JAPAN’S SATOSHI YAGI RETURNS TO PIKES PEAK IN SMALL BUT MIGHTY TOYOTA STARLET
Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, has a global appeal and is viewed by most as the pinnacle of hill climb racing around the world. In 2024, competitors from across the US were joined by those representing 12 countries, including Japan.
Tokyo’s Satoshi Yagi made the journey to the US for his second consecutive race to the top of America’s Mountain. From behind the wheel of his 1990 Toyota Starlet GT, Yagi prepared to challenge the mountain in the Pikes Peak Open division.
INSPIRED BY THE MONSTER
Yagi, a relative newcomer to Pikes Peak at the age of 53 recalled the first time he heard of the PPIHC. “It was in 1990 when Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima was featured in a Japanese motorsport magazine,” he shared.
Yagi has competed well in Japan’s BRIG Hill Climb Challenge Series for more than five years, winning the Open B class overall in 2020.
So, what drew him to the mountain? “For me,” Yagi shared, “Pikes Peak was a longing. I enjoyed hill climb racing in Japan and wanted to drive the most famous and majestic hill climb in the world, Pikes Peak.”
MAKING THE STARLET RACE READY
While Yagi set up the car’s engine himself, he shared that a lot of people helped him get to Pikes Peak including Zero E Works, Koyama Speed, Road Race Engineering, along with Arai Agriculture and Forestry.
Yagi shares his passion for the Starlet with enthusiasts around the world, announcing, “It’s a small car so it may not be very dynamic, but I love this little Starlet!”
Yagi’s massive effort to bring the racecar to the US, prep it, test it and eventually race it, paid off. He reached the summit in 12:31.200, bettering his time from 2023 by almost two seconds, finishing 12th in the Pikes Peak Open division.
POST PPIHC
Since the 102nd running in June, Yagi explained what’s been keeping him busy. “I participated in the BRIG Hill Climb Series, a hill climb event held in Ena City, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. I was able to restore a black Starlet that had been abandoned in a corner of a factory to race in that event.”
THE GOAL REMAINS THE SAME
Yagi had his sights set on a Starlet record explaining, “My goal for this year’s Pikes Peak was to become the fastest Starlet on the mountain. To do that I needed to beat Mikko Kataja’s 2016 time of 11:42.877, (pictured) but Pikes Peak in 2024 was not easy.”
Describing his first two years on Pikes Peak as a preparation period, Yagi plans to return in 2026 to take on America’s Mountain for the third time. “The next time I challenge it,” Yagi declared, “my goal is to beat this time and set a record for the fastest Starlet.”
GET TO KNOW SATOSHI YAGI
Fun Facts:
“My occupation is an IT worker.”
“If you read my race number #831 in Japanese, it means ‘vegetables’.
“My Pikes Peak challenge was featured in OPTION magazine’s October 2024 issue. This is Japan’s most famous car tuning magazine, and I’ve been obsessed with it since I was a child, so it was a great honor for me.”
Favorite Corner:“The Sump. It’s a complex, three-dimensional corner that’s very difficult to balance. If you push too hard, you won’t be able to turn well. But if you try to be stable, you’ll be very slow.”
What surprised you most about Race Week? “When I participated as a rookie in 2023, I had a lot of trouble. In 2024, I took measures to deal with those problems, but, again, I had a lot of trouble. There were insufficient heat countermeasures for the engine, brakes, clutch, and fuel. I was surprised by this. There were no problems at all during testing in Japan, however, the highest road in Japan is 2000m (6,560 ft) above sea level. Things that are unimaginable in Japan happen at Pikes Peak.”
Who gave you the best racing advice about taking on Pikes Peak? “Mike and Matt of Road Race Engineering in Los Angeles who support my racing activities in the US. They gave me racing advice based on the condition of the race car and what to expect. They helped me with tire pressure, turbo boost control, and troubleshooting. Such reliable partners.”
If you could race any car up Pikes Peak, what would it be: “I’d like to drive the Suzuki Cultus (pictured) that Monster Tajima drove in 1989. I’d like to experience what the first Suzuki race car that legendary driver Monster Tajima built was like.”
Advice for a first-time racer on Pikes Peak: “In my opinion, there are a few corners where you need to be careful. It’s important to memorize the corners. I memorized them by running dozens of times on my PlayStation. If you can remember them, I think you’ll be able to drive Pikes Peak with confidence when you actually drive a race car.”
What are three favorite things to do or see in Tokyo?
“I recommend cycling along the Tama River. If you’re confident in your leg muscles, try cycling up the Fuji Subaru Line on Mt. Fuji.”
“Fresh fish! Try a bowl of rice at a restaurant in a fishing port Odawara Fishing Port and Numazu Fishing Port are close to Tokyo.”
“If you like retro places for drinks, I like Golden Gai in Shinjuku or Harmonica Yokocho in Kichijoji. There are lots of small shops lined up, each with their own personality.”
Satoshi Yagi in his Toyota Starlet make their first ever run to the summit of Pikes Peak in 2023
Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Charles Zhou, Jason Zindroski; Yoshiaki Aoyama, Satoshi Yagi, Revvolution.com, Racing On Magazine, Sept 1, 1989.
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Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org
