Central City, Colorado, is an old mining town that’s been regenerated over the years through a combination of restoration and preservation—not to mention the inclusion of legalized gambling within its borders. When Mike “Nick” Nicholas needed a new venue to host his wildly successful Hot Rod Hill Climb, he thought that the municipality’s 8,500-foot elevation and twisty thoroughfare skyrocketing up and out of town would be a perfect fit for his late summer event. And boy, was he right.
After two years in nearby Georgetown, where the original HRHC was staged in 1953 and 1954, Nick headed over the mountain to Central City, where he felt the closed-loop mountain road would yield more runs and more fun for his participants. Aided by his partner and good friend Troy “Rooster” Hastings, his wife Amy “Sweetheart” Nicholas, and a group of great friends, the crew has built an event for the ages, drawing in traditional hot rods and classics from all over the States and beyond.
As in years past, the festivities kicked off with Friday’s Reliability Run, a 50-mile cruise through the hills of Central Colorado. The course varies in altitude from 8,500 feet at Central City to over 11,000 in some areas. Participants tackled the challenges that high elevations bring while enjoying one of the most picturesque road courses in the country.
Saturday’s main event was greeted with Colorado’s famous blue-bird skies and near picture-perfect racing weather. There was an eclectic collection of hot rods on hand, which makes for an interesting lineup. Cars must go through a tech inspection and must be built with traditional, pre-1954 components.
Many of the powerplants on hand sported the kinds of killer accessories that make hot rodders drool like a hungry hound tied outside a steak house. There were plenty of muscular, power-punched flatheads and traditional Hemis as usual, along with a smattering of bangers with OHV conversions in the field. Body styles ran the gamut of hot rodding history as well, with hot roadsters and coupes making up the majority of the contestants. Fords dominated here, though there were plenty of other brands present to add flavor to the field.
After running non-stop for six hours, racing was shut down and the road was opened for local traffic. But that didn’t stop the party. Bands jammed, sellers hawked goods, and plenty of food and refreshments were ingested by the packed crowd. It just couldn’t get any better.
Watch this space for more Hot Rod Hill Climb highlights in coming days. And when you’re ready to get in on the action, check out hotrodhillclimb.com for more info.
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