New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-07-30

Pixies Peak Climb
to BE Daring Feat
Will Be of international
Interest-Highest Motor
Road i'm World.

Here in New York we probably
do not realize the significance OF
the Pixies Peak Hill climb, which
will be held August 10, ii and lZ'
We perhaps do not realize thae
there is no comparison between
this climb and any other that has
ever been pulled off. For this road
is the highest mountain road in the
world. Il rises to an elevation OF
14.1O9 feet in IL miles. And IN
those IS miles there are not less tnah
200 turns. .L
Unless you have gone over the
road. it is hard to realize what the
drivers will be up against. Inc
turns are not single, easy little al
fairs. They are simply one horse
shoe turn after another. To be sure,
at the beginning of the climb the
road is pretty broad, but 1t gets
narrower and narrower toward the
ton. till the car in speed comes TO
within a foot or so of the edge. 1t
must be remembered that there is no
retaining wall or anything that
would hold a car once it started
over the edge. In one place there
is sheer drop of $500 feet.
So when all these things are con-
eidered. il is recognized that THIS
event will not be merely OF ioca'
Importance, or even of national I'M
portance. 1t will really be of inter
national significance. Probably the
only run that could be staged that
would compare with it would be one
in the Alps.
The reason that many cars are en-
tered in this run by firms which US
ually avoid anything like racing IS
because this will be such a test OF
the qualities Of the car. 1t VIII
mean not only expert driving ana
handling of the car, but it Will mean
that the car itself will have to UNI
dergo a great test.
On the run the carburetor will
have to be constantly adjusted, as
the atmosphere, of course, becomes
lighter and lighter near the top OF
the mountain.
Already nearly thirty cars have
been entered. With an aggregation
which will include the greatest pres
emit day drivers, headed by Ralph
Milford. the establishing of a new
worlds hill climbing record is
bound to result.
Several new entries were made IN
the last few days which NJ. w. Col
well, manager of the meet, an
nounced from his headquarters now
located at Colorado Springs, Colo
RADIO.
Hughie Hughes, veteran pilot Of
racing cars, has been nominated to
drive a fast Duesenberg. Hughes
has not been seen in contests re-
Gently. but his victories of the past,
particularly that of winning second
honors in the Vanderbilt Cup race In
1912 at Milwaukee, have stamped
him as one of Americas star drivers:
Another new entry is that Of Neil
(Whirlwind) Whalen, who will
drive a Milac car. Whalen has many
notable victories to his credit.
Other new entries announced are
two Buick cars. which will be driven
by Mccoy and Dawson. 1t is prob
able that Barney Oldfield will enter
his Delage racer, as Barney has dis
played keen interest in the climb.
For the past few days several hun
dred men have been at work getting
the highway with its winding curves
and steep grades into shape for prac-
tice, and yesterday the drivers al
ready on the course made several as
cents in remarkably fast time. A. W.
Marksheffel, of Colorado Springs,
piloted one of the three Cadillac
cars entered up the 13-mile circuit
in twenty-three minutes. Milford,
Hughes, Whalen, Patterson, Rippin-
gill, Brooks and Stentz also made
several fast ascents, but did not try
for speed, but rather made trips to
the summit to get acquainted with
tn, turns and grades. The course
has an average grade of 7 per
cent, with a maximum grade of 10. )
per cent.