From purpose-built single-seaters to high-tech, factory-backed EVs, there’s always plenty of variety at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. And it’s about to get a little more.
Three competitors from the Ultra4 USA Championship will compete in the 2026 Pikes Peak Hill Climb on June 21. It’s the first time in 15 years that Ultra4 racers have officially competed in the legendary event. The lineup includes multiple-time King of the Hammers winner Loren Healy, driving the Ford Bronco-bodied 4400-class rig known as “El Bandito.” Healy will be joined by Phillip McGilton and Paul Wolff, who will be driving his own 4400-class machine.
Ultra4 is like the Olympics of off-roading, combining high-speed desert running with technical rock crawling, with King of the Hammers as its marquee event. That requires versatile drivers—Healy once drove a Bronco up Moab’s famous Hell’s Gate in reverse and was one of the stars of this year’s FAT Ice Race. But Pikes Peak presents an entirely different set of challenges.
Pikes Peak is run on a 12.42-mile course with 156 turns that is normally a public road, starting at 4,725 feet above sea level and finishing at the eponymous mountain’s 14,115-foot summit. The thinner air at altitude makes it hard to generate power and downforce, while the sheer number of turns is a mental challenge for drivers. Many of those turns sit atop drop-offs of hundreds or thousands of feet and no guardrails. The full course has been paved since 2012, taking these off-road racers out of their element. But they should still put on a great show.
Ultra4 last competed officially at Pikes Peak in 2011 with a contingent of six drivers. Series founder Dave Cole finished third in the Pikes Peak Open division with a 13:05.318 time. In 2022, Levi Shirley brought an IFS single-seater to the 100th running of the event and finished despite rolling the car at Engineers’ Corner. Shirley’s 13:44.532 time reflected that unplanned stop, but was still faster than six other competitors.
That gives you an idea of what we can expect when Ultra4 returns to Pikes Peak this June. Hopefully everybody will keep the shiny side up this time.
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The post Ultra4 Is Returning to Pikes Peak for an Epic Racing Crossover appeared first on The Drive.
