Pikes Peak Evo, 2010 Edition
HA that semi left a 12" set of posi skidmarks from where we watched (Mile 11 Water station) to the start line at Mile 7. Someone standing near us summed it up in 2 words... f**k yea!
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 104
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From: Eastern Connecticut
Here is our story, Ive copied this from another board, and it takes it from the start, we entered and sent our car up from Australia for this incredible event.
I have to say this win was more important than my Nurburgring 1st place trophy, as Pikes is a one shot deal on race day, and if you can make it work, it makes it sweet.
Hi guys, for those interested, we have been in Colorado this week for Pikes Peak hillclimb. This mountain is terrifying and glorifying all in one.
We are running Pikes Peak this week in our black evo 8. The first few days have been practice, which has really been three days of timed hillclimbs on different parts of the mountain. Our result was fastest in class for qualifying and and a new qualifying record.
Pulling 180 k's across the gravel top max'd out of grip in 4th trying to slow for a hairpin turn with 3000 foot drops is a real buzz. Any faster and I think I wouldve been hiding under the hotel bed shaking and shivering...
Ive done many events here in the US, but this is special.
Images here from autoblog, and a few of our car (that most of you would know well);
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/pikes-peak-...ifying/#3120233
Some images from last night's fan fest in town, these shots were taken after we got there before the crowd got let in for setup, after that you couldnt move around the car/cars and bikes. I didnt know there were that many aussies in Colorado, they kept coming up for photos and autographs.
The crowd was massive, the atmosphere was simply electric, the people were awesome. The 88th running of the second oldest motor sport event in the US, and at least for the next year our name is etched into the record book.
This really is the year to be here to compete because when this race ends they will pave the last half of the top of the mountain, so those that race this year will be the last of the 'official' true runners on the famous Pikes Peak gravel as it has been known, and to be here when the record will fall well below the 10's is also special. I can't begin to tell you how much fun and incredibly fatiqueing it has been. We may never be able to afford to do it again, at least for a while, but to be here this year, everyone is saying, is special, and I really believe it.
Yesterday the gods of the mountain greeted me and smiled and shined on me, what happens tomorrow is up to the mountain, I will ask it permission to drive fast, if I dont get it's blessing then I will take what I can get.
It's an incredible event And to be here this year on the true gravel of Pikes Peak before the pave it is really something. The overall record will fall, and first we thought it would be Rhys Millens' effort, but now we are sure it will be Tajima who will do it.
For the next 12 momths our name will be in the record book as the fastest qualifier, but when this years event ends they will pave the last top part of the hill, and all previous records will be no longer and replaced, but for this year, it's our name, and it's one of your board members.
Take care, thanks for reading. I dont know what Sunday will bring.
Chase your dreams.
Part 2;
The balancing act!
The Hill;
Getting to this was hard enough, getting to the chequer is much, much harder than you can imagine. clutches give out (lots of 1st gear turns), brakes give out, gearboxes give out...
And sometimes, even steering racks give out!
All the planning you do, is for Sunbay. Will the Gods of Pikes Peak let you? We were told in the driver meeting Pikes Peak has a real mind of it's own, it is it's own living thing. Getting to the top is an achievment many try and fail. It will over heat your well prepared engine, it will snow (it did! - a blizzard in fact at the top after we got there!), helicopters are stand by to collect the injured, and were used twice on the day. Medical help with oxygen botles wait at the top to run to anyone's aid who faint, two did because of the altitude! If you get to the top of Pikes Peak and thought you couldve done it faster, then you did it correctly! One evo team has been trying for three years to get to the top and failed each time. We are lucky. Oddly, on the way up our brakes warped for no real apparent reason! Although I do left foot brake a lot.
The thrill is a fine run, being precise is more important, getting the to the top is job #1. This isnt a typical aussie 700 metre hillclimb. If you want to do it I'll help and guide you.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/pikespeak/
Some off the cuff images;
Nobihiro when he was told he didnt break the 10 min barrier, the look on his face was of devastation, he just told the media that run felt much faster than ever before, he did a 10;11.
Rhys when he found out he was a full one minute slower than expected, a very concerned look on his face.
They have a year to find more speed, if the mountain lets them.
