The historic Broadmoor Special Yellow Devil race car gleamed in the June sunshine, but not as brightly as the smile on Frank Peterson’s face when he talked about it.

The 2014 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Hall of Famer played a big part in resurrecting a part of the weeklong annual event’s history. His payoff is driving the 1918 Pierce-Arrow touring car that once belonged to race founder Spencer Penrose.

He drove the vehicle through Monday’s inspection session at The Broadmoor World Arena. He and his wife, Kaye, were surrounded by media as he drove the car from the scales to its display area.

“It’s a great honor to be able to drive this piece of history,” said Peterson, who lives in Morrison. ‘You can drive something once owned by Spencer Penrose.”

Peterson, who won the 1970 super stock title and last raced in 1989, and his sons Brett and Rob, spent much of the past year restoring the vehicle.

They used as many of the original parts as possible, hand-made replacements and replaced the gas tank and exhaust system, among other things, to make the car as close as possible to the vehicle that made its race debut in 1922. The now-98-year-old vehicle never won but always finished its eight races.

Chances are good for another finish when Peterson drives the vehicle from the start line to the halfway picnic ground on race day at 7:25 a.m. Sunday.

He will be joined by Bill Hybl, El Pomar Foundation chairman and CEO and president emeritus of the U.S. Olympic Committee. El Pomar, the Hill Climb and Peterson’s Lakewood Manufacturing partnered on the restoration efforts.

“We had to do a lot to restore it but a lot of the original gauges are still working,” Peterson said. “The vehicle was very advanced for its day.”

The car was once timed at 90 mph when racing east of town in the 1920s and averaged 50-60 mph on America’s Mountain during its races.

It’s an impressive vehicle, said Colorado Springs auto repair and restoration shop owner Colin Schmeisser, especially when its role in the 100th anniversary of the race is considered.

“It’s an important link to the past,” he said. “It’s a remarkable piece of history.”

That is not lost on Hill Climb fans. The car was a virtual magnet for fans at Monday’s tech inspection and two weekends ago when Peterson drove it up Pikes Peak to the summit.

“We had 100 people come up to it and take pictures when we parked it by the (summit display),” Peterson said. “People love seeing a part of history.”