in 2010.”

Both cars will be competing in the Unlimited Class in an attempt to break Tajima’s record as well as the 10-minute mark and will be driven by Eriksson and legendary rally driver Marcus Grönholm.

Although Ford Racing North America will not be directly involved, it will assist the team with logistical support.

“We’re pleased to have a top independent team like Olsbergs MSE coming to the U.S. with their Fiesta Rallycross cars to take on the challenge of Pike’s Peak,” said Brian Wolfe, director, Ford North America Motorsports. “This will be a great chance for enthusiasts here to see in this unique setting what a lot of the rest of the world is already talking about – that the Fiesta is a great road car and a great race car.”

Photos courtesy of Ford Motor Company and Subaru of America

Tags: colorado springs, fiesta rallycross, Ford, ford fiesta, ford fiesta rallycross, ford north america motorsports, olsberg motor sport, pikes peak, pikes peak hill climb, pikes peak international hill climb, race to the clouds, Suzuki