Rhys coming through the top section, this shot was taken from the top park area, this section will be paved this year
Beautiful weather;
5 min later a snow blizzard
coming down the mountain at the end of the run you have to contend with the 'tunnel of people', we were warned of this, and it is an amazing feeling, each and everyone of these people high-five you an shake your hand and congratulate you for finishing
ACP's car after he went off at engineers corner; we practiced and qualified together, but come qualifyng we outpaced ACP by 2 secs to be the fastest qualifier and set a new Qualifying record. ACP then moved to another class (rallycross) but was then moved to Rally America class, but the fight between us was now for overall, which I told ACP he can have, and if he gets to the top he'll probably beat us as our motive for raceday is different, unfortunatley, it was 'still on' for a better time between us, ACP made it 3 miles before exiting at Engineers corner 3 miles from the start. Not the ending I was hoping for, as deep down I wanted both of us at the top celebrating and see how we ended in the overall standing. We'll have to continue this one again soon.
Victory! Porsche factory driver Jeff Zwarts (looking up) was the first to come over and congratulate us.
I have to say this win was more important than my Nurburgring 1st place trophy, as Pikes is a one shot deal on race day, and if you can make it work, it makes it sweet.
Hi guys, for those interested, we have been in Colorado this week for Pikes Peak hillclimb. This mountain is terrifying and glorifying all in one.
We are running Pikes Peak this week in our black evo 8. The first few days have been practice, which has really been three days of timed hillclimbs on different parts of the mountain. Our result was fastest in class for qualifying and and a new qualifying record.
Pulling 180 k's across the gravel top max'd out of grip in 4th trying to slow for a hairpin turn with 3000 foot drops is a real buzz. Any faster and I think I wouldve been hiding under the hotel bed shaking and shivering...
Ive done many events here in the US, but this is special.
Images here from autoblog, and a few of our car (that most of you would know well);
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/pikes-peak-...ifying/#3120233
Some images from last night's fan fest in town, these shots were taken after we got there before the crowd got let in for setup, after that you couldnt move around the car/cars and bikes. I didnt know there were that many aussies in Colorado, they kept coming up for photos and autographs.
The crowd was massive, the atmosphere was simply electric, the people were awesome. The 88th running of the second oldest motor sport event in the US, and at least for the next year our name is etched into the record book.
This really is the year to be here to compete because when this race ends they will pave the last half of the top of the mountain, so those that race this year will be the last of the 'official' true runners on the famous Pikes Peak gravel as it has been known, and to be here when the record will fall well below the 10's is also special. I can't begin to tell you how much fun and incredibly fatiqueing it has been. We may never be able to afford to do it again, at least for a while, but to be here this year, everyone is saying, is special, and I really believe it.
Yesterday the gods of the mountain greeted me and smiled and shined on me, what happens tomorrow is up to the mountain, I will ask it permission to drive fast, if I dont get it's blessing then I will take what I can get.
It's an incredible event And to be here this year on the true gravel of Pikes Peak before the pave it is really something. The overall record will fall, and first we thought it would be Rhys Millens' effort, but now we are sure it will be Tajima who will do it.
For the next 12 momths our name will be in the record book as the fastest qualifier, but when this years event ends they will pave the last top part of the hill, and all previous records will be no longer and replaced, but for this year, it's our name, and it's one of your board members.
Take care, thanks for reading. I dont know what Sunday will bring.
Chase your dreams.
Part 2;
The balancing act!
The Hill;
Getting to this was hard enough, getting to the chequer is much, much harder than you can imagine. clutches give out (lots of 1st gear turns), brakes give out, gearboxes give out...
And sometimes, even steering racks give out!
All the planning you do, is for Sunbay. Will the Gods of Pikes Peak let you? We were told in the driver meeting Pikes Peak has a real mind of it's own, it is it's own living thing. Getting to the top is an achievment many try and fail. It will over heat your well prepared engine, it will snow (it did! - a blizzard in fact at the top after we got there!), helicopters are stand by to collect the injured, and were used twice on the day. Medical help with oxygen botles wait at the top to run to anyone's aid who faint, two did because of the altitude! If you get to the top of Pikes Peak and thought you couldve done it faster, then you did it correctly! One evo team has been trying for three years to get to the top and failed each time. We are lucky. Oddly, on the way up our brakes warped for no real apparent reason! Although I do left foot brake a lot.
