(June 22, 2013) COLORADO SPRINGS — When next week’s 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb concludes on Sunday afternoon, June 30, it may go down as the most memorable of them all, an event that was launched by Spencer Penrose, the founder of the world famous Broadmoor Hotel, in 1916 to help publicize his home town of Colorado Springs and the new highway he had constructed to the summit of Pikes Peak — America’s Mountain.

During the 90 previous editions of the world’s most famous hill climb, the list of champions, those who have made it to the top past the checkered flag at the finish line, include the greats of American motorsport — Mario Andretti, Parnelli Jones, Roger Mears, Al Unser, Al Unser, Jr., Louis Unser, Bobby Unser, Rick Mears and scores of others, including generations of racing families with names like Dallenbach, Unser, Donner, and Vahsholtz.

In recent years, as the popularity and profile of the race spread around the globe, fans have seen a whole new family of international winners emerge, like Nobuhiro Tajima, Rod and Rhys Millen, Ari Vatanen, and Per Eklund. Michele Mouton of France became the first woman to win a championship when she captured the Open Rally division in 1984 and 1985 in her Audi Quattro.

An international field of 157 competitors, 70 automobiles and 87 motorcycles, will challenge the 12.42 mile, fully-paved course with 156 turns that begins at 9,390 feet and ends at the 14,110-foot summit of the Peak. Check here to see the full course map.

In keeping with the race’s growing international reputation, entries have been received from drivers and racers from the United States, Japan, Latvia, France, Sweden, Canada, Brazil, Great Britain, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Italy, Switzerland, Scotland, Poland, Korea and New Zealand.

Motorsport journalists, broadcasters and website specialists will be covering the race from 20 nations – USA, China, Russia, Italy, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Great Britain, Germany, Latvia, Portugal, Austria, Japan, Belgium, Mexico, Switzerland, Brazil, Croatia and the Czech Republic.