Since 1916, daring drivers have raced up Pikes Peak on a treacherous mountain course with 1,000-foot drop-offs. Mining magnate Spencer Penrose launched the first Pikes Peak National Hill Climbing Contest that year to publicize his new mountain auto highway. The first winner, Rea Lentz, reached the summit in 20 minutes and 55.6 seconds. The Hill Climb is the second oldest race in the United States, behind only the Indianapolis 500. Many champions have come from the Unser family: Louis Unser, known as the “Old Man of the Mountain,” competed in 36 Hill Climbs and ran his last race at age 71, while Bobby Unser holds the most victories with 13 Hill Climb records. In all, eleven Unsers from three generations have challenged Pikes Peak. Drivers race against the clock over a 12 1/2 mile course from the 9,390-foot starting line to the 14,110-foot summit, facing rain, fog, or snow and maneuvering around 156 turns. Today, the fastest racers climb the mountain in about ten minutes, roughly 25 minutes faster than the average traveler, with speeds reaching 120 miles per hour.