Behind the Wheel Archives - Page 2 of 5 - Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

BIRDSALL SHAKES OFF SCARY CRASH

MAKING PLANS TO WOW PPIHC FANS IN 2025 AND BEYOND

Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, draws top competitors from across the USA and around the world. Santa Rosa, California’s Scott Birdsall returned in 2024 to make his fifth attempt at the summit. Familiar to most fans for his eye-catching race truck, this time he entered his 2022 CG/Superlite LMP1.

READY TO RACE AGAIN

“Pikes Peak is something that’s going to be part of my life until I can’t drive competitively anymore,” says Birdsall. “I love it. So what am I looking forward to the most? Just getting there and going up the mountain again.”

That’s not taken for granted after his run in 2023. “Old Smokey,” Birdsall’s immensely popular 1949 Ford F-1 that set the diesel-powered record on the mountain in 2020, suffered a spectacular crash that saw it plummet 175 feet and roll multiple times. Fortunately, he walked away from the crash completely uninjured.

“Having a component failure like that was shocking,” he admits. “That’s probably the most fear I’ve felt in anything. You’re going 100 plus miles an hour into a hard left, and you put your foot down and nothing happens, and, you have milliseconds to think, what am I going to do? Do I downshift? No, it’s just going to spin uncontrollably if I try to downshift it. So my next choice was to try to scrub off speed.”

“I had some kind of miracle happen because there’s no way that I should have walked away from that completely uninjured. I mean, not a bruise on me. I hiked up to the top and was cool as a cucumber. My heart rate was 88 when I got to the summit. The medic jokingly called me Iceman!”

To race up Pikes Peak, drivers must have an incredible level of trust—in the mountain, in their equipment, in themselves. Birdsall credits the rollcage he built with his shop guys, as well as his Stilo ABP helmet and Sabelt seat and belts, for being able to walk away from such a wreck—and as a result, he was ready to roar back in 2024.

“It didn’t really change my approach much,” he says. “I’ve crashed before and pretty spectacularly in road racing and moto, and I’ve got one little off at Pikes Peak in 2018, but 2023’s crash was epic. I guess it just shows that you have to give that mountain the utmost respect, because you can make a driver error or you can have a component failure at any moment, and the mountain is not a soft place to be! It hasn’t really changed my outlook or how I’m going to drive the mountain. I’m going to go out there and drive as hard as I can.”

FROM F1 TO LMP1

With Old Smokey out of commission, Birdsall returned to Pikes Peak with a completely different machine. The CG/Superlite LMP1 is based on the Cadillac Northstar LMP that raced at Le Mans in the early 2000s, equipped with Birdsall’s signature turbodiesel power.

“The reason I chose the LMP car is totally out of convenience,” he admits. “My friend Pat from Safecraft/Next Gen Diesel, who is also one of my sponsors, had an unused LMP1 chassis just laying around. He had always been taunting me with it, so I said, ‘all right, let’s throw a diesel in it.’ That’s basically how the prototype was born.”

Birdsall has a successful run under his belt in 2022 in his Superlite in the Exhibition division clocking a 14:35.897 run.

The visual differences between the Superlite and Old Smokey couldn’t be more obvious, and as Birdsall explains, the required driving styles couldn’t be more different either.

“(With) Smokey, you drive it aggressively and on the ragged edge because it’s not a downforce car, it’s just pure mechanical grip. The rear wing is only there to add more weight to the rear at speed, so you’re not spinning tires at 160 miles an hour. Driving Smokey is like going to war. You’re battling, you’re aggressively driving the truck, and you’re not worried about bumps or a lot of things. You just kind of drive the thing really hard.

“The LMP1 is the complete opposite. You’ve got to be smooth with it—every input has to be smooth. You have to be careful of where you go on the track because of the bumps and you don’t have much suspension travel. It’s far more demanding than the truck, especially being a downforce car. You have to battle the aero bubble. It’s a much more complicated machine to drive than Smokey.”

2024 ON THE SIDELINES

With high hopes for 2024, Birdsall was forced to withdraw his entry just weeks before the race. He shared, “So much happened to sideline our 2024 effort with the LMP1 car. The biggest would be our switch from compound supercharging, to twin charging. In compound turbos, there is a small turbo for good boost response, and a larger one for top end power. This setup was very reliable, but we had issues getting power quick enough in the hairpins. We switched to a twin charge setup which uses a roots style supercharger, and a large turbocharger. Development was long, and after having trouble with belt life, overboost, and high heat, we finally got it working well.

“A day or two before we were scheduled to leave, some one-off parts on the blower sheared, and we couldn’t get them remade in time. We’ll try this setup one more time in 2025, and are hoping for the best. I just hated letting down the fans!”

Birdsall shared his favorite memories of past years on Pikes Peak, exclaiming, “Fan Fest is awesome! Next to the race, Fan Fest is my favorite part. I get to meet all the people that are fans and sign autographs, and I get to hang out with all my driving buddies.”

“It’s crazy the amount of different things this event throws at you, and how much you have to be on your toes just to get to Sunday. You’re driving through three different weather systems on the way up, varying levels of traction, increasing altitude—engines don’t like altitude.

“The biggest reason I keep coming back is, I’ve been racing a long time, and this is truly a mental and physical challenge. Going to an organized road race, you can almost figure out all the variables right there, but at Pikes Peak you just don’t know what you’re going to get in any given day, or any given hour.”

GET TO KNOW SCOTT BIRDSALL

Fun Facts:

“I could actually live on an IV drip of chocolate.”

“If I wasn’t a race car driver, I’d probably still be racing motorcycles. I raced from 8 years old until I was about 30. Motocross was my thing!”

Must Have on the Mountain: “Sunrise at Devils Playground and silence when I’m strapped in at the Start Line.”

Will we ever see Old Smokey rise from the grave?

“ABSOLUTELY. Believe it or not, after a 175 foot drop to its roof, and 10 or 11 rolls, the chassis is still straight. The body is a write off, but that is easily replaced. The suspension arms and energy absorbing parts did their job. We are focused on a 2026 PPIHC start with Smokey V.2 which will be a far more advanced machine, but have the same look and vibe of V.1.”

What intrigues you about building out vintage vehicles?

“Older cars have so much more soul than new cars! New cars feel like appliances with a massive disconnect between the driver and the machine. Older cars are more mechanical, more visceral, and far more exciting to drive. So, if it has more than one or two cup holders, it’s probably not for me.”

