TYING THE KNOT AT 14,115′
MR. AND MRS. SAMUEL MAKE IT OFFICIAL AT 2024 PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB
Colorado Springs, CO – When you love cars, love racing, and love each other, what better wedding venue than the 14,115′ summit of Pikes Peak! Meet Mary Barker, now Mary Samuel, and Kendall Samuel, a North Carolina couple with a passion for competition. Their story played out on the PPIHC livestream during the 2024 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo, once word spread about their post-race plan.
FROM THE BEGINNING
Meet Kendall Samuel, a graduate of the Colorado School of Mines where he had a chance encounter with PPIHC competitor, Dan Novembre which eventually led to his first race on Pikes Peak in 2023. He clocked an 11:40.859 in the challenging Unlimited division. Following his successful rookie run, and the downhill Parade of Champions, he had a surprise proposal planned for Mary.
Mary Barker grew up in horse country in North Carolina. She shared the story of how she met Kendall, “My 2006 Subaru Forester broke down, which is how we met. I called his Subaru shop and he drove out to look at my car. He figured out it needed a radiator, but the radiator he went to pick up from a friend didn’t fit. By that point, we were both hungry, so we went to get dinner…and the rest is history.”
INSPIRATION
Asked what inspired her to enter the Race to the Clouds, Barker explained, “It was a combination of things. Initially, it was a pipe dream after meeting so many competitors in 2023 while being Kendall’s pit crew and realizing how kind and supportive everyone was. Unfortunately, that isn’t as common as it should be in competitive motorsports.”
“The second thing that inspired me was my cancer diagnosis in September, 2023. I was battling the symptoms and had knowledge of the tumors during that year’s PPIHC, but didn’t quite know what was going on. After the diagnosis and surgery, I decided that life is short, so you need to go after what you want. This was one of the things I wanted, so I figured, why not apply?”
“This car raced on Pikes Peak in 2023 under the number 197 with Kendall behind the wheel,” shared Barker. “We spent two months building it from a bare chassis to a full race car, so I’ve had my hands on nearly every aspect of building this car, from bodywork, to fabrication, to the engine.”
The AWD 2000 Subaru Impreza with a 2.3L Turbo under the hood was again ready to challenge the mountain, this time with Barker taking the wheel.
MORNINGS ON THE MOUNTAIN
Relating her experience during the first practice runs on Pikes Peak, Barker said, “It was a little overwhelming. I wanted to just get through it. I knew I had to make a run on each of the three sections, or I couldn’t race. The first practice day was hard…that was Devils Playground to the top. There was so much going on and both of our cars had been giving us some issues. By Friday, I definitely felt more emotion. When I made it to the top of the middle section, I thought, ‘I’ve made it this far, now I can breathe. I just need to get through race day.'”
THE BIG DAY
“The most encouraging advice I got was on race day, at the start line,” shared Barker. “Grant, a long-time friend of Kendall’s, leaned in the window and said, “It’s just a road, go drive it.” That calmed me down and was just what I needed to hear. It took so much pressure off.”
“But the waiting…it was a long day. I was burning up in the car since it was such a hot day, and I ran at the end of the field,” Barker shared. “Then, at Halfway Picnic Grounds, my paddle shift went out and I had to switch to the lever. Everything was such a blur, and by the time I got to the top section, I was ready to be done. The car was getting hot, but I wasn’t willing to risk pushing it. I played it safe and slow, and it paid off when I made it to the top. I was just so exhausted by that time, but it was wonderful finally being up there.”
Despite a year of battling cancer, working on the car, racing on the sim, and then the sudden and devastating loss of her precious horse, Gracie, just two days before the race, Barker demonstrated unfailing perseverance, finishing in 12:20.556. With Kendall’s time of 11:46.875, the couple finished 9th and 10th in the Unlimited division in their Mechanical Advantage Racing prepped Subarus.
“I love the LOVE you feel at Pikes Peak. Everyone there is supportive and willing to help. We all share the same goal – get to the top. The whole event is about the love of racing, the love of the community, and the love of the mountain.”
Mary Samuel
“More than anything, I LOVE how Pikes Peak brings people together. We’ve made so many amazing friends and lifetime connections. Race times are great, but what I remember most are the people.”
Kendall Samuel
WELL SUITED
Asked about the custom bride and groom race suits, Barker explained, “Kendall talked to Sabelt. They are big on taking care of people who struggle with cancer, other illnesses and disabilities. It was really cool for them to support us in that way and do the whole design process.”
CELEBRATING LOVE
Four-time PPIHC racer, Don Wickstrum, the “Fastest Pastor,” officiated the ceremony while fellow competitors surrounded the couple to witness the milestone moment. Barker shared, “There were folks who had been so kind to us, like Duncan Cowper, Dan and Trevor Aweida, David Hackl, Andy Kingsley, and even Katherine Legge wanted to be involved. Some of those drivers I didn’t even know, but seeing them gather to support us was awesome.”
See the ceremony on Pikes Peak Live, presented by Mobil 1.
AFTER PIKES PEAK
The couple returned to North Carolina after Pikes Peak and faced yet more adversity when Hurricane Helene swept through their hometown of Hendersonville. They immediately set about helping family, friends and neighbors, even as they dealt with their own damage.
In late November, they traveled to Steamboat Springs to work at the Bridgestone Winter Driving School. Barker states, “We’re kind of ‘jack-of-all-trades’ people. Kendall works in fleet management taking care of the performance cars, doing the decaling, and organizing the performance driving days. We’re both becoming instructors and have been helping with the drive-and-learn program. I’ve even been helping with bus duties.”
As far as the outlook for the 2025 season, the couple plans to leave this year completely open to enjoying life, adventuring, traveling, horse shows and maybe some spontaneous car events.
GET TO KNOW MARY AND KENDALL SAMUEL
Instagram: @mechanical_advantage_racing / @mary_abarker
Fun Facts:
“Our February birthdays are four days apart.”
“Kendall loves guitars and has been building guitars from scratch using his engineering background to do it.”
“Mary has learned to ski. In two weeks, she’s gone from greens to double blacks. She also likes sitting on one of the ski jumps at the terrain park and taking photos of complete strangers doing something awesome. She gets to send them a memory. It brings her joy.”
Mary’s first car:“I grew up with trucks. I learned how to drive a manual in an old Subaru Forester. Since I was into horses, I had to get a truck. We got one when I was 16 – an old 1991 F150. I needed 4WD, so I bought an ’88 F150 4×4. I went through a lot of trucks!”
Kendall’s daily driver: “Currently, I daily drive my 2008 Subaru STI hatchback in Lightning Red. It’s the same car I drove with Mary on our first date!”
Mary’s start in motorsports? “I worked at a used car dealership, and at Discount Tire, for years. I had friends who were into cars and we’d have meets at the local Sonic and Sam’s Club, but I never realized that racing was accessible until I met Kendall, I thought, ‘That’s a thing? That’s possible?'”
Mary’s Biggest Motorsport Accomplishment: “Being invited to compete at Pikes Peak has got to be up there, but also beating Kendall’s time in the same car at one of our local hill climbs was super exhilarating! Kendall and I hold some nice healthy competitions with each other, and it’s always fun to push each other to improve.”
Kendall’s Favorite Track: “Lime Rock. I feel I’m far from mastering it, but that’s what makes me want to come back. – both at Lime Rock as a track, and at Pikes Peak, as a hill climb.”
WATCH ONBOARD RUNS BELOW
KENDALL AND MARY SAMUEL RACE TO THE CLOUDS IN 2024
Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia; Payton Smith, Jason Zindroski
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