SCOTT CROUCH RETURNS TO PIKES PEAK IN POPULAR SUBARU WRX FOR 2024 RACE TO THE CLOUDS
Colorado Springs, CO – The 102nd Running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, is fast approaching and both first-time racers and long-time drivers will challenge the 12.42 mile course.
Returning to the Pikes Peak for his 14th appearance is Boulder, Colorado’s Scott Crouch. Crouch, owner of Flatirons Subaru, grew up in a family who who didn’t race, but did own auto dealerships. Crouch has entered a race-ready WRX every year he has competed on the mountain, including his first year, 2004, as a co-driver with Tanner Foust. Asked about his connection to Foust, Crouch explained, “Tanner and I first met in 1994 when he was working at a Mitsubishi store my family owned in Boulder. I took over management of that store and met Tanner. He started there cleaning cars and arranging the lot, but had been promoted to salesperson. Needless to say, he was a pretty good salesperson!”
Rally Racing
Crouch also shared how he got into rally racing, “I was visiting Tanner at the ice driving school in Steamboat Springs and we ended taking a day to go skiing. On a lift ride up the mountain, he convinced me we needed to get into rally racing. A week later we bought a rally-prepared Subaru WRX and competed that summer at the COG Rally in Steamboat. Although we didn’t finish our first event, and I struggled with the notes, I was immediately hooked.
“We competed together for five years in the Rally America series, and Pikes Peak was part of the schedule in 2004 and 2005, recalled Crouch. In 2005, Rally America ran the event as a stage rally with the actual hill climb being the last stage.”
Rally America came to Pikes Peak in 2005 running a multi-stage event on the mountain. Organizers included all practice and qualifying runs as part of the 100-mile stage, adding the only night stage ever run on the mountain which started at the Gateway and ended at the 16 mile marker. Foust and Crouch won the race day stage in 13:05.43 in the Production GT class.
Co-Driver to Driver
Crouch entered the Pikes Peak Hill Climb for the first time as a driver in 2012 with co-driver, Lea Croteau. The pair finished in 14:01.143 in the Time Attack division.
Racing on Pikes Peak and Beyond
Racing highlights for Crouch include racing as a co-driver for the Subaru factory team in the inaugural running of the X-Games Rally in 2006, second place finishes in 2006 and 2007 at the PGT Rally America National Championships, and nine top-10 division finishes on Pikes Peak.
Crouch has participated in two milestone events on the mountain, the 100th Anniversary in 2016, and 100th Running in 2022, finishing 7th and 8th, respectively. He clocked his personal best time in 2020 in 10:56.016 behind the wheel of his WRX.
Race fans can see Scott Crouch back on the mountain in June in his #429 2014 Subaru WRX in the Time Attack 1 division.
GET TO KNOW SCOTT CROUCH
Fun Facts:
“I grew up ski racing, so I love to ski.”
“We have a 3-year-old Bernedoodle named Greta.”
“My favorite spot for locals is Sushi Zanmai. I’m a big sushi fan.”
Significance of your race number? “It was assigned to my first race rally car by SCCA in 2003, a car that Tanner Foust and I competed in for several years, and won the Rally America National Championship in 2005.”
Any Pikes Peak Heroes? “Jeff Zwart and Rhys Millen. I’m a Porsche fan, so I’ve always been a Zwart fan. I was a Pikes Peak Rod Millen fan too, and that carried over to Rhys. He has driven so many different cars up the mountain and has always been very fast. I’m just super impressed with his knowledge of the mechanical side of the sport.”
Three Things You Need on Pikes Peak: “Patience, preparedness, and calm nerves!”
Favorite Corner: “Bottomless Pit”
Most Challenging Section: “The upper section…the commitment!”
If you could drive a car from any era up the mountain, what would it be? “I’m a Subaru dealer, so I would have to say the Prodrive Subaru that Colin McRae won in at the 1995 WRC Championship.”
Advice for PPIHC Rookies: “Never assume you know every corner. Remember, the goal is to finish.”
Watch Scott Crouch in his 2022 Race to the Clouds
Photos by: Rupert Berrington, Nathan Leach-Proffer, Larry Chen Photo, Louis Yio
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Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org