WATCH SCOTT BIRDSALL’S WILD RIDE ON PIKES PEAK

Contributor: Chris Leone

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Louis Yio, Charles Zhou, Jason Zindroski; Scott Birdsall

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Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

ROOKIE DRIVER DOMINICK TAPIA EMBRACES PPIHC’S CONTROLLED CHAOS

Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, presents a unique racing venue to drivers and crew members. Unlike most racetracks, the 12.42-mile, 156-turn, Race to the Clouds, throws constantly changing weather conditions, unpredictable wildlife, and all the difficulties of reaching a 14,115′ finish line, at every competitor. Colorado Springs’ Dominick Tapia was ready to accept the challenge in June as he moved from long-time crew member, to first-time racer.

PASSION IGNITED

“My first experience with Pikes Peak dates back to the early 1990s. I was very young, but I remember getting to tag along with my uncle to watch on race day. Little did I know that would become a core memory that ignited a passion for racing. It wasn’t until I was a teenager that I made it back to Pikes Peak to spectate and, for the greater part of a decade, I came back every year watching the race through the dirt sections as more and more of the mountain became paved.”

“I loved spectating in the dirt sections because it was like controlled chaos, and it gave me an adrenaline rush just watching. The last time I went as a spectator was 2013 when Sébastian Loeb (pictured) set a course record.”

FROM CREW TO COMPETITOR

For most first-time racers on America’s Mountain, the event is daunting; long hours, unexpected mechanical issues and only one chance to make a full-course run. Dominick Tapia hadn’t raced on the mountain, but he had spent the past 10 years as a crew member for Derek Boyd, learning what it took to make it to the top. Tapia shared, “The transition from crew to driver was a long time in the works, but then it all came together quite suddenly.”

When Tapia strapped in behind the wheel of Boyd’s 2008 Mitsubishi Evo X, he felt at home, “Working on Derek’s crew for the last decade prepared me for what it takes to compete at Pikes Peak. The intense practice schedule, lack of sleep, unpredictable and constantly changing weather, and the importance of respecting the mountain, I was ready for all of it.”

It wasn’t just Tapia’s experience as a crew member that propelled him into the driver’s seat; he had proven himself in a racecar. He placed first in class in the 2023 PPIR Track Attack Series in his 1993 Honda Civic.

RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

Tapia’s work experience played a major role in advancing his racing career on Pikes Peak. He explained, “Ten years ago, Derek Boyd, and his father, Marvin, decided to build a car for Pikes Peak. Marvin was the GM of the Bob Penkhus Motor Company, a Volvo, Mazda and Volkswagen dealership in Colorado Springs. He put together a team of employees from the dealership, and I was one of them. I’d had that dream of racing Pikes Peak, but working for Derek and helping out with his Hill Climb efforts, fueled that fire even more.

“Marvin and Derek knew I carried the dream of competing someday and, in 2022, at a post-race team celebration for Derek it was announced that they would like to give me the opportunity to drive the Evo X we’d been campaigning all these years, if I was up for it. It was a dream come true.”

“As the team began looking for a chassis for a new build for Derek, he continued to drive the Evo X in 2023 and entered in 2024. In March, I got a call from him stating he would be withdrawing because it wasn’t in the cards for him to compete but, pending approval from the PPIHC, he would like me to take his seat and compete in the 2024 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. With the opportunity from the Boyd family/Halona Farms, the support from the car builder/crew chief at 4D Engineering, and partnership from Bob Penkhus, where I still work, my lifelong dream came true.”

Derek Boyd raced the Evo from 2014-2023, clocking his best time in his 2023 run, just a few seconds from a sub-10 minute mark at 10:03.367.

Tapia was part of this dynamic crew every year.

Boyd shared his thoughts on Tapia, both as a team member and a competitor, “Dominick has been with us from the very first year I competed in the Hill Climb in 2014 and has been a cornerstone of our team!

“He’s always positive and ready to dive into any situation to get the car prepared for the daunting challenges of Pikes Peak. While there have been highs and lows in developing the Evo over the years, Dominick’s spirit was unbreakable and he’s definitely part of the glue that holds this team together.”

“I consider him a very good friend and am beyond thrilled with his performance in the Evo this past year! While he has extensive racing experience, he understood from the start the challenges the mountain can throw at both car and driver. He was well prepared from the beginning for the grueling demands of race week. He knew the mountain well and it definitely showed in his rookie performance.”

FIRST RUN = FAST 15 QUALIFIER

One of the most exciting events during race week is the 10-block street festival in downtown Colorado Springs known as Fan Fest. After four days of early morning activity on the mountain, the fastest qualifiers are announced at a fan autograph session and presented with awards commemorating their achievements. Tapia was included in that impressive group, pictured with fellow-qualifiers Loni Unser and Don Wickstrum (above) and Tom Tang (below).

With a time of 10:20.479, Tapia finished fifth in the Unlimited division in 2024, an impressive first-time result. He shared, “In all honesty, I had worse expectations than my actual experience. Seems I’m always expecting and preparing for the worst, but everything from practice to race day went relatively well this year. It all comes down to just getting lucky. With the weather holding out for my practice sections and the car being mechanically sound, thanks to 4D Engineering and the crew, I don’t think my first year of competition could have turned out any better.”

GET TO KNOW DOMINICK TAPIA

Fun Facts:

“I’m a Colorado Springs native so it’s definitely nice having Pikes Peak in my backyard.”

“I bought my first car at 14 years old, a 1966 Bel Air. I worked on it for a few years before I got my drivers license, but ended up selling it before I even got to drive it, legally!”

“My wife and I have a wide variety of vehicles – 12 in total – ranging from a 1927 Model T Ratrod, to a ’67 Cadillac Coupe deVille, a few 1990s Hondas built for autocross/time attack, a couple Mitsubishi Evos, and a slammed Honda Odyssey that usually gets most of the attention wherever it goes.”

Favorite section: “Currently, it’s the lower section. I think for most rookies that section becomes an instant favorite because it’s the most relatable to flow, speed, and the comfort zone of road racing. I think with more experience I’ll enjoy the upper section more once I get more confident with carrying more and more speed up there.”

Best advice you received about racing on Pikes Peak: “I think the most common themes from everyone you talk to are, ‘Just make it to the top’ and ‘Respect the mountain.’ You truly don’t appreciate those statements until you look back at your run from the finish line and see that maybe you were only driving 9/10ths and it goes against the fierce competitor within you but finishing is the biggest battle. It’s finding a balance of speed with mechanical maintenance as to how you’re driving throughout your run because you only get one chance to make it to the finish so finding that balance is key.”

If you could drive any car on Pikes Peak, what would it be? “In all honesty I would race anything on Pikes Peak. I like driving anything and everything. I do have a passion for Group B rally cars though, so I’d love to experience what it was like to drive a car of that era.”

Favorite race track: “With my crazy schedule I don’t get to many out of state tracks and I’m a sucker for convenience so most of my time is spent at all the local Colorado tracks like Pikes Peak International Raceway (PPIR), Pueblo Motorsports Park and High Plains Raceway.”

