Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race


The Mount Washington Hillclimb Auto Race, also known as the Climb to the Clouds, is a timed hillclimb auto race up the Mount Washington Auto Road to the summit of Mount Washington in New Hampshire. It is one of the oldest auto races in the country, first run on July 11 and 12, 1904, predating the Indianapolis 500 and the Pikes Peak Hillclimb. The event was revived in 2011 and was held again in 2014 and 2017.

History

The Mount Washington Hill Climb Auto Race was held off and on from 1904–1961, then not again until 1990, when Howie Wemyss, manager of the Auto Road, Robert Brotherus, a Finnish rally driver, and 11-time Sports Car Club of America ProRally champion, John Buffum, brought the race back.
Originally created by early auto manufacturers to showcase their vehicles, the Auto Road was chosen to prove the ability of these "horseless carriages". The inaugural "Climb to the Clouds" featured many makes of cars including Rambler, Mercedes, Oldsmobile, Stanley Steamer, Pierce, and a single Daimler, which were placed in categories based on their price. Although the Daimler and the Stanley Steamer driven by F. E. Stanley were favored, Harry Harkness drove to victory in a Mercedes, which ascended the course in 24 minutes, 37 seconds. This was quite impressive compared to the 2 hours, 10 minutes it took the first automobile to climb the Auto Road in 1899, a Stanley Locomobile. The course runs from an altitude of at Glen House to at the summit, for an average gradient of 11.8%.
The event was won by Erwin "Cannonball" Baker in 1928 with a time of 14 minutes, 49.6 seconds, driving a Franklin. Ab Jenkins won in 1930. Baker won again in 1932. Carroll Shelby drove a specially prepared Ferrari roadster to a record run of 10 minutes 21.8 seconds on his way to victory in 1956. In 1961, Bill Rutan drove a Porsche Carrera-powered Volkswagen to set a record time of 9:13.0, which stood until the race returned in 1990. Upon the race's return, Tim O'Neil set a time of 7:45, driving a VW Golf rally car. The current record is 5 minutes, 44.72 seconds, set in 2017 by Travis Pastrana driving a Subaru WRX STI; this broke the previous record of 6 minutes, 9.09 seconds, set by David Higgins of the Isle of Man, also driving a WRX STI, in 2014. The fastest speed ever clocked was by 6-time New England Hillclimb Champion Jerry Driscoll of East Randolph, Vermont, driving a 600 hp "Hillclimb Special" in 1999. This record held until 2011 while driving the same car, he broke his own record clocking 2 days before his 69th birthday.
In 2004 the event was restarted as a historic event, with emphasis placed on vintage cars.
Prior to the event's return in 2011, the last fullblown hillclimb race was in 2001, won by Paul Choiniere with a time of 4:59.73 on a weather-shortened course in his 500 hp methanol-fueled, all wheel drive Hyundai Tiburon.
The 2014 running of Climb to the Clouds included the first electric race car to compete in the history of this event. EVSR, the fully electric racecar, was piloted by Tim O'Neil, former overall hill record holder, to a time of 7:28. O'Neil bested his previous overall hill record by 16 seconds and put his mark onto Mt. Washington once more by setting the fastest electric record.
YearDriverVehicleTimeNotes
1904Harry HarknessMercedes 60 h.p.24:37.6 secJuly 11/12.
1905William M. HilliardNapier 60 h.p.20:58.4 secPassenger Frank Townsend
1905Stanley T. KelloggIndian motorcycle 3hp Twin20:59.2 secJuly 17/18. Event held during Glidden Tour
1923Ralph MulfordChandler17:00.0 sec
1928"Cannonball" BakerFranklin14:49.6 sec
1930Ab JenkinsStudebaker President 814:23.0 sec
1932"Cannonball" BakerGraham eight13:26.0 sec
1934Al MillerHudson eight13:20.6 sec
1935J. RueterFord V8 Special12:46.4 sec RJuly 7
1936L. QuimbyWillys 7713:45.0 secJuly 26
1937B. Collier JrAlfa Romeo 8C 230014:50.5 secJuly 11
1938L. LaddFord V8 Special12:17.6 sec RJuly 28
1939John EwellBMW12:53.1 secAugust 26
1940Lemuel LaddFord V8 Special12:34.4 secAugust 25
1953Sherwood Johnson10:46.6 sec RAugust 15/16
1954Sherwood JohnsonJaguar Special10:44.8 sec RAugust 15
1955August 14
1956Carroll ShelbyFerrari 375 GP 4.5-litre10:21.8 sec RAugust 14/15
1961Bill RutanPorsche Special9:13.0 sec R
1990Tim O'NeilVW Rally Golf7:45.0 sec R
1991Paul ChoiniereAudi Quattro7:09.61 sec R
1992Frank SpronglAudi Quattro7:08.61 sec R
1993Paul ChoiniereAudi Quattro6:46.62 sec R
1995Paul ChoiniereHyundai Elantra6:45.22 sec R
1998Frank SpronglAudi Quattro6:41.99 sec R
2011David HigginsSubaru WRX STI6:11.54 sec R
2014David Higgins and co-driver Craig DrewSubaru WRX STI6:09.09 sec R
2017Travis PastranaSubaru WRX STI5:44.72 sec R

Key: R = Course record