Unleashed Beasts Of The 101st Pikes Peak: A Tribute To Mechanics, Madness, and Motor-Sport Mastery
What makes the heart of a true motor enthusiast beat faster than the roar of a high-performance engine tackling one of the most challenging races in the world? Welcome to the definitive roundup of the 101st Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, an event that never fails to deliver a high-octane blend of engineering prowess and daredevil courage.
Mad Mike Whiddett's Mazda 3 Hatchback: Not Your Average Grocery Getter
Picture this: a hatchback Mazda 3... but, oh, wait, it's rear-wheel drive and it's snarling with a twin-turbo four-rotor engine designed for drifting. That's right. 'Mad Mike' Whiddett isn't mad; he's a genius. Defying gravity and grip, his Red Bull-backed Mazda, a former Formula Drift warrior, clocked an awe-inspiring 10:34.980 run.
Robin Shute's Wolfish Speed: Taming the Mountain
Robin Shute's name echoes along Pikes Peak's winding trails with his sixth consecutive appearance. Tearing through the thin air in his Honda-powered 2018 Wolf TSC–FS, Shute steered to triumph, breaking his own best and leaving the competition in a cloud of dust with an astonishing 8:40.080 climb.
Tanner Foust's Radford Type 62-2: A Lightweight Behemoth
Tanner Foust shifted the paradigm with a custom-built masterpiece — the Radford Type 62-2 based on the Lotus Exige. With its sheer 700-hp force and featherlight body, Foust's Exhibition class victory was flavorsome, spotlighting innovation and legacy in the automotive sphere.
From Drifter to Diesel: Cole Powelson's GT-R Powerstroke
Cole Powelson's smoke-spewing spectacle was a diesel-powered Nissan GT-R with the heart of a hulking Ford F-series. Thrusting the colossal 6.9-liter turbodiesel V-8, Powelson's engineering marvel shattered diesel records and perceptions by defying its weight class under the relentless Pikes Peak sun.
Electric Dreams and Racing Reality: Daijiro Yoshihara's Honda S2000 Redefinition
Evasive Motorsport's reimagined S2000 with Daijiro Yoshihara at the helm boasts 650 hp at a mere 2400 pounds. This technological testament to motor sports innovation, although suffering a DNF after sector two, promised and delivered proof that even the dreams of drifter champions can grip reality's tarmac.
The Ford SuperVan 4.2: Romain Dumas's Electric Ascent
From the garage to grandeur, the Ford Performance SuperVan 4.2 evolved into a 1400-hp shockwave up the mountain, showcasing a stunning synergy between aggressive aerodynamics and pure electric power. Romain Dumas, the all-time record holder, piloted to an electric victory and overall second place, yielding results as magnificent as the Colorado skyline.
Rhys Millen's BMW M8: A Hill-Climb Icon's Latest Badge
Equally at home in this majestic motorized melee was Rhys Millen who, with 26 Pikes Peak runs and multiple victories, wheeled a BMW M8 up the hallowed hill. And not just any run-of-the-mill M8, but one that channels the same spirit as his father's legend-making Toyota Tacoma.
Raphael Astier in the Alpine A9: Natural Habitat for Speed
Raphael Astier, the French speed sultan, returned to conquer the peak yet again. His Alpine A110 GT4 Evo, a car that weighs since a feather and hits like a sledgehammer, accomplished a 9:17.412 run, proving that routines and breadsticks aren't the only ones that rise.
Lucy Block's Sierra Echo Block Edition: A Courageous Tribute
Adorned with memories, Lucy Block rode the winds of resilience in the Sierra Echo Block Edition as a tribute to her late husband Ken Block. An all-electric gesture of remembrance and forward momentum, Lucy's leap into the hill-climb history books honored past feats and future aspirations.
The Rivian R1T: Gardner Nichols Punches Above Its Class
Gardner Nichols's Rivian R1T redefines 'pickup' in a race where milliseconds matter, reinforcing the notion that electric innovation has a solid grip on the future of motorsports. The caged, carpet-free beast proved that records may be set by the sleek and aerodynamic, but they can be challenged by the hulks of modern engineering.
Loni Unser's Acura Integra Type S: From Ancestry to Apex
The bloodline of the Unsers at Pikes Peak runs as deep and meandering as the roads themselves. Loni Unser's foray into the mountain's embrace, backed by an Acura Integra Type S, fortified the family's eternal bond with speed, precision, and relentless competition.
Matt Mullins's BMW XM Label Red: An Unyielding Spirit
When a crash silenced his XM Label Red's fierce growl, Matt Mullins, unscathed and undeterred, reminded every aspiring racer that the spirit of Pikes Peak isn't in the reaching the top, but in the courage to climb.
Cam Ingram's Porsche GT3R Electrifying Endeavor
Last but not least, Cam Ingram's E-Motion Porsche GT3R danced through the sections of Pikes Peak with a symphonic, Slayer-esque fury that beat personal records. A demonstration that the orchestration of man and machine is as timeless as Pikes Peak itself.