Watch PPIHC Rookie, Dominick Tapia’s Race Day Run in 2024

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia,Charles Zhou; Dominick Tapia

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

PPIHC ROOKIE ETHAN HUNTER GRABS FIRST PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB PODIUM

Colorado Springs, CO – The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, is perhaps the only event where factory-backed race teams with million dollar budgets go head-to-head with self-sponsored grassroots racers.

A perfect example of this was the 2024 Pikes Peak Open division where Ford Performance and Romain Dumas not only won the division, but captured the coveted King of the Mountain title. Along with Dumas, two Colorado-born drivers and long-time friendly competitors, Jimmy Ford and PPIHC rookie, Ethan Hunter, took their places on the podium following the 102nd Running of the Race to the Clouds.

Sharing his inspiration for entering the PPIHC, Hunter explained, “I’d heard about Pikes Peak since I was a kid, but I always thought it was for the superstars, and something that wasn’t attainable. I also grew up racing with Jimmy Ford who had raced on Pikes Peak, and in 2023 he told me, ‘Come on, let’s do it!’ That was the first I’d thought of actually doing it.”

PORT CITY CHEVROLET REVEAL

As his first run on the mountain approached, Hunter presented his race car at Technical Inspection. The 2013 stock car weighed in at 3,100 pounds, was powered by a 6.7L, gasoline-powered engine and outfitted with Hoosier racing tires. According to Hunter, “The chassis manufacturer is Port City and this was originally built as a circle track car, so it was designed to turn left. My dad and I did the conversion to the PPIHC race car.”

EARLY MORNINGS

“I usually really hate waking up in the morning,” Hunter shared. “I love sleeping in, and I was worried about waking up for those early practices. After the first day though, I was so excited, I couldn’t wait! That adrenaline rush at 2:00 a.m. was a first for me!”

THE FINAL TURN

By race day, most drivers know which corner is their favorite. Hunter gave some insight into his, “For me, it’s the last corner before the finish. When you see that, it’s all over, and all this weight is just lifted off your shoulders.”

Crossing the finish line, Hunter described his experience, “I expected to be emotional, and I really was. When I got to the top it was a crazy feeling. It’s so hard to describe, you just have to experience it.”

With a time of 10:47.501, Hunter’s first year behind the wheel landed him on the podium in third place.

He offered insight into his 2024 achievement, “I think everything just had to line up. We had a bit of luck and our car stayed together. I was in third place all day and was pacing back and forth on the summit, but I had to wait for Loni Unser and Jeff Zwart, two top drivers. First Loni broke, and then when I heard Zwart didn’t finish that was it. It was definitely intense for me.”

ON THE PODIUM

“We were well prepared and didn’t have any hiccups all week. To be on the podium with Jimmy was great. Our parents were reliving the old quarter midget days watching us compete! And sharing the podium with Romain? That was pretty cool, too. The whole weekend was just magical.”

While Hunter once thought of the race as unattainable, he embraced encouragement and advice from PPIHC drivers and seized every opportunity to learn. With support from his family, team, and sponsors, Hunter is poised to take his PPIHC experience to the next level. He also hinted at a new build for 2025.

GET TO KNOW ETHAN HUNTER

Fun Facts:

“I’m definitely a cat dad!”

“My first car was a Mitsubishi Eclipse. I got caught street racing and my dad sold it.”

“I may be the only person in Colorado who races in six different divisions – Super Late Models, asphalt sprints, drifting in my fifth-generation Camaro, spec-Miata, Pikes Peak, and now I’m rebuilding a CHCA gravel hill climb car, a Mitsubishi Evo for the Rally 4WD class. I also like racing RC cars and am looking forward to the Gobbler Shootout at TNR Raceway in November.”

Favorite section: “The flow and how fast you can go, kind of like road racing in the big, sweeping corners.”

Challenging section: “The W’s. It was harder in the hairpins to get my big car turned in the other direction.”

Really grateful for: “My sponsors, Golden Gate Medical Supply and Golden Gate Transportation. They have really helped me out in all my racing, year after year.”

Best advice about racing on the mountain: “I called all kinds of people. Tommy Boileau, told me what kind of speeds I should be running in each section and certain corners. Jimmy Ford told me to ‘Make it to the top’ and he gave me some insider tips. Steve Goeglein, who raced on Pikes Peak for 33 years in his Camaro loved seeing my car. After talking to him, I really felt like I was carrying on the Chevy tradition.”

Hunter’s Top-3 Colorado Favorites:

“Bishop Castle is a great place to visit!

“I enjoy a beer at the Corner Pocket in Fountain, Colorado.”

“I love to cook on the grill, especially the steaks from Ranch Foods Direct.”

PPIHC Rookie, Ethan Hunter, Makes 2024 PPIHC Debut!

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Charles Zhou, Jason Zindroski; Bishop Castle

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

GARDNER NICHOLS BESTS HIS OWN ELECTRIC PRODUCTION TRUCK RECORD ON PIKES PEAK IN 2024

Colorado Springs, CO – At the 2024 Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, Colorado’s Gardner Nichols was back on the mountain not only promoting Rivian technology, but showcasing what the electric-powered truck was capable of.

As a rookie in 2023, Gardner Nichols, returned in 2024 with experience, determination and the new 2025 Rivian R1T Quad-Motor truck, a second generation beast that he described as ‘hilariously fast’, and at 1,025 hp, it delivered a new record for Nichols.

Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain has served as a proving ground for pushing automotive technology to the limit for more than a century. EVs have been at the forefront of driving innovation for decades, but now the spotlight is on electric-powered trucks – not to mention this year’s overall winner.

FROM KARTING TO TEST DRIVER

Growing up in Colorado, Nichols shared some of his auto racing roots, “I’ve competed quite a lot in this state,” he said, “From the old Rotax kart series in Colorado to SCCA Autocross and NASA club racing, even ice racing and snow rallycross!”

He was part of Paul Dallenbach’s crew in 2011 as a 16-year-old, and that experience helped spark his racing career.

Currently an engineer and factory test driver for Rivian Automotive, Nichols is passionate about working in the industry and competing in motorsports.

TECH INSPECTION

Nichols’ crew arrived at Tech Inspection ready for race officials to examine the race truck from every angle and ensure it met all race and safety rules. As the truck rolled onto the scales, bets were placed in anticipation of the final weight – a cool 7,000 pounds.

Before the first early morning practice session, the final inspection was made and the Tech-approved sticker was applied. Nichols was ready to put the truck to the test.

FAN FEST

One of the rewards for any driver on the mountain is the chance to show off their race car, meet fans and sign autographs. With the Rivian R1T on display, the crowd of nearly 35,000 got a chance to see the 2025 model, the same one they could purchase from Rivian, up close and talk to Nichols about how it handled on the mountain.

