The 89th running of the incredible and epic Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) auto race, the second-oldest motorsports event in U.S.A. (only the Indianapolis 500 has enjoyed a longer tradition) will soon take place on June 26th 2011. Within the very competitive Time Attack division, three of racing participants - Dave Kern in 4WD; Savannah Rickli and Ken Stouffer in 2WD will be campaigning Federal’s FZ-201 semi slick tire as Federal Tire expands our product offerings and marketing efforts in the U.S.

Brought to fame by a series of die-hard professional European and Japanese competitors back in the 80s and 90s, Pikes Peak has earned a global reputation as one of the world’s toughest and highest-altitude road races. The 2011 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will encompass 11 classes, attracting 200 drivers and riders competing on a 12.42 mile course. Which means each of them will have a chance to experience a variety of road conditions on both paved and unpaved surfaces. With a race that begins at 9,390 feet and finishes at the 14,110 foot summit of America’s Mountain, conditions can vary widely, ranging from sun, rain, sleet, and even snow! As unforgiving an environment as it is, the PPIHC attracts thousands of spectators on race day, and over 35 000 fans attend FanFest on the Friday before the race. To truly accommodate such complex racing conditions, entrants and vehicles must be in top condition, and having a great set of tires will help ensure a safe and successful run up this awesome mountain!

Born with racing in her blood, Savannah Rickli is the youngest driver in history to finish the PPIHC, and was named Rookie of the Year 2010. Debuting the Federal 205/50/15 FZ-201 on her 2003 Mini Cooper S Hill Climb Special is a tremendous honor for Savannah and her team; Dave & Allison Kern, whose primary focus is on the PPIHC race, will be flying the Federal colors on their Mitsubishi Evo, and are hoping to re-set the Time Attack 4WD record which they currently hold.

Ken Stouffer and his motivated Fatman Racing Team, also competing on Federal tires, are looking forward to making a serious push, to better their second place finish in Time Attack 2WD, where they ranked last year. Ken is a competitive driver with more than twenty years experience in many forms of motorsports including drag racing, on and off road racing in cars, and on ATV’s.

Recent testing in preparation for the hill climb shows Federal FZ-201 semi slick had significant success in terms of the overall performance for precise cornering, exceptional grip, and responsive control at high speed. The Federal-shod trio is thrilled to run a tire which is able to meet any kind of demand they put on them, and sincerely feel that with a good set of tires on the car for the race day, they will in a better position to battle for the win in their classes.