Champion Racing to the Clouds
The Next Chapter Begins
Champion Racing’s last year of competition was in 2008 when, after winning both the ALMS and Drivers’ Championships for the third successive season, they retired from the world of motorsport. However, this year will see their return when the Champion Porsche/Champion Motorsport organizations combine to compete at the 99th running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, and traditionally held during the last week of June. Champion will be preparing their new Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport to compete in the Time Attack 1 Division.
The car will be piloted by Romain Dumas who is no stranger to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb as he currently holds the record for the fastest time up the 12.42mile, 14,115ft elevated course. The French racer started his career in karting and single seaters before moving on to endurance, GT and prototype racing. He soon became a factory driver for Porsche and has multiple wins in such famous races as the 24 Hours of Le Mans and the 24 Hours Nürburgring as well as a win at the 12 Hours of Sebring.
Champion has an amazing history when it comes to racing, beginning with Porsche in the late 1990’s right through to their Audi program in the early 2000’s. Multiple championship wins and podium finishes were achieved during their former racing program. Victories at such famous races as the 12 Hours of Sebring and Petit Le Mans as well as a class podium at the 24 Hours of Daytona all form part of their historic success. However, following three previous starts at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in which they had already achieved a class win and a 3rd placed overall podium, their crowning glory came at their fourth attempt when they took overall victory at the 2005 24 Hours of Le Mans; their second car entry also taking an overall 3rd placed podium. Their win at the legendary French circuit made Champion Racing the only US team to have taken overall victory at the event since Carroll Shelby’s win in 1967, 38 years previously, ironically a number memorialized by Champion, and an accomplishment that still remains to this date.
With Champion’s history and experience in motorsport coupled with Romain’s skill and expertise, the team is setting its sights on victory this year at Pikes Peak and will push to claim that King of the Mountain title the only way they know how …. like a Champion.