The thrill is a fine run, being precise is more important, getting the to the top is job #1. This isnt a typical aussie 700 metre hillclimb. If you want to do it I'll help and guide you.
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/pikespeak/
Some off the cuff images;
Nobihiro when he was told he didnt break the 10 min barrier, the look on his face was of devastation, he just told the media that run felt much faster than ever before, he did a 10;11.
Rhys when he found out he was a full one minute slower than expected, a very concerned look on his face.
They have a year to find more speed, if the mountain lets them.
Rhys coming through the top section, this shot was taken from the top park area, this section will be paved this year
Beautiful weather;
5 min later a snow blizzard
coming down the mountain at the end of the run you have to contend with the 'tunnel of people', we were warned of this, and it is an amazing feeling, each and everyone of these people high-five you an shake your hand and congratulate you for finishing
ACP's car after he went off at engineers corner; we practiced and qualified together, but come qualifyng we outpaced ACP by 2 secs to be the fastest qualifier and set a new Qualifying record. ACP then moved to another class (rallycross) but was then moved to Rally America class, but the fight between us was now for overall, which I told ACP he can have, and if he gets to the top he'll probably beat us as our motive for raceday is different, unfortunatley, it was 'still on' for a better time between us, ACP made it 3 miles before exiting at Engineers corner 3 miles from the start. Not the ending I was hoping for, as deep down I wanted both of us at the top celebrating and see how we ended in the overall standing. We'll have to continue this one again soon.
Victory! Porsche factory driver Jeff Zwarts (looking up) was the first to come over and congratulate us.
Last edited by JeffDOZ; Jul 15, 2010 at 01:53 PM.
Congrats Jeff... I thought I was going to be able to have bragging rights about beating the Pikes Peak winner at the South Coast/SocalEvo.net meet, but you came out of nowhere with a faster run...
It was pleasure hanging out at all the event.. Good luck on all your future endeavors...
-Matt
It was pleasure hanging out at all the event.. Good luck on all your future endeavors...
-Matt
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Eastern Connecticut
Thanks Matt!
You were stiff competition!! You made me fight for it!
You have good natural ability, Ive been doing it for almost 30 years so I had an edge, you kept it close and tight in the fight.
As I told Mike at Road Race Engineering when he found out we were the fastest car; "Matt made me work for it"
You were stiff competition!! You made me fight for it!
You have good natural ability, Ive been doing it for almost 30 years so I had an edge, you kept it close and tight in the fight.
As I told Mike at Road Race Engineering when he found out we were the fastest car; "Matt made me work for it"
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Eastern Connecticut
BTW:
I just wish to thank the guys at Road Race Engineering for their professionalism, and dedication to the Mitsubishi brand, Mike, Robert, and all the boys who work there (and Lydia), these guys are Evo/Mitsu devotees with great knowledge, and if you guys in southern Cal arent getting your tune or evo work done at RRE in Sante Fe Springs your not getting the car serviced and tuned to correctly.
They really are very very good. thanks Mike and the most excellant RRE team. If it wasnt for them I doubt we wouldve done so well at Pikes Peak!
I just wish to thank the guys at Road Race Engineering for their professionalism, and dedication to the Mitsubishi brand, Mike, Robert, and all the boys who work there (and Lydia), these guys are Evo/Mitsu devotees with great knowledge, and if you guys in southern Cal arent getting your tune or evo work done at RRE in Sante Fe Springs your not getting the car serviced and tuned to correctly.
They really are very very good. thanks Mike and the most excellant RRE team. If it wasnt for them I doubt we wouldve done so well at Pikes Peak!
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Eastern Connecticut
Was great meeting you and getting a chance to hang out in Cali, hope to see you back in the states again...say 2012 make at run at Pikes Peak and Mt. Washington?
Dave
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 104
Likes: 0
From: Eastern Connecticut
Honestly, 2011 will be tough, but if we can pull off 2012 and do Mt Washington also then it will be a another great time. Now we just need to get Mt Washington to schedule their event about two weeks before or after Pikes for the perfect two weeks. Paul Giblin is the guy who got Mt Washington back up and running originally, so I tend to hope he's still involved.