FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, May 11, 2023
BEHIND THE WHEEL
TANNER FOUST AND RADFORD PREPARE TO RACE TO THE CLOUDS
Colorado Springs, CO – On Sunday, June 25, The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, will mark the 101st Running of the Race to the Clouds. Superstar driver Tanner Foust returns to Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain moving from the spec-Porsche group to the Exhibition division in a purpose-built Radford, an Ant Anstead/Jenson Button collaboration.
Photo by Larry Chen Photo – Louis Yio
Foust ‘s history on Pikes Peak was successful from the beginning. His 2002 Open Wheel entry, a 1982 Wells Coyote, powered him to a podium finish, third place, with his fastest time to date – 12:01.40. Returning in 2004, Foust, and teammate Scott Crouch, competed in the SCCA-sanctioned Rally Group X class, a multi-day, multi-stage event. In 2005 the team entered the Rally Production GT class earning Pastrana and Crouch their first win on the mountain. In 2021 Foust entered as part of the spec-Porsche division capturing his spot in the Fast 15 as one of the top qualifiers, and claiming his second division win.
Asked what makes racing on Pikes Peak different than racing anywhere else, Foust thoughtfully replied, “It’s a unique honor but an even more unique experience. Driving past Santa’s Workshop at 4:30am on the first test day will clue you in to the fact that this isn’t your normal race weekend. Watching the sunrise from Devils Playground, sometimes from above the clouds, is just plain peaceful. And then that peace is completely contrasted by the strange pressure felt on the starting line knowing that all this work – flying race cars and parts in from around the world, teams and crews taking weeks or months of their lives to engineer and create this moment…and it all comes down to one single 10-minute run.”
Photo by Larry Chen Photo – Leif Bergerson
All competitors were forced to run a weather-shortened course in 2021, finishing at the 16 mile marker. Foust took the top spot in the one-make Porsche division with Cam Ingram in second and Kathryn Mead finishing third.
In June, Foust will look to the summit from behind the wheel of a 2023 Radford Type 62-2 to compete in the Exhibition division and shared, “I’ve witnessed the growth and development of the current Radford road car and had the pleasure of working on some track day development sessions for the road-going version with Jenson Button. I was happy to oblige when they asked if I would step in to drive this one-off creation up Pikes Peak. This is my first opportunity to drive something really fast up this great road. The Wells Coyote I drove in ‘02 had a similar power to weight ratio, but that was back in the dirt days. I’m excited to feel some real speed up the mountain and have a chance to drive this Radford.”
Photo by Radford Motors
Get to Know Tanner Foust:
A stunt driver for films such as The Fast and the Furious Tokyo Drift, Ford vs Ferrari, Need For Speed and The Dukes of Hazzard, Foust has also set multiple world records with Hot Wheels and Top Gear. He was a prominent competitor in the Formula Drift series, winning the 2007 and 2008 championships, the first back-to-back champion. He is also the most decorated driver in X Games history with nine medals.
Favorite Section: “With the Porsche in ‘2021 I really learned to appreciate the lower section of the road with its almost hypnotic flow and smooth surface. I know a well balanced, high grip car can be a pleasure on that section so I’m hoping to find balance and some grip with the Radford!”
Favorite Track: “I’ve always been a fan of Sonoma Raceway. There are hardly any straightaways, like Pikes Peak, and it’s a beautiful place to be.
My favorite rallycross track Is Holjus, Sweden. It was one of my first wins in Europe and was probably the most memorable.”
Colorado Fun Facts:
“One of my first jobs in racing was selling sponsorship for Pikes Peak International Raceway south of Colorado Springs (was also a very bad race mechanic in Denver). I got that job to figure out how to raise money for racing back in 1997.”
“I went to school at CU Boulder and graduated with a biology degree, planning to attend medical school. That plan changed after earning a “rookie scholarship” from an SCCA club team owner Jim Christian in a spec Ford racer.”
“During the summer of ‘93 I had a job parking and detailing cars at a car dealership in Boulder, Colorado (I sold some cars too). A few years later my boss at the dealership became my first racing sponsor and rally co-driver, Scott Crouch. He still runs a Subie up the mountain!”
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