Describing the biggest challenge faced while racing the R1T, Nichols shared, “It’s no surprise the biggest challenge is weight management. With such a heavy vehicle (7,000 pounds) racing this abusive course in the thin air, there’s little cooling available, so you have to look after the brakes very closely.”

Nichols recounted how the massive truck racing on street tires handled as it headed up the mountain, “You have to think ahead when maneuvering this much mass! The power punches you out of corners so fast that you forget about the weight, but you need to remember it when it comes to braking or cornering. It’s still hilarious how well this truck handles, but if you get out of shape around a corner, it’s a lot more inertia to correct.”

RIVIAN BRANDING GOES FULL THROTTLE

“My helmet has the same color palette as my race vehicle from last year, which itself represented my different stages of working in and competing in motorsports,” explained Nichols. “The crown of the helmet had “Pikes Peak” written on it so I suppose this is now my Hill Climb-specific helmet! The suit probably made sense only to Rivian fans, but it was modeled after the Gear Guard character Rivian uses throughout the vehicle’s user interface.” He also shared, “Usually having 1000hp is serious business, but we wanted to keep it fun and light to show how hilarious it is to have that kind of power in a pickup truck!”

RIVIAN RECORD

Nichols raced for the first time in the Exhibition division, setting the inaugural Electric Production Truck/Van record in 2023 in his own 2022 Rivian R1T in 11:23.983. He bested that time this summer in a factory-backed Rivian R1T with a time of 10:53.883.

2025 AND BEYOND

With two years of Pikes Peak competition in the rearview mirror, Nichols expressed this thoughts on his future on America’s Mountain. “I think competing at Pikes Peak struck the hearts of many at Rivian. It proved to be a great source of data for developing current and future vehicles. Personally, I hope to return, and if it’s behind the wheel of a Rivian, I know it’ll be fast!”

GET TO KNOW GARDNER NICHOLS

Fun Facts:

“My favorite type of vacation is generally pretty active and adventurous. As much as I love relaxing on vacation, I get bored sitting on the beach, so my vacations often include mountaineering, backpacking or other adventurous travel.”

“I almost studied industrial design in college. As a kid my dream was to design cars but instead I chose to get a degree in mechanical engineering. This worked out just fine since I get to drive and test cars as a career.”

“During COVID in 2020, my wife, mother-in-law and I started a cookie company! I sort of thought of it as my homemade MBA. We were getting ready to expand just as my wife and I both got busy jobs, so the cookie company was shut down. But, we did have a (very small) decal on BBi Autosport’s Pikes Peak 911 GT2 RSCS that year!”

Favorite corner: “I really like the first set of corners, before 9 Mile. It’s just so fast and flowing, the driver is always actively turning and setting up the next corner!

Advice for a rookie driver on Pikes Peak: “Finishing the race is the top priority. During practice and testing, focus on learning the course. During the race run, focus on the road conditions and the vehicle health. If the car is getting too hot or the road is getting slick or your visibility is poor, slowing down is better than not finishing!”

Best place you’ve driven a Rivian? “I’ve been lucky enough to drive some Rivians at a proving grounds in New Zealand on a development trip. It’s one of my favorite places on earth.”

Any fun stories/memories from 2024? “The team Airbnb had a barrel sauna in the backyard. I bought a 60 gallon tote from the hardware store and we turned it into a cold plunge. It became a daily ritual after early morning testing to sauna and cold plunge before working on the car! 10/10 would highly recommend!”

Top Three Colorado Destinations in October: “Anywhere in the mountains to be honest! I love hiking this time of year with the crisp air and fall colors. Telluride is always special. Aspen since it’s their off season. Boulder is also fun in October.”

Watch Gardner Nichols 2024 Record Setting OnBoard Run

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Charles Zhou, Jason Zindroski; PIkes Peak Region Attractions, Gardner Nichols

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

KASH SINGH SHARES PASSION FOR CARS WITH PPIHC FANS

Colorado Springs, CO – One of the most popular personalities on the mountain Kash Singh, will share his love for motorsports and Pikes Peak any chance he gets with anyone interested. His winning smile and welcoming nature remained all week during the 102nd running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, despite the fact he was battling major engine and transmission issues, while experiencing the first race without his father.

FAMILY IS EVERYTHING

Kash Singh and his brother, Jash, have immersed themselves in the racing scene, including their team effort on Pikes Peak. Kash explains, “My brother, being three years younger, always tagged along to events and helped work on cars. He has supported my efforts for the past 20 years. At times, he’s been the voice of reason when the red mist sets in, which came in handy at a Global Time Attack event where we hurt the car, but I wanted to continue. The sensibility of his words finally set in to keep me from doing further damage, and save the car.”

The brothers were inspired by their father, Harbans Singh, and his love of cars sparked their passion for all things automotive. Kash recalled, “My dad was a gearhead hotrodder who owned the first muscle car on the island of Fiji. He imported a 1970s Holden Monaro from Australia.”

“As we started to get into cars, our dad reluctantly supported us knowing the amount of money and time that motorsports required.”

Just days before Christmas in 2023, the family patriarch passed away. Kash shared special memories of his late father, “In my first race on Pikes Peak, in 2011, he was there to make sure I was safe. He came for three of my races here, but then due to his declining health, he was unable to attend in person. He followed along all week from his home in Los Angeles, waiting on our calls to assure him we were safe every day during practice week, and on race day.”

“This was the first race without our dad and we dedicated it to him,” explained Kash. “The team was extremely supportive in getting the car to the start line this year.”

FORD MUSTANG ON THE MOUNTAIN

Kash began competing in this 2017 Ford Mustang GT in 2018, but already had seven PPIHC events under his belt in another Mustang. His best time in the GT was in 2020, a 5th in the Pikes Peak Open division in 11:38.388.

He’s still chasing that mark. His 2024 time was 11:53.409, an 11th place finish in Pikes Peak Open.

SHARING HIS PASSION WITH THE FANS

Kash and Jash are one of the first teams to step up when a request is made to display a racecar at a car show or special event. The brothers shared, “The Hill Climb is very special to us and displaying this car helps to share our love with people who may not be aware of the race. Also, we’re open to any opportunity to showcase the car where young kids are able to get in, crawl around, and maybe spark their passion for cars.”

Kash raced his 2008 Shelby GT500 during his rookie attempt on Pikes Peak in 2011. He shared, “My first year on the mountain was not the best (DNF) and I had decided not to try it again. Later that year, I ran into “Monster” Tajima after meeting him at the race. Low and behold, he recognized me and asked if I was going to race again. After telling him, “I don’t think so”, he told me, “No, you will race again!” with a forceful, yet friendly, finger point. That interaction not only inspired me to keep coming back, but also to share my enthusiasm about the race with the next generation.”

