DAMIEN BRADLEY AND TEAM LEGACY ON THE PODIUM AT PIKES PEAK
Colorado Springs, CO – The Race to the Clouds is known around the globe as the pinnacle of hill climb racing. Of the more than 70 competitors who took part in this year’s Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo, twenty drivers represented thirteen countries outside the US.
Damien Bradley of Purley, Surrey, Great Britain was one of four drivers racing for the United Kingdom. With experience in the British Hillclimb Championship, the British Hillclimb Cup, both the Brighton and the Isle of Wright Speed Trials, as well as the FIA European Hillclimb Masters on his resume, Bradley had the skills to take on Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain.
PPIHC ON THE RADAR
Recalling how he first heard of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, Bradley shared, “I’ve known about PPIHC since my teenage years, watching repeat ClimbDance clips on the TV. That showed this almost mythical place where Ari Vatanen took a 4wd turbocharged “saloon” car and made it dance on cliff edges all the way to the top of an incredible mountain.
“It was so inspiring, but never did I think I’d get an opportunity to make that climb. Ari has to be my Pikes Peak hero. His car control on the dirt climb was incredible.”
OPPORTUNITY ARISES
Asked what inspired him to enter the PPIHC in 2025, Bradley admits, “It wasn’t so much inspiration, as invitation.” He continued, “After being given the honor of joining motorsport royalty Petter and Oliver Solberg as a Global Ambassador for Alcon Brakes, I was invited to Alcon HQ in Tamworth, UK where Jon Edwards, Group Sales Director for Alcon, asked if I would like to enter. It was quite a bombshell!”
Edwards offered, “We encouraged Damien to go to Pikes Peak because we knew just how good he, the team, and the car could be, if it all played out well. It was a Herculean effort from a small, privateer team and they won the hearts of so many at Pikes Peak this year.”
“We were blown away by the Subaru community in Colorado,” Bradley exclaimed. “We just had so many positive comments online and in person.”
PREPARING THE ENTRY
“I built this 1992 Subaru Legacy Turbo, along with two friends, in a barn in Yorkshire,” explained Bradley. “It has evolved from a £500 ($650) road car, used by a little old lady for her weekly shopping, into what is probably the fastest and best-known Subaru Legacy in the world.
“It has a 2.3 litre engine, is 4wd and turbocharged. We also added a completely new PPIHC-compliant roll cage and Lifeline Zero360 fire extinguishers. We installed a bespoke wiring loom from Relentless Performance which includes a barometric sensor to monitor atmospheric pressure at altitude. There is also a bespoke cooling pack from Allisport, and an awesome new side exit exhaust system from CSK Race Exhausts.”
“Our Subaru Legacy has the tried and tested Subaru 4wd system which gave us a huge advantage in the hairpins on practice days. Sadly, due to the high winds on race day, we didn’t get much opportunity to utilize this advantage.
“We fitted the latest Alcon brakes, and their new pedal box, which gave me significant confidence when braking into some of the more challenging corners.”
Bradley further explained, “Being turbocharged, and relatively low capacity (2.3L), the turbo choice was really important. Our calibration engineer Paul Blamire, together with the experts at AET Turbos and Xona Rotor, decided on a turbo that would give instant response but also deliver enough power at the top of the climb. They absolutely nailed this and the turbocharger we used was perfect!”
“The reality of Pikes Peak was a shock to the entire team. No matter how much you read up on it, no matter how many videos you watch, nothing hits you like that first drive to the summit.”
Damien Bradley
“My mentor was the one and only Robb Holland. Robb is amazing, such a massive help in every aspect of what is needed to successfully complete the climb to the summit. We owe Robb so much for everything he did for us.”
PODIUM FINISH
Bradley and Team Legacy performed well on race day, taking third in the Time Attack 1 division, an impressive effort for a rookie team. Robb Holland topped the division with David Donohue placing third.
Reflecting on his remarkable achievement, Bradley stated, “Standing on the podium and being awarded a Pikes Peak trophy was the recognition I really wanted for the team. It was our first trip to Colorado, our first attempt at the Pikes Peak, and we made it onto the podium. A rookie driver and a car built in a shed, on the podium at the world-famous Pikes Peak, this was the stuff of dreams!”
GET TO KNOW DAMIEN BRADLEY
Instagram: @teamlegacyuk
Fun Facts:
“I was born in County Donegal, Ireland where I lived until I was six years old. We moved to South London where we have lived since; however, Ireland will always be my true home.”
“I work in construction with my three brothers and my father.”
“I’m a keen runner and would love to run up Pikes Peak one day.”
“I have 2 cats, Ed Sheeran and Pepper Potts.”
Biggest challenge: “The biggest challenge of Pikes Peak 2025 was holding back the tears when I returned to the paddock after the timed run. Each member of the team was amazing; they gave up their time and traveled across the Atlantic Ocean to help me achieve a dream of climbing Pikes Peak in my Subaru Legacy. To have my family and friends there was incredible.”
Biggest accomplishments in motorsports: “Third place in TA1 at Pikes Peak in 2025, along with second place in Category 3 at the FIA European Hillclimb Masters event in Portugal back in 2021, and winning C3 in the British Hillclimb Championship three times. Plus, being the fastest ever closed-car to climb the world’s oldest running motorsport venue Shelsley Walsh.”
Three things you must have in the race trailer: “Sweets (candy) I’ve a very sweet tooth; water/liquids as Robb Holland my mentor demanded that I stay hydrated; plus, my best buddy, Steven Darley. Steven has been there every step of the way. He helped me build the Legacy and taught me how to stay calm and be the best I can be behind the wheel. I couldn’t do any of this without him.”
What makes Pikes Peak different from racing anywhere else?“Pikes Peak is unlike any other hillclimb on the planet due to the altitude. The turns, the road surface, and the dangers I’ve experienced on hillclimbs across the UK and Europe – but not all in one place! Race week is absolutely bonkers, the last time I felt this exhausted was when I was training for an Ironman Triathlon.”
Favorite Track: “Other than Pikes Peak, Harewood Hill in Yorkshire, UK is very special to me as I have so many great memories there. Like many UK hillclimbs, Harewood is short by comparison to the rest of the world, but it is very technical and incredibly rewarding when you get it right.”
WATCH DAMIEN BRADLEY IN FIRST PPIHC BEHIND THE WHEEL OF SUBARU LEGACY
Photos by: Larry Chen Photo – Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Louis Yio, Charles Zhao, Jason Zindroski and PPIHC Archives.
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Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org
