Pikes Peak Hill Climb Fan Fest

Last Sunday marked the 95th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, second only to the Indy 500 as longest running race in North America. The week before the race was devoted to practice runs, course setup, and culminated in a "Fan Fest" blocking off Tejon Street in downtown Colorado Springs.

Fans converged and packed a stretch of several city blocks, where racers like New Zealander Rhys Millen handed out signed posters and commemorative t-shirts sold for $35 a piece.

Acura was the most involved manufacturer for this year's hill climb, bringing both a TLX Unlimited class car and the hotly-anticipated NSX. Also on hand were rally aficionados Subaru and Toyo Tires, who brought along Ken Block's Hoonicorn, an 845-horsepower, AWD drift car wearing the shell of a 1965 Mustang.

The hill climb historically features a roster full of native Coloradan teams and drivers, and their cars were scattered throughout the streets of downtown Colorado Springs as well, along with the local fire department and area car dealers.

It was all capped off with two performances from the Red Bull Motocross team, comprised of three riders. Spectators congregated on a main stretch of Tejon Street, the centerpiece: a giant ramp flanked by Red Bull pickups and hyped up announcers . "That's Pikes Peak," the guy said with a laugh, commenting on the event's sleep-depriving nature.

When the bikes fired off, the crowd started cheering. Soon, they were flying through the air, a historic theater with cops on the roof was the backdrop for the biker's tricks.