He continued to race the GT500 through 2015 in the Time Attack 2WD, Time Attack, and TA2 classes. His best time on the mountain in this car was in 2013, a 14:05.806. He revealed, “This was my daily driver until all the safety equipment was added, then it became a weekend cruiser.”

Visitors to El Pomar’s Penrose Heritage Museum can see Singh’s car, newly added to the exhibit, through March, 2025. Museum admission is free.

GET TO KNOW KASH SINGH

Fun Facts:

“I love to travel, and I’ve visited all 50 states! Fiji is my favorite vacation spot since that’s where I’m from. It’s great to go home to those gorgeous tropical beaches and visit family.”

“My cousin took me to my first car show when I was in junior high and I fell in love with cars. I started racing and showing cars during high school with the purchase of my first car. Since then, I’ve racked up about 40 car show awards in different classes.”

“I was an extra in the first Fast and the Furious film.”

What’s your favorite car show? “After I got my first car we were doing about twenty car shows and races a year in Southern California in the mid to late 90’s. Import Showoff and Hot Import Nights were the big ones back then.

Now I’m a fan of Barrett-Jackson, Carlisle Ford Nationals, Fuel Fest, Gridlife, and Global Time Attack.”

What was your first car? “My first car was influenced by the Southern California tuner trend during the mid-1990s. It was a 1995 Honda Accord that I heavily modified for car shows.”

First race car? “My first proper built race car was a 1971 Datsun 1200.”

Have you always been a Ford fan? “I’m an all car fan. Ford does hold a special place for me due to my work with them. My current role is with Shelby American as the sales and marketing manager.”

What would you like to see Ford Performance bring to Pikes Peak next? “It would be great to see the new Mustang GTD running up the mountain.”

Post-race celebration tradition? “After the PPIHC, on Sunday night, the crew gathers at Texas Roadhouse with a couple of other teams. Everyone gets in on the celebrating, including other customers and the wait staff!”

Get Behind the Wheel with Kash Singh as he clocked his best time on the mountain in 2020

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Jason Zindroski; Kash Singh; PPIHC Archives, Josh Hildenbrand

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

ROMANIAN HILL CLIMB CHAMPION JEROME FRANCE TACKLES PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB

Colorado Springs, CO – Drivers from twelve nations traveled to America’s Mountain in June to challenge the 12.42-mile course in The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo. Jerome France, who makes his home in Bucharest, Romania, represented his home country in the 2024 Race to the Clouds as part of the RD Limited race team led by PPIHC course recordholder, Romain Dumas.

RACING TOWARD PIKES PEAK

Behind the wheel of a 2011 Porsche 997 GT3 RS, France came to Pikes Peak with not only a well-prepared car, but extensive hill climbing experience.

Recipient of the Under 25s Young Trophy in 2002, France took part in the French Hillclimbing Championship series in the BMW M3 Group N class. He collected three class wins in both 2001 and 2002 in the same series. He recalled receiving the best racing advice at about that same time, “When I was in my first racing season at 20 years old, and full of enthusiasm, a veteran simply told me, ‘If you want to finish first, first you have to finish.’”

France participated in the Romanian Super Rally Hill Climb Championship winning the Formula Renault 2.0L event in 2021, and the Nova Proto NP03 in 2022 and 2023. He was also the Romanian Master Hill Climb champion in the Norma M20FC V8 NME in 2023, and looking for a repeat in 2024.

“It felt like an adolescent getaway with the RD Limited team—all of us in the same house,” France shared. “The atmosphere with the team was amazing. So much preparation for 10 minutes of racing! Some people think we’re a bit crazy, but that’s the charm of life and passion. I’m very grateful to everyone I shared this adventure with for making it magical!”

Arriving in Colorado just one week prior to Race Day, France had full confidence in the #37 Porsche prepared by Dumas’ team. Despite limited practice time, especially on the upper section, France laid down an impressive rookie time – 10:44.501. The result put France on the podium in third place, behind veteran racers David Donohue and Kathryn Mead, in the Time Attack 1 division.

Reflecting on his rookie run on the mountain, France shared, “When I was a child, my father was a hill climb racer in France, and he received a VHS copy of the film Climb Dance featuring Ari Vatanen and Peugeot. I think I watched that video over 100 times! ” France continued, “This experience was fantastic for me. It was a childhood dream to participate.”

“I enjoyed the climb and making a clean run. The last section, however, was a new experience for me, and I didn’t have reference points, since I could only drive up once during the week under special conditions. I was thrilled to be on the podium and to bring this memory home. I loved the camaraderie and the constant kindness around the event. It’s a race that demands a lot of humility, which suits me well.”

THE NEXT CHALLENGE

After his third place finish on Pikes Peak, France returned home to finish his racing season and focus on what’s next, sharing, “I’m participating in the Masters Hill Climb Championship in Romania, where I’m leading before the final race on October 11-13.”

GET TO KNOW JEROME FRANCE

Fun Facts:

“My 11-year-old son is a motocross rider, and I’m a nervous wreck on the sidelines—I never thought it could be so terrifying to watch!”

“I love snowboarding and have been on several expeditions with helicopter drops on the Kamchatka volcanoes.”

“I am an entrepreneur with several companies in Europe.”

Pikes Peak Hero: “Ari Vatanen, just like in the video I watched!”

Favorite Corner: “Between Glen Cove and Devil’s Playground—it’s the most unique part of the race for me. It’s the section where you need to switch your brain to a different mode.”

What surprised you most about Race Week? “What surprised me the most was the road’s terrain in the final section. It’s hard to imagine from a distance just how significant those undulations are.”

What are your top three picks for visitors to do or see in Romania?

“You must absolutely drive the Transalpina and the Transfăgărășan, two beautiful roads. Top Gear called the Transfăgărășan the best road in the world—it would be the perfect setting for launching a Pikes Peak series in Europe, and I’m ready to take charge of it!”

“For sightseeing, Maramureș region is stunning with many monasteries to visit, the Danube Delta is a unique ecosystem to explore, and of course, the Carpathian Mountains with Dracula’s castle.”

“The UNTOLD music festival – one of the best in the world!”

Jerome France in 2024 Post-Race Interview

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Charles Zhou; Emerging-Europe.com – Craig Turp-Balazs

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

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.

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

MAZDA ENTHUSIAST ROB DAHM CONQUERS PIKES PEAK IN RX-7

Colorado Springs, CO – Storytelling is a hallmark of the PPIHC. Since the early 1900s, reports of daring drivers and their remarkable machines have become part of the racing lore on the mountain. The 102nd Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, provided another opportunity to roll out stories daily. One of the those tales was expertly woven by YouTuber, and PPIHC rookie, Rob Dahm. His first run on Pikes Peak took place in June and he was eager to document the experience and share it with his two million YouTube followers.

