PPIHC ROOKIES IN EXHIBITION AND PIKES PEAK OPEN MAKE THE SHOW

PPIHC
July 24, 2024

PPIHC ROOKIES IN EXHIBITION AND PIKES PEAK OPEN MAKE THE SHOW

Colorado Springs, Colorado — The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, has long been a grueling testing ground for manufacturers, and 2024 was no different. Both Hyundai and Ford Performance brought the latest EV technology to prove what they could do on America’s Mountain. Hyundai hosted two newcomers who posted new records.

Exhibition

Both Exhibition rookies were part of the multi-car Hyundai effort driving IONIQ 5 N models, and brought very different racing backgrounds.

First up was Dani Sordo, one of the most experienced drivers in the FIA World Rally Championship, where he’s been part of Hyundai’s factory team since 2014. Sordo is on the all-time top 10 lists for WRC starts, points, and podiums. He drove a modified version of the IONIQ 5 N to the fastest division time, 9:30.852, for third place overall, claiming the Electric Modified SUV/Crossover record in the process.

Driving a production version of the IONIQ 5 N, meanwhile, was Ron Zaras, one of the key forces in the Hoonigan media machine for more than a decade. After leaving his role as SVP there to strike out on his own with The Driver’s Era, Zaras has been getting behind the wheel more frequently. His 10:49.267 scored him third place in the division, and set the benchmark for an Electric Production SUV/Crossover.

Pikes Peak Open

One of multiple rookies in the 4D Engineering stable, Ethan Hunter’s weapon of choice was a 2013 Port City Stock Car. Hunter was one of six drivers on this year’s entry list to call Colorado Springs home, and alongside teammate, Dominick Tapia, one of two hometown rookies. Despite being added from the waitlist merely a month before race day, Hunter led the rookies in Pikes Peak Open with a third-place division finish and a time of 10:47.501.

With nearly 1.2 million YouTube subscribers, Rob Dahm brought a massive audience to his first PPIHC. From building the world’s first AWD 4-rotor Mazda RX-7 to rotary swapping a Chevrolet Corvette Z06, his shop took their RX-7 build to the next level for Pikes Peak. Dahm trained in everything from Radical prototypes to rally Subaru BRZs to get ready for the event. The scope of his accomplishment was clear after he made it to the summit on race day. He clocked in at 11:04.797 to finish seventh in his division, and is already planning for a faster time next year.

Jeremy Lowder and his Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 1LE were a busy pairing of man and machine this spring. Lowder was fifth in the Unlimited class at Super Lap Battle from Circuit of the Americas, where he faced off with PPIHC veterans like Cole Powelson and Brett Dickie. He also took on the Pine Mountain Hillclimb in the Appalachian Hillclimb Series, finishing fourth in class and just under a second off the podium. On Pikes Peak, Lowder’s slow-roll testing day crash kept his crew busy, but didn’t stop him from competing on race day where he placed ninth in the division with a time of 11:31.622.

Rick Lind, a multiple land speed record holder, showed up with “Tammy,” his 1967 Chevrolet C-10 based on a NASCAR Truck Series platform. Lind was originally selected to compete in last year’s race before having to delay his debut by a year, but the truck’s retro look was worth the wait for fans of all ages. Lind’s 12:31.257 was good for 13th in the division.

Rayteam Motorsport and Hungarian driver Laszlo Keskeny made the trek from Massachusetts to Colorado with one of the most popular and iconic platforms in PPIHC history underneath them – the Audi S1 E2. The Audi Sport Quattro dominated during the mid-1980s, with Michѐle Mouton, Bobby Unser, and Walter Röhrl each setting PPIHC records with their respective wins. Picking up speed with each practice run all week long, Keskeny placed 14th in the division with a 12:57.142.

Entering a 2004 Volkswagen R32 nicknamed “Gertie,” Jack Penley and Sterling Autowerks were immensely popular with the local crowd. Team namesake Sterling Chase is one of Colorado’s most ubiquitous and beloved motorsport figures, with his distinctive cowbell and Afro firing up the fans and cheering for the drivers all week long.

Despite a strong start to their run, a red flag forced them to return to the start line and refuel, and a mechanical issue arising between runs prevented their restart.

Although race day was disappointing for Penley’s team, Sterling Chase, the eternal optimist, shared “Oh yeah! We hope to be back on the mountain in 2025!”