Meet the Pikes Peak rookies: GT4 and Pikes Peak Open

The 103rd Running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo, will feature 21 rookie racers in total set to ascend the mountain on June 22. Meet the drivers from the GT4 Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama and Pikes Peak Open divisions. All have their sights set on the finish line at 14,115 feet.

GT4 PIKES PEAK TROPHY BY YOKOHAMA DIVISION

The GT4 line-up was announced later than the rest of the entry list, but that didn’t mean it was lacking in the star power department.

Leading the rookie charge is Emelia Hartford (pictured above), who boasts more than 2.1 million Instagram followers and 1.72 million subscribers on YouTube. A multi-time quarter-mile world record holder, her latest record was set in December with a Nissan Z she built in less than two months.

While Tad Cusack is no stranger to Pikes Peak on two wheels, he’ll be running on four for the first time in 2025. Nearly two decades ago, Cusack raced twice in the Supermoto division, finishing second on his first attempt, behind PPIHC Hall of Famer Greg Tracy.

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Bringing Aston Martin to Pikes Peak for the first time in 2025, Steve Wetterau rounds out the GT4 rookie roster. The California native is eager to tackle the mountain, as his work with BBi Autosport has seen him deeply involved behind the scenes on many of the team’s successes over the years. Behind the wheel, he has extensive karting experience and currently competes in the BMW M2 Cup.

PIKES PEAK OPEN

Colorado’s own Scott Anderson has raced everything from the Road to Indy, where he finished on the podium in the 2015 Freedom 100, to stage rally and Red Bull Global Rallycross.

Alex Kim is well known on both two wheels and four – alongside his driving efforts in road racing, time attack, and autocross, he co-owned DNA Pro Cycling, a professional women’s cycling team, for more than a decade. When he’s not behind the wheel, he remains a devoted sponsor of women in motorsport, including Porsche Carrera Cup standout, Sabre Cook.

Kim will be joined on a two-car Rayteam effort by Emmanuel Cecchet, one of the New England area’s best-known rally drivers and a passionate supporter of those looking to get into the sport for the first time. Cecchet will drive the same car that Laszlo Keskeny took up the mountain in the team’s debut last year.

After winning last year’s NASA Southeast Super Unlimited title, Tracy Gaudu will take her next step by heading to Pikes Peak. If Gaudu’s atomic orange 2008 Chevrolet Corvette Z06 doesn’t turn enough heads for its color, it will for her pace behind the wheel – Gaudu has set records in the Pine Mountain Hillclimb several years in a row, and added multiple NASA Southeast Time Trial championships along the way.

Josh Tenge (pictured below) is no stranger to driving on the toughest surfaces imaginable, such as Arctikhana, a Colorado-based series that turns Georgetown Lake into multiple racing courses. His 2012 Audi TT RS is also well known at Pikes Peak with its bold color scheme and years of previous experience.

Christian Ghimbos will also campaign a 2012 Audi TT RS under the ACG Racing banner. The German-born Ghimbos competed in stage rallies throughout Europe in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and most recently scored the Touring 1 title in the US Majors Southern Conference two years ago.

With an extensive resume that includes SCCA Majors, SpeedTour, and US Vintage Racing events, Maor Primo will bring a car to match his experience in his Pikes Peak debut. The 1967 Alfa Romeo GTA-M is sure to turn heads as one of the most iconic vintage machines on the grid.

Patrick Culligan trades two wheels in the desert for four on tarmac with his Pikes Peak debut this year. Culligan raced the SCORE Baja 1000 in Pro Moto Ironman two years ago, taking third in class for his efforts.

At the end of race day, one of these eager first-time racers will be named PPIHC Rookie of the Year.

Watch the 2025 Pikes Peak International Hillclimb live on the RACER Network and RACER+ App on June 22.