Dahm didn’t enter the racing game early on in life, sharing, “I had no experience or focus on racing until I was in my 30s. While I consider myself a builder, I am a YouTuber by trade. So, I started out making as much horsepower as possible in a straight line, then trying to stick that to the tarmac. It wasn’t until I met my goals in straight line racing that I realized I couldn’t build my cars to their full potential if I didn’t know what it was like to pilot a car at the limit of lateral grip.” Dahm didn’t enter the racing game early on in life, sharing, “I had no experience or focus on racing until I was in my 30s. While I consider myself a builder, I am a YouTuber by trade. So, I started out making as much horsepower as possible in a straight line, then trying to stick that to the tarmac. It wasn’t until I met my goals in straight line racing that I realized I couldn’t build my cars to their full potential if I didn’t know what it was like to pilot a car at the limit of lateral grip.”

EMBRACING THE EXPERIENCE

Dahm plotted a course to Pikes Peak taking him from the Radford Racing School in early 2024 where he obtained his SCCA License, to Gridlife at Big Willow, Gingerman and Lime Rock. He spent a lot of days at the track, including Willow Springs and Buttonwillow.

It’s also noteworthy that Dahm set a record in 2023 as the fastest rotary in 1/2 mile racing at 192.3mph.

Once he arrived at Pikes Peak, he experienced and documented the full gamut of race week activity. His 1993 Mazda RX-7 2.0L rotary turbo took 7th in the Pikes Peak Open division and became the fastest rotary-powered RX-7 to take on the famous 12.42 miles.

WHY MAZDA?

“The rotary engine has always been the underdog,” Dahm explained. “What first appealed to me was how different it was. What kept me hooked is how a rotary sounds screaming past at full tilt. I always believed the engine didn’t get as much attention as piston platforms so, I felt as modern fuel and electronics were introduced, there was a lot on the table to modernize the engine.

Once I started earning a reputation as the largest rotary YouTuber, I felt I had to earn that with building the craziest rotary car.”

“On race day, the car performed incredibly well for never lasting more than 8 minutes prior to my official run. I overspooled my Garrett G45 turbo from 100K RPM to 130K RPM as it grabbed every bit of oxygen it could find. Rotaries traditionally run hotter than piston engines and my run reflected that.”

“Without Robin Shute and Paul Gerrard recommending the ‘lift and coast method,’ I wouldn’t have survived the entire run. I qualified doing 131mph through the Picnic Grounds, but on race day at only 117mph to conserve cooling. It worked too, as I boiled the coolant right past the finish line. Now I know why we run water! This shot at the summit is my favorite!”

MAZDA RX-7 MOMENTS ON THE MOUNTAIN

1981 – First RX-7 to race on Pikes Peak, rookie John Woolf, finished second in the Rally division in 13:15.41; another rookie, Rod Millen, entered his RX-7 placing 6th in 13:58.72.

1984-1986 – Rod Millen would settle for second in the Rally division behind course record setters, Michele Mouton and Bobby Unser. Millen’s best time in the RX-7 at that time was 12:04.85.

1991 – Millen won the Pikes Peak Open division, setting a division record and his best time ever in the RX-7 in 11:51.37 on the gravel course.

2024 – Rob Dahm set his sights on a new RX-7 record on the mountain and clinched it with a clocking of 11:04.797.

Dahm shared, “I would LOVE to experience what Rod Millen did while commanding an 11:51 in the dirt. I think that is far more impressive than me doing an 11:04 on tarmac. How the hell did he not overheat?”

POST PPIHC

“I effectively used PPIHC to shake down my brand new build. I took it to Gridlife Lime Rock and shaved five seconds off my previous year’s time while shaking the car down further, before melting everything with the exhaust heat.

I also traveled to Australia for the first time ever, thanks to Haltech, and attended the World Time Attack Challenge to watch some of the fastest cars in the world attempt their one perfect lap.”

When asked about plans to return to America’s Mountain in 2025, Dahm said, “I’ll be submitting my application the moment I’m allowed! I hope the Hill Climb community sees me as a positive addition to the family and invites me back next year! I didn’t participate in Pikes Peak to make a YouTube video, I make YouTube videos so I can continue to participate at Pikes Peak. I want to engineer a car to be the first rotary under 10 minutes. A man can dream!”

GET TO KNOW ROB DAHM

Fun Facts:

“I have a shop cat who was a stray, and quickly became the self-appointed manager of the shop!”

“I was on one episode of The Bachelorette in 2011 before I was sent home without a rose.”

“I wasn’t a YouTuber or engineer originally, but started an IT business when I was young solely with the goal of affording a Lamborghini Diablo.”

“Randomly, I was accepted to college when I was 13. That makes me sound way smarter than I actually am. It was a local community college, but still…”

When did you first learn about the Race to the Clouds? “Seeing Sebastien Loeb’s run on the internet was one of the first jaw dropping moments. Then, realizing people used to race up that mountain in the dirt! I spent countless hours watching compilation videos long before I considered actually driving it myself.”

“I turned down quite a few opportunities to drive up Pikes Peak as a tourist during car rallies. It was too special and sacred to me. I have the same feeling about the Bonneville Salt Flats. Both just embody the American spirit so perfectly.”

What surprised you most about Race Week? “The amount of practice you get. While you don’t get to do the full run until race day, you get to experience the mountain in a more personal sense on the testing days. The biggest surprise is how the entire town of Colorado Springs becomes an extended family/race team when people have issues during race week. I saw some heartbreaks mid-week from other teams, yet we were all out at local shops burning the midnight oil getting parts from other people’s cars to make it to race day.”

Any Pikes Peak heroes? “Hands down, Rod Millen. The myth of his 4WD RX-7s directly inspired me to create the car I’m most known for. Second, David Donner. While filming a Top Gear episode with him, I got to experience the mountain from the passenger seat while he, ever so smoothly, negotiated every turn. When I asked him to pilot my AWD 4 Rotor up the mountain, he made it clear I should be the one in the driver seat. I’m so thankful for both of them.”

Advice for a first-time racer on Pikes Peak: “The same advice countless people gave me. 1) Focus on making it up to the top! 2) If you build your own car it will be 100 times harder. 3) Do 20 minutes of hot lapping in 90-100F degree weather at your local track, Robin Shute taught me that.”

