Player Management International Media Release

Colorado Springs, CO (June 27, 2015) – Never one to rest on his laurels, 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Stock Car Champion Layne Schranz has taken the Colorado Springs, CO, area by storm this week.  In his 22nd year of competition on Pikes Peak, Schranz’s work ethic remains intact.  He had four days of practice, including the qualifying run, which starts with him and his team awaking at 3:00 AM to make the journey up America’s Mountain.  Upon their arrival, his No. 7 GEICO Chevrolet is unloaded from the hauler and warmed up in anticipation of the day’s activities.  Schranz then heads off to the mandatory 5:00 AM driver meeting while awaiting the Colorado sunrise that will allow the green flag to wave and send a group of eager competitors on the ride of their lives.

The winding 12.56-mile course is divided into three sections and each day two groups of cars, and all of the motorcycles, divide up into the sections for practice.  During each session, Schranz and his GEICO Chevy posted significantly faster times than a year ago.  His qualifying run left him on the edge of his seat, as his trek up the mountain was by far the fastest in Schranz’s career, and strong enough to place him ninth overall out of 73 vehicles.

While his 2014 race result of 10:22.612 was a personal best for Schranz, this week’s practice times were exponentially lower, leaving him with the hope of potentially breaking the ever-elusive 10-minute barrier in Sunday’s race. 

Layne qualified second in his division and exudes confidence entering tomorrow’s race.

“I am very excited that the changes the GEICO team made to the car in the off season all worked better than expected,” Schranz said.  “We’re hopeful that the car will actually be able to break the very elusive 10-minute barrier. I’m so thankful to GEICO for their unwavering support of our team.  It’s quite an honor to represent such a great company in this amazing race and we have had a fun ride since they came on-board in 2009.  Having KMC Wheels and Valvoline on our car also means a great deal to us and we’re thankful that these national companies understand the significance of and support this prestigious event.  There is so much history on Pikes Peak and we’re glad we can be a part of it.”

Born and raised in Colorado Springs, Schranz has made his home in Birmingham, Alabama, since 2001.  He was the 1997 Pikes Peak Hill Climb Rookie of the Year and has visited the podium in nine of the last ten years, including a win in 2012.  On Sunday, he will look to regain his status as ‘King of the Mountain’. 

This will be the seventh year that the GEICO Gecko will accompany Schranz up the 12.56-mile racecourse.  Since climbing aboard the No. 7 car of Schranz in 2009, GEICO has yet to finish lower than second, including a win in 2012.  Pikes Peak is the second oldest motorsports race in America and presents competitors with thin air and 156 twisting turns before arriving at the summit.

There is no other race like the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, which is why it attracts race crews from around the world that are willing to spend several hundred thousand dollars and months of preparation to compete for the right to be ‘King of the Mountain’.

The 93rd running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is on Sunday, June 28th, 2016 at 10:00 AM (ET).  You can watch live on www.PPIHC.com.

Interested in tracking Layne’s run up the mountain?  Download the app here: https://appsto.re/us/VSA57.i

Please visit www.GEICO.com to learn how you could save money on more than just auto insurance.

For more information about Layne Schranz and the GEICO Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Racing program, please visit: www.LayneSchranz.com

To learn more about KMC Wheels, please visit: www.KMCwheels.com

Please also visit the official Layne Schranz Facebook page: www.facebook.com/layneschranzracing

For more information about the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, please visit www.ppihc.com