FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 10, 2023
BEHIND THE WHEEL
ROOKIE HAYDEN BRADLEY ROCKS 2023 PORSCHE PIKES PEAK TROPHY BY YOKOHAMA DIVISION
Colorado Springs, CO – While the 101st Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, has come and gone, stories of champions continue to be told. One such story is the tale of first-time PPIHC competitor, Hayden Bradley of St. Petersburg, FL, the youngest racer in the 2023 field at 18 years old. Despite his youth, Bradley’s comfort level behind the wheel was beyond his years.
In the 2020 and early 2021 seasons, Bradley, a 15-year old at the time, notched 22 races in the Lucas Oil Formula Car Series at Lucas Oil School of Racing at tracks in Kentucky, New Jersey, Louisiana, Illinois and Florida, including Homestead-Miami and Sebring.
His second season in the Lucas Oil Formula Car series saw him compete in 18 races. His final race of the 2021 season was a move to the World Racing League’s GP-2 Class where he drove a sports car in the 24 Hour Enduro, finishing in fourth place at Sebring International Raceway.
At 17, Bradley completed 13 races in the WRL series at tracks across the country, from Road America in Wisconsin, to Daytona, Virginia International Raceway, Colorado’s High Plains Raceway, Road Atlanta in Georgia and Circuit of the Americas in Austin, TX.
With a total of 54 races under his belt, Bradley applied for the 101st Running of the Race to the Clouds. He received an invitation to compete in the one-make Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama division.
Livery and Race Number
Bradley described his 2023 entry, “I raced a 2020 Porsche 718 Cayman Clubsport GT4 – a racecar perfectly engineered for this challenge with a combination of balance and performance. My livery is the legendary Yokohama ADVAN livery. For over 40 years the ADVAN livery has represented a winning legacy so I was excited and honored for the opportunity to represent that heritage at Pikes Peak. As far as my race number, 727, is actually the area code of my hometown – St. Petersburg, Florida.”
Early Morning Test
Bradley experienced the 12.42 mile course for the first time during a test session in early June where he was introduced to a variety of course conditions, experienced the challenges of performing at high altitude, and, of course, 156 turns.
Recalling his thoughts after that initial session, Bradley shared, “My mindset after that first test day was I realized how much different it all is when at speed and compared to the simulations. I thought, ‘…just head down, eyes forward, and learn as much as possible.’ Nothing I’d read, watched, or been told could have prepared me for the gravity of the experience and the respect the mountain demands. I realized that day that the Hill Climb is the ultimate test of risk versus reward, and the only way to find the limit is to be 100% dedicated to putting in the time and effort to be as prepared as possible for all 156 turns, and to be ready to adapt to any weather thrown my way.”
Student and Coach
“It was an interesting year for me to coach, actually, the most fun I have had coaching this division,” shared Jeff Zwart, PPIHC Hall of Famer and division mentor. “Hayden came from a road racing background and I had heard he would be quick. He really drove in a way that impressed me and got faster every day.”
Bradley recalls, “Jeff is an incredible coach, and had an amazing way of teaching me about how learning the mountain is its own process – you’re attempting to tame the untamable. The way Jeff walked me through his multiple step process and explained how the mountain is its own ecosystem, changing from session to session, and the way it can come together if approached correctly really showed me that training to take on the mountain isn’t just a one-time process. Once you begin training and learning it, the learning has no end and you’re not necessarily aiming for a final destination. Every day I was there, we’d train to overcome a new challenge which only meant opportunity for more forward progress. Even though we performed well and got an awesome result, there is still so much more to learn. It requires as much mental discipline as it does physical.”
Summit Celebration
“Standing on the summit holding the Champion flag was a surreal experience I will never forget,” declared Bradley. “As bad as I wanted to win the division for myself, it held even more meaning as there were some special people who spent a lot of time on the mountain with me, including my sponsors, who made it all possible. Sharing this win with them was a way to say thank you for their investment in me.”
Accolades from an Icon
“I was very impressed with Hayden when I met him at Pikes Peak this year. I see lots of kids wanting to make racing their profession but I saw something special in Hayden. His approach to the challenges he faces both on the track and in the business environment is that of a much more seasoned person. He has proven he has the talent to drive race cars and the maturity to bring them into the winner’s circle.”
GET TO KNOW HAYDEN BRADLEY
Three Things For Fans To Know:
“I was born & raised in St Petersburg, Florida.”
“I was two years old when I attended the St. Pete Grand Prix. That very day I said, ‘I will be a race car driver.'”
“My goal is to secure an opportunity in the Porsche Driver Development Program and ascend the Porsche Motorsports Pyramid to become a Porsche factory driver.”
Pikes Peak Heroes: “Cam Ingram, David Donner, Jeff Zwart, and Ken Block – each for different reasons.”
Favorite Corner: “The bottom and top sections are tied for my favorite.”
Most Challenging Corner/Section: “Probably Cog Cut due to how the road undulates both before and during the braking zone. It took a lot of experimenting in attempting to perfect that corner.”
What’s your Daily Driver? “A 2018 GMC Terrain, but my dream car would have to be a Porsche 930 Turbo or a Porsche 993 Turbo S.”
Photos by: Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Charles Zhao, Jason Zindroski; Brumos Racing
CORRECTION to last week’s Behind the Wheel: Jeff Zwart won 8 races, not 7!
ABOUT THE PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB
First staged in 1916, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is the second oldest race in America. The invitation-only event, often referred to as The Race to the Clouds is held annually on the last Sunday of June on Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain, near Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. The famous 12.42-mile (20 km) course consists of 156 turns, boasts an elevation gain of 4,725 feet (1,440 m), and reaches a finish line at 14,115 feet (4,302 m) above sea level. The PPIHC’s six race divisions feature a wide variety of vehicles – from production-based Time Attack challengers to purpose-built Open Wheel racers and state-of-the-art Unlimited vehicles. The current race record was set in 2018 by Romain Dumas and Volkswagen in the all-electric I.D. R Pikes Peak – 07:57.148.
Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
