Pikes Peak International Raceway

Pikes Peak Meadows was a dirt horse racing track facility opened in 1964 20 mi (32 km) south of Colorado Springs and 25 mi (40 km) north of Pueblo, Colorado, with a large, blue, covered grandstand on the west. After its horse racing ended in 1993, C. C. Myers "announced plans in May 1996 to build a major auto racing facility" at Pikes Peak Meadows.[10]

In 1997, "Apollo Real Estate Advisors LP formed a joint venture January 30 with Raceway Associates, a partnership headed by California contractor and developer C.C. Myers Inc, to own and run the 1,300-acre" speedway complex.[11] The asphalt track was constructed 6 ft (1.8 m) below the "normal ground level",[12] C.C. Myers planned "to get a big-time NASCAR race in 1998",[13] and the facility had an open house for the local community on May 31, 1997.[14] The first race's attendance (June 8) was 16,810,[15] the Richard Petty Driving Experience used PPIR July 2–17,[2] the first IRL Series race on June 28 was televised,[16] and a Winston West 500K race was held in July 1997.[17]

The stands and part of the infield, viewed from the south

Earlier in 1996, a competing track near Denver in Adams County, Colorado was attempted by Penske Motorsports, Inc. which merged in 1999 with the International Speedway Corporation.[18] In 2002 ISC gained "the right of first refusal should PPIR owners decide to sell their 1,200-acre complex"[18] and in October 2005 for $11 million,[19] "bought out the owners of Pikes Peak International Raceway"[18] (racing operations were suspended and the scoreboard was moved to Texas Motor Speedway.) In 2006, meetings "between attorneys representing [Commerce City, near Denver] and International Speedway Corporation"[18] were conducted before ISC "announced in February [1997] that it was eyeing land in Commerce City as well as eastern Aurora for the track. It envision[ed] a $360 million to $400 million track and stadium that could hold 75,000 to 80,000 fans."[18] A new opposition group, Commerce City Citizens and Business Alliance, endorsed anti-raceway candidates which won local elections, and in May 1997 "ISC executive Wesley Harris said the 1,300-acre parcel the company was considering near Denver International Airport was not compatible with its needs".[18] ISC sold PPIR in November 2006 (the purchase closed in the first quarter of 2007),[19] and PPIR operations resumed in 2008.

On December 6, 2012, USAC announced that PPIR would be on the 2013 USAC Traxxas Silver Crown Series schedule.[20] Pikes Peak International Raceway would host the richest event in SRL Southwest Tour history as announced on April 23, 2013.[21] PPIR also hosts regional club road course races such as the National Auto Sport Association (NASA) and SCCA as well as local enthusiast events such as track days, drifting events, and car shows.

PPIR currently hosts the largest autocross racing series in the Rocky Mountain Region, PPIR Time Attack. The series consists of 8-10 races per year on varying courses on the infield of the track. Courses run from 40 seconds to 1min 5 secs with competitors taking five runs to best their times. The series is based on weight to power and drivetrain classes, including front wheel drive, rear wheel drive, all-wheel drive and a XX class for non-conforming cars or non-street-legal cars.[22]