Ultra4 is making its comeback to Pikes Peak for an exhilarating racing crossover.
Phillip McGilton.
Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
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At the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, there's always a wide range of vehicles—from specially designed single-seaters to advanced, manufacturer-supported electric vehicles. And it's about to become even more diverse.
Three competitors from the Ultra4 USA Championship will take part in the 2026 Pikes Peak Hill Climb on June 21. This marks the first time in 15 years that Ultra4 racers have officially entered this iconic event. The group features multiple-time King of the Hammers champion Loren Healy, who will drive a Ford Bronco-bodied 4400-class vehicle called “El Bandito.” Healy will be joined by Phillip McGilton and Paul Wolff, who will be piloting his own 4400-class vehicle.
Loren Healy. Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
Ultra4 is akin to the Olympics of off-roading, merging high-speed desert racing with technical rock crawling, with King of the Hammers as its highlight event. This demands versatile drivers—Healy once navigated a Bronco up Moab’s famous Hell’s Gate in reverse and was a standout at this year’s FAT Ice Race. However, Pikes Peak presents its own unique challenges.
The Pikes Peak course spans 12.42 miles with 156 turns and is normally a public road, beginning at 4,725 feet above sea level and concluding at the mountain’s peak of 14,115 feet. The reduced air density at such heights makes it difficult to produce power and downforce, while the multitude of turns poses a mental challenge for drivers. Many of these bends are located above sheer drop-offs of hundreds or thousands of feet without guardrails. Since 2012, the entire course has been paved, which takes these off-road racers out of their comfort zone. However, they are expected to deliver an exciting performance.
Paul Wolff. Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
Ultra4 last officially participated at Pikes Peak in 2011, fielding six drivers. Series founder Dave Cole secured third place in the Pikes Peak Open division with a time of 13:05.318. In 2022, Levi Shirley drove an IFS single-seater in the race’s 100th edition and managed to finish despite rolling the vehicle at Engineers’ Corner. Shirley’s time of 13:44.532 reflected that unplanned incident but was still quicker than six other contenders.
This gives us an idea of what to anticipate with the return of Ultra4 to Pikes Peak this June. Let’s hope everyone keeps the shiny side up this time.
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Ultra4 is coming back to Pikes Peak for an incredible racing event.
This year, three contestants from the off-road racing series will take part in the legendary hill climb.
Ultra4 is making its comeback to Pikes Peak for an exhilarating racing crossover.
This year, three contenders from the off-road racing series will take on the renowned hill climb.