Rob Dahm shares his 2024 PPIHC Run in this Behind-the-Scenes Video

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Charles Zhou, Jason Zindroski; PPIHC Archives; Rob DahmABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

PPIHC ROOKIE RICK LIND BRINGS LAND SPEED RECORD TRUCK TO RACE TO THE CLOUDS

Colorado Springs, CO – Memories of the 102nd Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, are still fresh for race fans and competitors. South Carolina’s Rick Lind brought his 1967 Chevrolet C-10 to the mountain to run in the Pikes Peak Open division, finishing in 12:13.257 exclaiming afterward, “It’s been an obsession. Not a day goes by that I don’t think about it.”

SPEED SCENARIOS

Lind shared his unique racing backstory and how his love of speed was born. “Growing up in rural Arizona, I got started in racing a little later in life than most people. I began restoring and building muscle cars in my late 20s and, at the encouragement of the HotRod Magazine staff, I began racing a 1968 Shelby GT 500 in my early 40s. Once I got started, I haven’t looked back.”

With nearly twenty years of land speed record attempts in his rearview mirror, Lind has set 13 records in multiple classes and vehicles. He built and drove each record-setting entry. Currently, his fastest record is 236.5 mph in a 1969 Ford Talladega.

“Land speed racing has been my pathway to many other forms of racing,” explained Lind, “including drag racing, road course racing and NASCAR. I was a participant in one of the inaugural HotRod Magazine “Drag Week” events driving the 1968 Shelby GT 500 which ran in the low 11s.”

GEARING UP FOR PPIHC

Since his college days at Northern Arizona University, Lind dreamed of hill climbing and enjoyed perfecting his daily 14-mile commute through Oak Creek Canyon’s famous switchbacks. His road finally led him to Pikes Peak in 2024 and a chance to attempt the most famous hill climb in the world.

“All I’ve done for the last year is lay the groundwork for this event,” explained Lind. “I spent that time preparing my truck, which meant a complete makeover to cut the truck’s weight by 900 pounds, and my weight by 50 pounds.”

Asked about his training regimen, Lind said, “I logged 2000 miles at track day events in the last year. I watched a couple of in-car videos almost every day. Plus, in 2023, I helped out another team on Pikes Peak in order to learn, what I call, ‘The Pikes Peak Shuffle’ meaning all the ins and outs of tech inspection, practice and qualifying, along with the race day event. During that time I made 30 to 40 trips up the mountain, and this year I tried to get in two or three daily trips to the top.”

ABOUT THE TRUCK

Lind shared build details and interesting facts about his PPIHC entry.

1967 Chevy C-10 Pickup
Dodge R5/P7 motor
850 horsepower
NASCAR truck series chassis

“The body came from a friend’s grandfather’s farm truck and the chassis is from one of my old NASCAR trucks. We’ve had the truck in the wind tunnel a few times making the aero work for both land speed racing and road course events,” explained Lind. “It holds multiple land speed records including one where a 13-year-old girl set a record at 175 mph in this truck. I don’t have real sponsors, so I used my great grandparent’s Mobil Oil dealership to dress things up. The image on the hood is a ‘Trophy Girl’ I use with the permission of Zombie Hotrod Wear.

FANS MAKE RACING HAPPEN

Lind offered his impression of Fan Fest, the 10-block pre-race street festival in Downtown Colorado Springs drawing 35,000 eager fans. “Fan Fest was insane, in a good way! All the people and all the kids, what a great time. I signed autographs for 5 hours straight! It’s a good thing because fans make racing happen.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

Lind’s plans for October start with a trip from his Aiken, South Carolina home to the testing ground in Blytheville, Arkansas in an attempt to set a 200+ land speed record in the same truck he raced on Pikes Peak.

GET TO KNOW RICK LIND

Fun Facts:

“I was on both high school and college rodeo teams.”

“I worked on nuclear weapons for 20 years.”

“I’m currently building my personal museum to house my car collection.”

“My race number, #867, is a reference to the song ‘867-5309’ by Tommy Tutone. You can see ‘5309’ is ghosted in below my official number.”

What inspired you to enter the Race to the Clouds? “It is one of the last iconic races that is within reach for everyone. Its rich history with the Unser’s, the Dallenbach’s and the who’s who of racing royalty, has forever carved the event’s significance in auto racing. There is still room for the privateer to compete alongside the racing greats.”

Favorite section on Pikes Peak: “I like the lower section – lots of sweeping corners and speed.”

What surprised you most about Race Week? “I was truly humbled by how nice everyone was. I think every factory team complimented my truck, wanted their picture taken with it, and wanted my autograph. The Audi Team from Hungary treated me like I was a celebrity…you would have thought I won the race!”

Any Pikes Peak heroes? “Sterling Chase (the guy with the cowbell) and Luke Doyle. Sterling brings great flair to race day! His parting the sea of spectators with his cowbell, while leading cars to the starting line, is awesome.”

“Luke Doyle is a great ambassador for Pikes Peak and the Pikes Peak Highway. He has turned his position of driving the snowplow into being an ambassador for the mountain. He is always posting updates about the weather and road conditions. Plus, he tells me I may get to drive the snow plow one day!”

Check out Rick Lind’s Land Speed Record-Setting Truck and his 2024 Attempt on PPIHC

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Luis Garcia, Payton Smith, Charles Zhou;

Headshot: Rick Lind

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

HENRY HILL RETURNS TO PPIHC IN WOLF GB08 F1 EXTREME ON THE PROWL FOR A PODIUM FINISH

Colorado Springs, CO – Henry Hill of Cedar City, UT, returned to Pikes Peak in June for the first time since his Rookie of the Year performance in 2022, during the milestone 100th Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo. Behind the wheel of his 2021 Wolf GB08 F1 Extreme, Hill clocked a rookie time of 11:36.502 in the Unlimited division, topping all other newcomers to America’s Mountain.

FIRST IMPRESSION

Like the wolf sometimes spotted in the Colorado wilderness, Hill’s Wolf GB08 is long, lean and built for speed. He was ready to put it through its paces during race week and dreamed of a great run on race day, but, as the saying goes, ‘the mountain decides.’

In 2022, the weather on race day was the big story. Conditions were cold and wet making tire grip unpredictable and limiting visibility.

MORE TO THE STORY

Hill shared his first-year experience and what it took to make it to the top. “2022 was a wild year!” he began. “During testing, I almost hit a bighorn sheep! Then, on qualifying day we had a crushing mechanical failure. The transmission case split and blew a ten-inch hole out the back, shearing off twelve differential bolts, and feeding about three pounds of aluminum chunks into the oil. We were pulling handfuls of it out of the transmission.”

“But, I think the next part is what PPIHC is all about. How quickly can you recover and how quickly can you get parts and fix major damage,” Hill remarked. “4D Engineering saved us. The team worked every day until it came time to load the car and take it to the mountain. We had to weld the case and just seal it closed hoping it worked. We hoped it held when I let the clutch out on the starting line, and that it would shift through the gears, and hold on to the top.”

