Riders Jeremy Toye and Don Canet preparing to ‘Take Back the Hill for America’ June 26
MINNEAPOLIS, MN – May 20, 2016 – (Motor Sports Newswire) – Victory Motorcycles®, a brand that delivers Modern American Muscle by producing motorcycles with head-snapping acceleration, power and handling, will be racing up the mountain with two very different motorcycles in this year’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC), an event that marks its 100th anniversary in 2016.
In an epic gas vs. electric battle in the experimental class, Victory Racing’s® Project 156™will be piloted by former Pikes Peak Champion Jeremy Toye while the Victory Empulse®RR racer will be ridden by Cycle World’s Road Test Editor Don Canet.
Project 156™, named for the number of turns on the mountain road, is powered by a full race-prepared version of the liquid-cooled four-valve 1200cc DOHC V-twin that motivates the new Victory® Octane™ production motorcycle. The Victory Empulse® RR is being brought to Pikes Peak to build on last year’s podium finish at the Isle of Man TT. Victory’s production Empulse® TT is the street-legal version of this winning motorcycle.
“Victory Racing® serves as an international R&D development program and test beds for future products, and since Pikes Peak is arguably the most challenging race in America – it’s exactly where we need to be,” says Alex Hultgren, Director of Marketing for Victory Motorcycles®. “We are proud to bring the Victory Racing® team back this year for participate in the 100th anniversary of the ‘Race to the Clouds’ and try to take back the mountain for an American manufacturer. We can’t wait to see which bike comes out on top in this battle between gas and electric motorcycles.”
Following an early test, Empulse® RR rider Don Canet was impressed with the package. “Having now had a leg over the Victory Empulse® RR racer, I’m very optimistic about our prospects upon returning for another go on America’s mountain,” Canet says. “Pikes Peak is an ideal venue for an electric powered bike to showcase its performance potential.”
“One of the inherent advantages of an electric motorcycle up Pikes Peak versus a normally aspirated engine is the consistent performance regardless of the thinning air,” says Brandon Kraemer, Product Manager for Victory Motorcycles®. “Running this bike at the Isle of Man TT last year helped us move our development forward, and by entering Pikes Peak with a new set of challenges, we’re ensuring we can push the development of our electric powertrains even further.”
Jeremy Toye, a veteran roadracer who took home PPIHC Rookie of the Year and King of the Mountain awards in 2014, says he’s enthused about the opportunity to compete aboard Project 156™: “After seeing Don ride Project 156™ last year and seeing the dedication Victory Motorcycles® has to performance, I can’t wait to give it full stick up the course.”
“The Victory Racing® team is pleased to have successfully completed our first tests last month in our journey back to challenge Pikes Peak on its 100th anniversary,” says Brian Wismann, Victory Racing® Team Manager. “We’re looking forward to the next test, when we’ll really start to fine-tune our set-up to tackle the mountain.”
Scheduled for Sunday, June 26, The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Brought to you by Gran Turismo is expected to feature a field of approximately 100 competitors.
Spectators are invited to join Victory Motorcycles® 5 p.m.-10 p.m. June 24 in downtown Colorado Springs to celebrate 100 years of the Race to the Clouds at the 2016 PPIHC Fan Fest. See favorite competitors and enjoy entertainment, motorcycle exhibitions, vendor booths, food and refreshments.
Visit PPIHC.com for more information about the event. Learn more about Victory Motorcycles® at VictoryMotorcycles.com or follow on Twitter and Facebook.
ABOUT THE BROADMOOR PPIHC
Founded in 1916 by Spencer Penrose (also the founder of The Broadmoor Hotel, Pikes Peak Highway and El Pomar Foundation), The Broadmoor PPIHC takes place on a 12.42-mile public toll-road boasting 156 turns, while competitors climb 4,720 ft. from the 9,390 ft. Start Line at Mile 7 marker on the Pikes Peak Highway to the 14,115 ft. Finish Line at the mountain’s summit. The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Brought to you by Gran Turismo is the second oldest motor sports race in America and a long-standing tradition in Colorado Springs and the Pikes Peak Region. First competed in 1916 and this year marks the 100th Anniversary & 94th Running of the “Race to the Clouds.” The current record is 08:13.878 and was set by Sebastien Loeb in 2013. There is no other racecourse in the world like The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. That is why it attracts race crews that are willing to spend several hundred thousand dollars and months of preparation to compete for the right to be the King of the Mountain. The race is self-sanctioned and is the most diverse one-day motorsports event in the world with everything from Sidecars, Motorcycles, Semi-Trucks, and 1,400+hp EV & Unlimited Racers being able to compete in the same event. To purchase tickets and learn other information on the PPIHC, visit www.ppihc.com
ABOUT VICTORY MOTORCYCLES
Victory Motorcycles® designs, engineers, manufactures and markets a full line of cruisers, baggers and touring motorcycles. Every Victory model delivers industry-leading performance, comfort, style, storage and reliability. The first Victory was produced on the Fourth of July, 1998, in Spirit Lake, Iowa, where every Victory motorcycle continues to be produced today. Information about Victory Motorcycles®, apparel and accessories is available at www.victorymotorcycles.com and on Facebook.
ABOUT POLARIS INDUSTRIES
Polaris Industries Inc. (NYSE: PII) is a global powersports leader with annual 2015 sales of $4.7 billion. Polaris fuels the passion of riders, workers and outdoor enthusiasts with our RANGER®, RZR® and POLARIS GENERAL™ side-by-side off-road vehicles; our SPORTSMAN® and POLARIS ACE® all-terrain off-road vehicles; VICTORY® and INDIAN MOTORCYCLE® midsize and heavyweight motorcycles; SLINGSHOT® moto-roadsters; and Polaris RMK®, INDY®, SWITCHBACK® and RUSH® snowmobiles. Polaris enhances the riding experience with parts, garments and accessories sold under multiple recognizable brands, and has a growing presence in adjacent markets globally with products including military and commercial off-road vehicles, quadricycles, and electric vehicles.www.polaris.com
