Mountains are meant to be climbed — or in Pikes Peak’s case, raced up.

“America’s Mountain” will celebrate year 101 of the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC). Since 1916, automobile drivers have maneuvered up the windy, narrow Pikes Peak Highway.

Spencer Penrose, an early Colorado Springs entrepreneur, saw potential for Pikes Peak to be a tourist attraction, so he founded the Pikes Peak Highway in 1915. To attract visitors to his Broadmoor Hotel, he founded the Hill Climb a year later in 1916.

The race has been held for every year since then, except for pauses during World Wars I and II. It is the second oldest motorsports race in the United States.

The course — Pikes Peak Highway — features 156 turns over 12.42 miles. It begins at 9,300 feet above sea level and ends at 14,115 feet.

It began as a gravel and dirt road, but paving began in the 1950s and was completed in 2012.

Currently, the race is split into six divisions: Unlimited, Time Attack 1, Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy, Open Wheel, Pikes Peak Open and Exhibition.

In recent memory, unlimited cars have dominated the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Any cars are allowed in that category, as long as they meet the safety inspections and abide by the PPIHC’s general rules. According to PPIHC’s website, “these racecars hold the best chance of setting a new overall course record.”

French driver Romain Dumas set the course record in 2018, competing in the unlimited class. Driving a prototype electric Volkswagen, Dumas crossed the finish line in 7:57.148.

Last year, in the centennial event, Robin Shute won the race with a time of 10:09.525 in the unlimited division. Other winners in their divisions included David Donner (exhibition), David Donohue (time attack), Codie Vahsholtz (open wheel), Rhys Millen (Pikes Peak Open) and Cam Ingram (Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama).

Shute has become a staple at the Hill Climb. Not only is he the defending champion, Shute has won three of the past four races on Pikes Peak.

He will go for his fourth title in five years on Sunday. It would be the first time a racer has achieved that feat since Dumas won four in five years from 2014 to 2018.

In addition to Shute, several other familiar names will be racing. Dumas and two-time overall winner Millen are both on the entry list, as well as Donohue, last year’s third-place overall finisher.