Hill recalled, “With almost no practice time, I was lucky I even met the amount required to run as a rookie. It felt like it couldn’t have been much worse, but it didn’t turn out too bad. The car was very slow but I think crossing the line meant more to me and my team that we didn’t really care about the time at that point. We were just so glad I made it to the top.”

HIGH HOPES

In 2024, Hill and his team arrived with hopes of a different experience in June. Comparing his two runs and detailing the mechanical challenges he had to overcome, as well as the physical ones, Hill shared how that hope began to dim on race day. “With the speeds being lower in 2022, and our limited run time, I really felt like 2024 was my rookie year. This year the car was faster and had all new parts. I really felt we had a shot at third place. Then it happened…we damaged the car heavily, again in qualifying, and couldn’t get it fixed before the race. Control of the cam phasers was completely lost. We just had to lock them and didn’t have the time to tune for this.”

“I had to run the race this year at half power,” Hill explained, “If I went more than 75% throttle, the car would die. If I went under 50%, it would do the same. I didn’t know how bad it was until I started the race.”

Hill’s misfortune didn’t end there. He shared, “Then we had a cooling issue that popped up. It turned out the coolant cap failed, but we didn’t know that until after the race.”

“When I was only two minutes from the top, a red flag was thrown for an incident ahead of me, which meant I was forced to come back down, cool the car, and load it back up with coolant. Novembre Racing and my entire team did everything they could just to get me back to the line. Now that I understood the issue with the car I could drive it better with the limited power I had.”

“So, second run, and 30 seconds from the top, another red flag was thrown only 30 seconds from the summit. I had to roll all the way back down, cool the car again, and get ready for another run. I was completely burnt out at this point. Everyone’s dream is full course runs and I was so sick and weak I wasn’t sure if I would even make it. My slow reaction time wasn’t helping and I was making errors. By the time I finished my third run, I’d been in the car for nearly two and a half hours.”

MIND OVER MATTER

In 2022, Hill was a first time racer on the mountain, but powered his way to the top, despite dismal conditions, and won Rookie of the Year.

Hill completed his third attempt on race day, pushing through mechanical issues and sickness to reach the 14,115′ summit for a top ten finish.

GET TO KNOW HENRY HILL

Fun Facts:

“I think most people would be surprised that I’m 6’6″ tall. That’s the main reason I picked this car. It was one of the few I could fit in. So, tall people can be racecar drivers, it’s just hard to find a car that fits!”

“I have the world’s greatest dog named Nelly. She’s old and sleeps all day in my office.”

Occupation:“I do high-speed computer storage design to pay the bills, and I hope to expand on the motorsports events I am running in the next few years…making more of an effort for enduros and other events. I think a lot of my life, events, and friends are based around either computers or racing. So, more of both is never a bad thing.”

Best advice you received?“Robin Shute told me my first year, ‘Don’t worry about sector time right now and just drive the course. Run time and experience will pay off more than anything.'”

Advice for someone hoping to race on Pikes Peak?“If possible get on a team. Just offer to pay your way and show up. You will get more knowledge from this than a year’s worth of planning for what you think you know. Talk to people who have been there and tell them your plan so they can tell you why it’s bad…because it is. Nothing will teach you more about Pikes Peak than being part of a team.

I had been to PPIHC for years prior to running, and I came in so overconfident and fell right on my face. I thought, ‘Show up, push car out, and run up a road for ten minutes, no problem. I race and transport this car all the time, this will be easy.’ It was great to have the PPIHC be the most humbling experience of my life.”

Favorite section? “Cove Creek to Elk Park is the best. The view is remarkable from my perspective, sitting flat in the car. I think it represents a mental switchover point in the course for me, too.”

Toughest section? “Boulder Park to Cog Cut. I wouldn’t have said this in 2022 because of how slow we were going in the bad weather, but the bumps there were insane for the really low cars in 2024. I had my ride height settings wrong, which caused the car to bottom so hard that it was worse than a wreck! I would’ve known this had I been able to test more during the week.”

Favorite track? “Daytona. The speed of the track and corner banking mixed with the overall environment. Everybody’s a race fan, and you’re in a giant bowl that gives you great views from any location.”

Watch Henry Hill Conquer the 156 Turns on Pikes Peak in his 2022 Weather-Impacted Run

Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Louis Yio, Luis Garcia, Charles Zhao, Jason Zindroski; Headshot, Henry Hill

ABOUT THE COLORADO SPRINGS AIRPORT

Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org

ROOKIE DRIVER DOMINICK TAPIA EMBRACES PPIHC’S CONTROLLED CHAOS

PASSION IGNITED

FROM CREW TO COMPETITOR

RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME

FIRST RUN = FAST 15 QUALIFIER

PPIHC ROOKIE ETHAN HUNTER GRABS FIRST PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB PODIUM

PORT CITY CHEVROLET REVEAL

EARLY MORNINGS

THE FINAL TURN

ON THE PODIUM

GARDNER NICHOLS BESTS HIS OWN ELECTRIC PRODUCTION TRUCK RECORD ON PIKES PEAK IN 2024

FROM KARTING TO TEST DRIVER

TECH INSPECTION

FAN FEST

RIVIAN BRANDING GOES FULL THROTTLE

RIVIAN RECORD

2025 AND BEYOND

KASH SINGH SHARES PASSION FOR CARS WITH PPIHC FANS

FAMILY IS EVERYTHING

FORD MUSTANG ON THE MOUNTAIN

SHARING HIS PASSION WITH THE FANS

ROMANIAN HILL CLIMB CHAMPION JEROME FRANCE TACKLES PIKES PEAK HILL CLIMB

RACING TOWARD PIKES PEAK

THE NEXT CHALLENGE

JAPAN’S SATOSHI YAGI RETURNS TO PIKES PEAK IN SMALL BUT MIGHTY TOYOTA STARLET

INSPIRED BY THE MONSTER

MAKING THE STARLET RACE READY

POST PPIHC

THE GOAL REMAINS THE SAME

PPIHC ROOKIE RICK LIND BRINGS LAND SPEED RECORD TRUCK TO RACE TO THE CLOUDS

SPEED SCENARIOS

GEARING UP FOR PPIHC

ABOUT THE TRUCK

FANS MAKE RACING HAPPEN

WHAT’S NEXT?

HENRY HILL RETURNS TO PPIHC IN WOLF GB08 F1 EXTREME ON THE PROWL FOR A PODIUM FINISH

FIRST IMPRESSION

MORE TO THE STORY

HIGH HOPES

MIND OVER MATTER

Latest News

BEHIND THE WHEEL – Paul Hubers

2025 PPIHC Poster Art Contest Now Accepting Entries

BEHIND THE WHEEL – Christopher du Bois

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