A reader heard a rumor that the winner of the 1972 Pike’s Peak “in the unlimited class was a cj3a”. I found a video of the 1972 race, but no jeep was mentioned:
I also learned that the overall winner on one day of the 1971 Pikes Peak Hill Climb trials was Bob Sievert (his obit) in a jeep, but Bob failed to win that year. His rear end broke during his race up the hill, forcing him to rely on his front wheel drive. Still, he finished 5th in the four-wheel-drive class. Here are the results of that 1971 race, though no pics are provided that show why type of jeeps were raced:
Colorado Springs Gazette-Telegraph, July 12, 1971.
In 1973, Bob did win the Non-Production Truck division of the Pikes Peak race. There’s supposed to be a mention about him and his jeep in the July 1973 issue of Hot Rod Magazine. Eventually, I was able to find a photo of Bob from 1973, but it appears he raced using a modified Jeepster Commando:
There was another jeep entry in 1973, this CJ-5 operated by Ken Anderson, but no mention of how well he did:
So, I’ve been unable to confirm that a CJ-3A was used or modified for the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, but I’m sure CJ-3As, as well as WWII jeeps and CJ-2As and other vintage jeeps were raced given there was a 4WD class. Anyone else have more info or photos?
Dave……..I was very blessed to have been at the Pikes Peak hillclimb twice in the 1990’s. What an experience. My brother and I traveled from Iowa and brought our sons and daughters who were around 8-10 at the time. Get up the mountain in the middle of the night…….find a camping spot…..watch the sun come up…..cast iron bacon eggs and toast on the campfire.
I had also just gotten a new camera and shot lots of pictures …….my favorite were taken hiding in a large culvert that went under the track on the inside off one turn……breathtaking. All very great memories of the “dirt” days………sadly it is all asphalt now.
I have accumulated several books and some historical stuff over the years since I helped put together some race history on an open wheel sprint car that raced in the 1950’s thru the 60’s. I also have a friend that may start restoring a Bobby Unser stock car that ran there also.
I will go thru what I have and look for any Jeep stuff.
jeep racers ? — research THE ARCHER BROTHERS JEEP SUPPLY , HAYWARD , CALIF — art and garner wrote the book on JEEP racing — they even had a cj-6 racer , it was purple and i think they broke it in half ?? — they sponsored SHERMAN BALCH years ago , and he won the BAJA 1000 ? — MINT 400 ?? — it was a long time ago ,,
I think the 3A was in the hill climb museum in manitou springs. If it was the same one it’s a Willys 3a body on an early bronco frame and running gear.
Troy, there’s a hill climb museum in Manitou Springs? I’ve been through there a couple times, but didn’t know that. I guess we’ll be stopping by there on our next time through.
Allen, I bet that was a cool experience! I’ve only driven up on the pavement. Thanks for checking on the pics.
Dave……I found my copy of The Pikes Peak Race by Stanley L. Degeer. It shows the “Truck Division” as including kind of a hodge podge of 4WD……Utility…..Trucks ??? . For 1971 it states “Bob Seivert in a Chevy powered Jeep posted the fastest qualifying run IN ANY DIVISION for the 1971 time trials”. It then shows that Scott Marlatt in a Jeep Chevy actually finished first in the Division in the race.
The way things operated as I remember is that each contestant ran up the hill in a qualifying run earlier in the week and then did a “race” run on race day. I will have to look thru my old Hot Rod magazines to see if they covered it. I wonder if “qualification” day was run during rain…..snow…..ice etc. (which was not unusual on the mountain) and the 4wd Jeep was better than the much faster “race cars” ??
i own a ’50 4wd Jeepster that Bob built
In 1989 and 1990 a friend of mine raced Pikes Peak in a AMC 401 powered Jeep Scrambler. If memory serves me right he won rookie of the year in 89 placing 2nd in his class and in 90 finished 4th
Scott … It sounds like jeeps were more common than the historical pics indicate. Thanks for the info!