At Pikes Peak, Suzuki is king of the hill (mountain) again, yet that 10 minute threshold remains untested.
Although Nobuhiro Tajima – affectionately know as Monster – took the overall Pikes Peak title with a time of 10:15, he was unable to best his own record of 10:01, or broach the mythical 10 minute barrier.
Vacillating weather conditions played havoc with any record attempt, as thunderstorms threatened throughout the day and moved in at times to add another layer of treachery to the already forbidding 20km course, which ascends 1 434m to a finish line at 4 300m, sapping power at an alarming rate.
Campaigning his custom built SX4, powered by a 2.7l turbocharged V6 engine producing 651kW, Monster saw off double WRC champ, Marcus Grönholm, by a comfortable margin.
The flying Finn was only able to record a best time of 11:28. In mitigation, Grönholm’s progress was cruelly hampered by engine issues and a tyre which self ignited. He was carrying a navigator too, Timo Allane, as this was his debut at the Peak, which obviously added additional weight.
Left-field favourite, Mark Rennison, driving a 1984 Ford RS200, which outgunned most competitors with awesome power numbers (846kW in fact), could only post a fastest time of 11:56, well shy of the 10 minute barrier.
Monster Tajima converses with the debut Finnish duo, Marcus Grönholm and Andreas Eriksson, on the morning of the Pikes Peak event. Refreshing to see this level of fraternity in top level motorsport.
Beyond the open class, other notable times included drift specialist Rhys Millen setting about the 156-corner course in his Hyundai Genesis Coupe, finishing in a time of 12:09, despite destroying his tyres on the way up, rolling across the finish on their steel belts.
Millen’s time now stands as a two-wheel-drive time attack record for production cars.
The other record was in the 450 quad class, where Michael Coburn, on his Honda 450, blitzed up the peak in 12:18.
Hero of the day (and they all are, considering the magnitude of consequence if you get it wrong on the way up) was exhibition driver Randy Schranz, in his 1966 Cobra, who slithered up the hill in a heroic 12:28.
The fastest open-wheeler was local hero and three times winner, Paul Dallenbach, who posted a 10:52.
Rhys Millen, despite losing fifth gear and both rear tyres, droved brilliantly in his rear-wheel drive Genisis. He promised to be back soon in the unlimited class...
Tajima, who despite his intimidating appearance and abrasive moniker is one of the most affable people in motorsport, hopes to see the unlimited class grow in years to come.
Rhys Millen has vowed to compete in the unlimited class soon, keen to see the family name restored to the premier spot amongst Pikes Peak folklore.
His father, Rod Millen, held the unlimited course record from 1994-2007 until Tajima took over the mantle as king of the mountain.
