FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 24, 2023
BEHIND THE WHEEL
KASH SINGH ROCKS STREET LEGAL FORD MUSTANG IN HIS THIRTEENTH PPIHC
Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, has welcomed the Ford brand since the first race in 1916. Perhaps no one is more enthusiastic about the brand than Kash Singh. Currently making his home in Las Vegas, Nevada, Singh’s professional career is Sales and Marketing Manager for Shelby American. He has campaigned several iterations of the iconic Ford Mustang, including the GT500, on Pikes Peak.
Singh shares, “My passion for racing and all things cars traces back to junior high where the walls of my bedroom were adorned with images of race cars and exotics of the ’90s and my book shelves were stacked with models. I saved up and bought my first car in high school while working at a local race shop and most of my weekends were spent at car shows and drag tracks centered around the Southern California sports compact car scene. By the mid-2000s I’d started spending time carving the mountain roads in the area. That’s when my passion for hill climbs was sparked. In 2011 I entered my first event, the most famous and dangerous race of them all – Pikes Peak. I’ve raced it every year since, with mixed results, chasing personal goals.”
Singh’s first attempt at the 14,115′ summit allowed him to experience the course during the final year that some segments remained unpaved. When he returned in 2012, the dust had settled and paving was complete. Singh competed in the Time Attack division through 2019. He switched to Pikes Peak Open in 2020, clocking his personal best time, 11:38.388 and finishing 5th in the division.
Can’t Stop Kash
Singh was invited to race in the 100th Anniversary event in 2016 and set some unique unofficial records in the process. While a DNF is listed next to his name in the final results, he is also in the record books for receiving three red flags and four green flags, both appear to be records for one race. Further, the 21.3 green flag miles he ran on Race Day earned him two more records, one for having driven the most miles in a single race and another for completing the most miles in a race without finishing. After a year of preparation and road tripping his racecar 1,000+ miles from his home, at that time, in Washington to Pikes Peak, it could be easy to become discouraged after such a rough day, but Singh embraced it. With his signature smile, he showed up for the awards ceremony the next day with a big red flag draped over his shoulder. He was presented with the Donner Award for his determination and incredible attitude in 2016.
GET TO KNOW KASH SINGH
Three Things For Fans To Know:
“I was born in the Fiji Islands.”
“I was an extra in the first Fast and Furious film.”
“To get in the right frame of mind before the race I put on my PPIHC playlist including a couple of songs from AC/DC – ‘Thunderstruck/Back in Black’, Beastie Boys – ‘Intergalactic/Sabotage’, and Awolnation – ‘Sail’. The XX Intro is my go-to.”
Pikes Peak Heroes: “Rod Millen and Monster Tajima”
Favorite Section: “Glen Cove to Devils Playground”
Best advice you received about racing on Pikes Peak: “Stay humble and soak in any advice the veterans can provide.”
Any good luck charms? “Yes! A couple of charms given by friends – one is a plush donut!”
Favorite Track: “COTA – Circuit of the Americas”
What’s next on your schedule? “We have a Shelby Bash at the end of September at our world headquarters where about 400 Team Shelby members from around the world descend on Las Vegas for track days and events. I will be behind the wheel for hot lap rides. Beyond that I’m also looking forward to working in some Global Time Attack and Gridlife events.”
Photos by: Larry Chen, Leif Bergerson, Louis Yio, Revvolution and Randels Media Group
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
www.ppihc.org
