Records, snow fall at the 2012 Pikes Peak Hill Climb

When it comes to Pikes Peak, expect the unexpected. The legendary mountain is known for its ever-changing conditions, and one driving up to the top might experience warm sunshine and a snow storm all in a matter of minutes. That was the case this past weekend at the 90th annual Pikes Peak Hill Climb when race officials were forced to shorten the course due to snow, rain and near-freezing temperatures at the finish line on the summit. It is only one of three times since 1916 that the length of the race has been shortened.

Thankfully many of the drivers and riders did get to fully complete their runs up the 12.42-mile, 156-turn course, and due to the new fully paved course the times were faster than ever. Last year, Monster Tajima was the first to break the ten-minute barrier on the mountain, but it was clear early on that his record would fall. Romain Dumas, a winner at the 24 Hours of Le Mans but a rookie at Pikes Peak, blasted past the finish line in 9:46.181 in a Porsche 911 GT3R, setting a new record for the course.

The record didn't stand long, however, as Rhys Millen, driving his 2013 Hyundai Genesis Coupe race car, completed the course in 9:46.164 just 17/1000s of a second ahead of Dumas.