Rookie Chris Fillmore, former AMA Pro Superbike rider and AMA Supermoto Champion, and his Australian team mate, Rennie Scaysbrook, blitzed the Motorcycle section of the 2017 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado on Sunday 25th June. Both were aboard the latest KTM Super Duke 1290 R model.
From the starting point at an altitude of 2,862 metres, the track winds through 20 kilometres and 156 corners to the finish line at a height of 4302.31 metres.
Rennie Scaysbrook rounds a hairpin during practice at Pike’s Peak.
In the 101st year of the iconic event, run in perfect conditions, Fillmore smashed Carlin Dunne’s 2012 outright motorcycle record by three seconds, lowering it to 9 minutes 49.625 seconds. After leading through the first of the four sections, Scaysbrook finished runner up with a time of 9.57.712, ahead of Corsican Bruno Langlois on a Z900 Kawasaki with a time of 10.12.317.
For Fillmore, the result was a dream come true. “I had it in my head that I could break the record as a Rookie, but as the week went on I became less and less confident, particularly after Friday’s qualifying sessions were cancelled after just one of the scheduled five runs when the weather closed in. Sunday’s forecast wasn’t good either, so it was a massive relief when the day dawned bright and sunny.”
Rennie Scaysbrook rounds a hairpin during practice at Pike’s Peak.
Unlike 2016 when he crashed while leading and remounted to finish fourth, Scaysbrook’s run was largely trouble free. “I had a big front end slide on the last of the hairpins which brought a big cheer from the crowd,” said Rennie, “but I cracked the ten minute barrier – only the third motorcycle to do so – and I am really pleased with that. It was a great result for KTM.”
Chris Fillmore climbs to the clouds.
By Jim Scaysbrook
Photo: Larry Chen