HOUSTON’S ZACHARY SOBER MAKES HIS PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB DREAM A REALITY
Colorado Springs, CO – As the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, gears up for the 103rd Running of the famous Race to the Clouds, competitors are prepping their entries. Rookies and PPIHC veterans alike are dreaming of June and those 156 turns to glory.
As a first-time PPIHC competitor in 2024, Zachary Sober recaps his desire to challenge the 14,115′ summit of Pikes Peak, along with his perspective as both crew member and competitor.
FAMILY DRAG RACING ROOTS
“My dad was a drag racer. He raced in Lafayette, Louisiana and at Midland in West Texas, but most of our family racing was in east Houston at Houston Motorsports Park, on the Baytown Drag Strip. Some of my first passes on the drag strip were before I had a driver’s license…back when you could do that!”
“I loved racing. I was an obsessive SPEED Channel viewer! When I was 11, my dad started letting me drive my sister’s 5-speed Mazda 626 in our church parking lot with him. At 12, I got my first go-kart. By 14, I was hitting shots of nitrous on top of his 455ci Pontiac Trans-Am with him on some Texas highways. In my late teens we made our own personal four-wheeler and dirt bike racing trail in our backyard woods.”
BUILDING A RACING RESUME
Sober became serious about building his resume and showcasing his talent. With over twenty SCCA national level solo autocross events, forty rallycross national events and three stage rally events, at the Rally Ready Driving School and in Rijeka, Croatia, Sober had a solid foundation.
Sharing details of his Croatia experience, Sober recalled, “In 2018 I travelled to Automotodrom Grobnik and competed in a Stage Rally Event. In a friendly bet between two friends who were Italian hill climb champions in the 1980s and 1990s, my friend, Lucio, bet his friend, Achille, that he could send an American over that would beat his Italian drivers. I not only won my class but outran the entire class above me. The deal was the winner received the trip all expenses paid, so Achilles paid for my entire trip. We were living well eating all of the Ćevapčići!”
In 2019, Sober began competing in Time Attack events with Global Time Attack and Super Lap Battles. He was able to reset two long-standing records at both Road Atlanta and ButtonWillow Raceway in 2022 in the same Subaru he raced on Pikes Peak.
PIKES PEAK INSPIRATION
“Sometime during COVID, I reconnected with some of my childhood interests. I started riding mountain bikes again, hitting the jumps and nailing the downhill sections. Then, I got the chance to crew for Raymund Guerrero (pictured below) and realized that while I was in Colorado Springs I could ride a bunch of challenging trail systems, too. The sense of accomplishment in getting down those trail systems made me think of cycling on Pikes Peak, then trying to conquer it in a race car.”
UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
As a previous crew member, Sober had experienced the grueling schedule of Race Week on Pikes Peak. He knew what was expected and felt that gave him a bit of an edge over other first-time drivers.
“In 2022 while I was crewing for Guerrero in his Dodge Viper, we drove up the mountain many times to take notes and talk about the course. I left that event thinking MAYBE it was possible to run the race myself one day, but that seemed unlikely to be anytime soon. I am very grateful for this year’s opportunity, all the help I have received.”
ABOUT THE BUILD
Describing his Subaru WRX, Sober shared, “The car is technically a “Special Edition” 1 of 100 in the Tangerine Orange Pearl color. The motor has been modified with forged internals, but has stock cylinder heads and cams and the Turbo Dynamics 450 ball bearing turbo is capable of 480-wheel torque at sea level. Most of the performance parts on the car are from COBB Tuning, and IAG Performance.”
Sober continued, “The MeisterR Suspension coil-overs handled the bumps very well in the upper section. Kozmic Motorsports wired the car on a Haltech ECU with multiple sensors to support this demanding race, and it really paid off. Radium Engineering supplied the FIA fuel cell required for safety, and it even has a surge tank built into the cell! The car ran well at high elevation and all of my temps remained in check, even when we tested in Texas at 95 degrees.”
REACHING THE GOAL
Asked about the goal for his inaugural race on Pikes Peak, Sober shared, “I decided in September 2023 that I wanted to enter, and I prioritized doing what was necessary to FINISH.” He continued, “The car got the required equipment for safety and performance reliability, and I trained myself physically and mentally. I felt I had prepared exactly what I needed to finish the race, and no more. I don’t have an extensive spares collection, so my focus was keeping the car healthy on the way up.”
Putting his 2013 race-prepped Subaru Impreza STI to the ultimate test, Sober’s strategy paid off. He reached the 14,115′ summit of America’s Mountain in 11:14.233 for 7th place in the Time Attack 1 division.
DREAMING OF NEXT TIME
Recalling his successful run on Pikes Peak, Sober said, “It was the coolest experience of any event I’ve done, by far.”
Sober, like all drivers with the need for speed, is dreaming of his next attempt on the mountain while he tears down the car and begins preparation for next time. He shared, “Qualifying and practice sessions were so easy and relaxed, but when it actually came to race day, it seemed like it was over so quickly. It’s reinspired me. I’m so into this sport and love everything about it. I can’t wait to be back.”
GET TO KNOW ZACHARY SOBER
Fun Facts:
“I love throwing darts. I can play for hours against friends, and I am not picky about which beer is served!”
“The first car I bought was a 1985 IROC-Z Camaro, and built the engine myself in my garage.”
“I will school you in a game of hockey! I am graceful and balanced on skates, and on my feet, which has absolutely contributed to my auto racing success.”
Favorite section: “I really love the lower section…zooming past the trees, and approaching the blind corners that you can’t see through.”
What prepared you for Pikes Peak? “Hours and hours of research, reading advice from racing professionals, experimenting in the simulator, recording and watching video, and always looking to improve something.”
Advice for someone dreaming of racing on Pikes Peak: “There’s a lot of risk in racing, so start with a lower form of competitive motorsports, like solo autocross. Learn racing procedures and establish a process to ensure your success. Accuracy is important. You have to do your homework, be prepared, and know that you have a good package ready to go.”
CHECK OUT THE ONBOARD VIDEO FROM ZACHARY SOBER’S ROOKIE RUN IN 2024
Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Charles Zhao, Jason Zindroski; Zachary Sober
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Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org
