As can the Blue Oval win for a second year
in-a-row?
Arse-sumedly like many, the Pikes Peak
International Hill Climb probably goes largely unnoticed. Although I’d guess
it’s got it’s legions of Hardcore Fans…
Must say I know very little about this
legendary race, other than it once was the playground of the Unser’s, most
notably Uncle bobby, who has the most King of The Mountain titles overall with
ten. Having broken His tie with His uncle Louis Usner in 1986 in a Audi
Quattro. With Bobby having a total of 13 wins at “Unser’s Peak”, with a further
two Stock Car and single Sports Car category victories.
While ironically, bobby’s streak of six
consecutive wins ended when younger brother Big Al’ (Unser Sr.) won in 1964…
The first race was held in 1916; with the years
1917-19 and 1942-45 not being held due to both World Wars.
Paving of the dirt road began in 2002, with the
final mixed dirt/asphalt event being 2011. During this time, Nobuhiro Tajima
won six consecutive events driving for Suzuki, in Escudo, SL7 and SX4 models.
Becoming the first driver to break the ten minute mark with a new course record
in 2011. Nobuhiro subsequently became the first driver to break the ten minute
barrier in an
Electric vehicle in 2013 with a time of
9:46.530.
The same year, (2013) Sebastien Loeb shattered
the nine minute mark aboard His King of The Mountain overall winning Peugeot 208
T16 Pikes Peak special with a time of 8:13.878.
In 2015, Rhys Millen became the first overall
winner driving an electric vehicle, winning in9:07.222 aboard an eO PP03,
whatever that is? With Tajima second, giving EV’s a 1-2 sweep.
And then Romain dumas bettered countryman
Loeb’s record by 15 seconds behind the keyboard of His Volkswagen electric
racer…
This Sunday, June 22nd is the 103rd running of
the race, Where defending overall race winner Romain dumas will be aiming for
His sixth King of The Mountain (overall) victory.
Last year, Dumas won driving a highly modified
Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck with a time of eight minutes, 53 seconds and
change. As this PickemUp’ truck reportedly produced a massive 2,200bhp generated
by its three electric motors and producing some whopping 6,000lbs of downforce.
Dumas said the truck simply shut off during His
eventual winning run to the clouds. After recycling the electrics and
continuing on His way, He won the event.
Recall that Thy Leggy Juan’, aka Katherine
Legge made Her Pikes Peak debut last year, driving an Acura Integra Type S DE5
thru Honda Racing Corporation USA (HRC US) in the Time Attack 1 division. But
no idea how She fared on the 12.42-mile paved tarmac to the 14,115 foot summit.
Whilst another Femme Fatale was busy winning
the newly created GT4 Division. As Laura Hayes in a Toyota Supra GT4 raced to
the clouds in 10:20.487, winning the category. Becoming the fastest woman on
the mountain in a car.
As Germany’s Lucy Glockner set an astonishing
time of 9:58.878 upon a motorcycle in 2019! Before the motorcycle’s category
was discontinued in 2021, following the death of motorcyclist Carlin Dunne
during the 2019 event.
Also tend to recall that David Donohue, son of
the late Mark Donohue was competing in the Hillclimb last year…
As Donohue recorded His fifth sub-ten minute
run enroute to winning the Time Attack 1 division driving His 2014 Porsche 911
Turbo R entry. Along with winning the bergmeister award with His 9:49.429 run
being the fastest Porsche overall.
Dumas has won Pikes Peak five times to date,
i.e.; 2014, 2016-18 and 2024. Having set the current overall record time in
VW’s monster I.D. R electric racer at 7:57.148 in 2018, which He hopes to
surpass this year.
This year’s vehicle of choice is a Ford Mustang
Super Mach E, which sort of resembles the production vehicle, if you don’t
stare at it too hard! With Ford being coy upon vehicle specifics, most notably
horsepower. Although having divulged it produces a Mega 6,225lb of downforce,
Aye Karumba!
No idea whom else is competing this year in the
Top Dawgs’ Unlimited division. Or who Dumas’s competition for King of The
Mountain contest will be? Or if Four-times winner Robin Schute will be
competing?
Meanwhile, just learned that Katherine Legge
finished in the top five of the TA1 division last year with a time of
10:51.359, just three seconds off the current front wheel drive record.
As Legge will contest this year’s event once again driving for Honda. This time aboard the No. 93 Acura Integra Type S DE5, seeking to eclipse the record mark of 10:48.094 set in 2018. With Legge being one of six females competing this year.
