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The Mt. Washington Hillclimb, otherwise known as the Climb to the Clouds, hasn’t been done since 2011. That year, Subaru Rally Team USA driver David Higgins set a new record for the event first held in 1904, running the 7.6-mile vertiginous course in 6:11.54. The race will be return in 2014 with the help of that very carmaker, Subaru of America having stepped in to the title sponsor role for what will be the Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb.

Taking place from June 26-29, 75 modern and vintage cars will spend three days racing up the 6,288-foot-high mountain. It’s not as long nor as high as Pikes Peak, but it does have something that the Colorado competition doesn’t: gravel; about 13 percent of the Mt. Washington Carriage Road still hasn’t been paved.

If you want to know what a record-breaking run up the northeast’s highest peak looks like, check out Higgins behind the wheel in the video below.

Continue reading Climb to the Clouds returning thanks to Subaru title sponsorship [w/video]

Climb to the Clouds returning thanks to Subaru title sponsorship [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 31 Jul 2013 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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In September 2010, Travis Pastrana turned our attention to the Mt. Washington Auto Road. While it wasn’t an official crack at Frank Sprongl’s record six minute and 41.99 second blast, Pastrana climbed Mt. Washington in six minutes and 20.47 seconds with his rally-prepped 2011 Subaru Impreza WRX STI. The purpose of the run was to evaluate the course for the upcoming 2011 Climb to the Clouds event. The evaluation run was a success and race organizers have announced the classes and opened up registration for the hill climb competition.

The first Climb to the Clouds was run in 1904 but the event went dormant in 2000. Now, after a ten-year hiatus, it’s back and the 2011 run will mark the Mt. Washington Auto Road’s 150th anniversary. The 7.6-mile route begins at 1,527 feet and then climbs to 6,288 feet above sea level. Our Editor in Chief was able to “blast” through the 100+ turns in about 25 minutes.

For the 2011 Climb to the Clouds, organizers have created five classes: Open, Rally, Hillclimb, Vintage and Electric. The Vintage Class is an invitation-only category for vehicles from 1961 and older. The Electric Class is for full EVs only – no hybrids allowed. The Rally and Hillclimb classes are broken out according to the standard of Rally America and the New England Hillclimb Association respectively. Finally, the Open Class is just what it sounds like but places restrictions on engine size based on the wheels driving the vehicle and whether it’s naturally aspirated or turbocharged.

The Mt. Washington hill climb competition scheduled to take place June 22nd through the 26th and organizers hope to host a field of 70 cars. With any luck, someone, will be able to arrange for Sprongl and Pastrana to duke it out on the Auto Road.

[Source: Climb to the Clouds]

Continue reading Mt. Washington’s 2011 Climb to the Clouds announces classes, opens registration

Mt. Washington’s 2011 Climb to the Clouds announces classes, opens registration originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 22 Jan 2011 11:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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