Windy conditions greet competitors during second day of Pikes Peak practice and qualifying

The second day of practice and qualifying for the 104th Running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb took place Wednesday on Pikes Peak – America's Mountain. While competitors were greeted by blue skies and limited cloud cover throughout the morning, strong winds added another layer of challenge as teams continued preparations for Race Day.

Competitors in the Pikes Peak Open Division and the Ultra4 USA class took their turn in the Lower Section, where qualifying times are used to determine Race Day starting order. Billy Johnson led all qualifiers with a best run of 3m50.502s in his Porsche GT3 Turbo Cup "LUCY". Jimmy Ford was second quickest at 3m53.544s, while French rookie Valentin Simonet rounded out the top three at 4m07.366s.

Simonet's 2015 Renault RS 01 is the first appearance for the brand in Pikes Peak history. Fellow Frenchman Bruce Jouanny had the fourth fastest time in qualifying with a 4m15:660s. Jouanny's piloting a 2026 Ligier JS2R in his second attempt at Pikes Peak.

In Ultra4 USA qualifying, Paul Wolff posted the quickest time at 5:05.075, followed by Loren Healy at 5:10.114 and Casey Currie at 5m23.415s.

Elsewhere on the mountain, Open Wheel and Time Attack 1 competitors continued practice in the Middle Section while Unlimited and Pikes Peak GT4 Trophy by Yokohama competitors tackled the Upper Section. 

With favorable track access and efficient operations, some competitors completed as many as eight runs throughout the morning, providing teams with valuable seat time ahead of Race Day. JR Hildebrand continued his strong week by posting the fastest Middle Section time at 2m28.264s in his Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X. Jeff Zwart was one second behind him at 2m29.378s, while Open Wheel competitor Codie Vahsholtz led his division with a run of 2m31.685s.

Defending King of the Mountain Simone Faggioli posted the fastest time of the day in the Upper Section with a run of 2m18.819s, narrowly edging five-time King of the Mountain Romain Dumas at 2m19.402s. Four-time King of the Mountain Robin Shute remained close behind at 2m21.659s as one of the most anticipated battles heading into Race Day continued to take shape.

Possibly the most impressive run of the session came from rookie Franco Caruso, whose time of 2m22.248s placed him just behind the trio of Kings of the Mountain and ahead of several accomplished veterans in the Super Unlimited Division.

Who’ll be on top of the world in 2026? RACER Network will bring live coverage of the Race to the Clouds to viewers across the world. Pikes Peak Live, presented by Mobil 1, coverage begins at 9:00am ET/7:00 a.m. MT on Sunday, June 21.

Fans worldwide can also stream the race live on RACER+, free with email registration, ensuring motorsports enthusiasts everywhere can experience one of the world’s most challenging and iconic competitions in real time. 

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