A year after weather shortened the course, Colorado Springs’ historic auto race returns with renewed excitement.  

The 104th Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo, will take place Sunday, with the green flag waved at 7:30 a.m. The field of 75 drivers across six divisions, including 16 rookies, will be attempting the 156-turn, 12.42-mile course up America’s Mountain.  

This year’s class includes several previous Kings of the Mountain, including 2025 champion Simone Faggioli. Most of the Italian’s family is in Colorado Springs to serve as part of his crew. 

“Normally, drivers look for difficult things, so I want to do something difficult again,” Faggioli told The Gazette. “Last year was a dream come true. I won a lot of European and Italian championships in the past, but I wanted something more, and that was the King of the Mountain.”

Last year, Faggoli won his first overall title on a shortened course in 3 minutes, 37.196 seconds. After a two-hour delay, the course was moved down three miles to Glen Cove due to 85-plus mph winds in the upper section. 

It was only the third time in race history that the course was shortened before the race began, and first since 2021 when it was shortened to Mile 16 near Devil’s Playground. 

Faggioli will be competing in the super unlimited division in the same car from 2025, a Nova Proto NP01 ATM Bardahl, but with a different engine. 

Four-time champion Robin Shute and course record holder Romain Dumas will also make their return to the “Race to the Clouds.” Shute, Dumas and Faggioli make up 10 King of the Mountain titles and multiple course records. 

The 2026 field also includes Colorado Springs native David Donner, 61, who is competing in his 28th hill climb and will be aiming for a production record in a 2022 Porsche Turbo S in the time attack 1 division. Donner is a three-time King of the Mountain, the last in 2005. 

Donner’s first race was in 1987, making him one of few drivers to have raced on gravel and tarmac courses. For Donner, who watched the race as a kid, choosing to compete is about the right opportunity coming along.

“I don’t own the car, so it’s nice to have someone else worry about that, and I just drive,” Donner said. “I wasn’t going to run this year, but had a conversation (with Porsche) and all the pieces came together. We decided to go for it, and it worked out; it was meant to be.”

Donner’s father, Bob Donner Jr., earned three sports car wins in the early 1960s, all in Porsches, and his late brother Bobby Donner III won the 1989 open wheel event. His grandfather helped restart the race after World War II. The Donner family was inducted into the Pikes Peak Hill Climb Hall of Fame in 2016. 

Of note, there is no Unser in this year’s hill climb. Since the mid-1920s, the Unser family has dominated Pikes Peak, claiming 26 King of the Mountain titles. Loni Unser, a fourth-generation racer, was the fastest female finisher last year, but will not be competing Sunday. 

“A race like that, unfortunately, takes a lot of puzzle pieces to fall into the right place, and it wasn’t meant to be this year,” Unser, 28, said in a social media post in April. “I’m really bummed because it’s been such a big part of who I am for the past four years. … I love that race, but there are already plans in the works for 2027.”

A favorite for the women’s title is 32-year-old Emelia Hartford, who will be competing in a 2026 Chevrolet Corvette in the time attack 1 class. Hartford placed second in the Pikes Peak GT4 trophy-NA division last year as a rookie and will be going for a production record with a car that has three times the horsepower.  

“It feels like being home again,” Hartford said. “It was the community and other racers feeling like family that ultimately made me want to come back. I’m eyeing that weather every day, but if there’s anything I’ve learned about Colorado, it’s that the weather is unpredictable and at the end of the day, the mountain will decide.” 

For those not spectating, fans can catch the action on Racer Network, stream on Racer+ (free with email), and on the Racer YouTube channel @Racer.HQ. It will also be on 1240 AM and 105.5 FM radio.