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Monster Tajima’s victory at the 88th rendition of the Pikes Peak hill climb was ultimately a hollow one as the Japanese racer was unable to dip beneath the magical 10-minute barrier.
In the run-up to this year’s event it was expected meticulous preparation by the three Unlimited Class competitors (Tajima, Paul Dallenbach and Rhys Millen) would finally see somebody charge up the 20km course and cross the finish line (4.3km above sea level) in under 10 minutes.
Unfortunately Tajima’s winning time (10:11.490) was well off his personal, and overall, record (10:01.408) set back in 2007.
Despite attacking the suicidal mountain course’s 156 corners with full commitment, Tajima was unable to power his 700kW Suzuki past the finish line in a time under 10 minutes. It was a bittersweet victory for the 60-year-old Japanese racing veteran.
Local Colorado hero Paul Dallenbach finished second, usurping Rhys Millen. Both drivers had a frustrating time at this year's event, beset with mechanical problems.
Dallenbach clocked a time of 10:39.534 despite having blown his competition engine during a practice run and having to race with a replacement Chevrolet motor which was nearly 100kW down on power. The three time winner managed to valiantly finish between Tajima and third placed Millen – both of whom ran cars with an element of factory backing.
This year’s Pikes Peak was a sickening disappointment for Rhys Millen, the son of previous record holder Rod (who’s winning time was unmatched from 1994-2007, before being bested by Tajima). Rhys suffered transmission issues and found his front brake rotors overheating, severely curtailing his ability to make a clean run up the mountain.
After a stunning drive last year (in a rear-wheel drive Hyundai Genesis), much was expected from Millen. His new Hyundai RM580 was powered by a 550kW 3.8l V6 engine, featured active aerodynamics and spaceframe construction. It was to be undone by its fantastically complex Weismann semi-automatic all-wheel drive transmission (operating dual Quaife active differentials) and Brembo composite brakes.
Clever traction aids not smart enough
Pikes Peak remains an extraordinarily challenging race to prepare for as half the 20km route remains unpaved, necessitating a drivetrain solution that fuses dirt road traction and high friction asphalt dynamics.
Millen’s RM580 was unable to make the transition from the dirt to asphalt section smoothly as the limited-slip differentials baulked at the surface change.
In the end Millen finished third behind Dallenbach in a time of 11:06.208, nearly a minute slower than Tajima. Considering he only started building his RM580 four months before the event, Millen was always going to be short on development and tweaking time - which in the end cost him dearly.
Local Colorado girl Savannah Rickli, of Littleton, became the youngest female competitor in race history at 16. Rickli flicked her 2003 Mini Cooper up the mountain in 13:58.232 and was reduced to tears after reaching the summit.
"This is such a personal victory," said Rickli, a junior at Dakota Ridge High School. "I've been waiting for this moment since I went to my first Hill Climb 12 years ago. I'm just so happy to be up here."
Beyond the Unlimited Class, there were strong performances amongst the ten other categories. Clint Vasholtz and Layne Schranz both broke the Super Stock Class record, with Vasholtz winning the class in 11:33.320 and Schranz finishing second in a time of 11:33.395.
Davey Durelle won his 14th career title at Pikes, dominating the 250 cc Motorcycle Class with a record time of 12:27.239. The Time Attack Class record also fell when Jeff Zwart powered his 2007 Porsche across the finish line in 11:31.095.
Veteran Randy Schranz of Colorado Springs, Colo., running in the Open Class, lowered his own propane car record with a time of 11:57.098 in his 2010 Shelby Cobra. Schranz competed in his 36th career Pikes Peak hill climb, tying the race record set by Louie Unser.
Doug Mockett trimmed nearly a minute off the Vintage Class record, crossing the finish line in his 1954 Super 88 Oldsmobile in 13:05.710.
Tajima, Dallenbach and Millen have vowed to be back next year – determined to navigate a perfect run. Ford is supposedly preparing radically upgraded Fiesta WRC rally cars for an assault on the mountain too.
For the time being though, no machine has yet run to the top of Pikes Peak in under 10 minutes.
In the run-up to this year’s event it was expected meticulous preparation by the three Unlimited Class competitors (Tajima, Paul Dallenbach and Rhys Millen) would finally see somebody charge up the 20km course and cross the finish line (4.3km above sea level) in under 10 minutes.
Unfortunately Tajima’s winning time (10:11.490) was well off his personal, and overall, record (10:01.408) set back in 2007.
Despite attacking the suicidal mountain course’s 156 corners with full commitment, Tajima was unable to power his 700kW Suzuki past the finish line in a time under 10 minutes. It was a bittersweet victory for the 60-year-old Japanese racing veteran.
Local Colorado hero Paul Dallenbach finished second, usurping Rhys Millen. Both drivers had a frustrating time at this year's event, beset with mechanical problems.
Dallenbach clocked a time of 10:39.534 despite having blown his competition engine during a practice run and having to race with a replacement Chevrolet motor which was nearly 100kW down on power. The three time winner managed to valiantly finish between Tajima and third placed Millen – both of whom ran cars with an element of factory backing.
This year’s Pikes Peak was a sickening disappointment for Rhys Millen, the son of previous record holder Rod (who’s winning time was unmatched from 1994-2007, before being bested by Tajima). Rhys suffered transmission issues and found his front brake rotors overheating, severely curtailing his ability to make a clean run up the mountain.
After a stunning drive last year (in a rear-wheel drive Hyundai Genesis), much was expected from Millen. His new Hyundai RM580 was powered by a 550kW 3.8l V6 engine, featured active aerodynamics and spaceframe construction. It was to be undone by its fantastically complex Weismann semi-automatic all-wheel drive transmission (operating dual Quaife active differentials) and Brembo composite brakes.
Clever traction aids not smart enough
Pikes Peak remains an extraordinarily challenging race to prepare for as half the 20km route remains unpaved, necessitating a drivetrain solution that fuses dirt road traction and high friction asphalt dynamics.
Millen’s RM580 was unable to make the transition from the dirt to asphalt section smoothly as the limited-slip differentials baulked at the surface change.
In the end Millen finished third behind Dallenbach in a time of 11:06.208, nearly a minute slower than Tajima. Considering he only started building his RM580 four months before the event, Millen was always going to be short on development and tweaking time - which in the end cost him dearly.
Local Colorado girl Savannah Rickli, of Littleton, became the youngest female competitor in race history at 16. Rickli flicked her 2003 Mini Cooper up the mountain in 13:58.232 and was reduced to tears after reaching the summit.
"This is such a personal victory," said Rickli, a junior at Dakota Ridge High School. "I've been waiting for this moment since I went to my first Hill Climb 12 years ago. I'm just so happy to be up here."
Beyond the Unlimited Class, there were strong performances amongst the ten other categories. Clint Vasholtz and Layne Schranz both broke the Super Stock Class record, with Vasholtz winning the class in 11:33.320 and Schranz finishing second in a time of 11:33.395.
Davey Durelle won his 14th career title at Pikes, dominating the 250 cc Motorcycle Class with a record time of 12:27.239. The Time Attack Class record also fell when Jeff Zwart powered his 2007 Porsche across the finish line in 11:31.095.
Veteran Randy Schranz of Colorado Springs, Colo., running in the Open Class, lowered his own propane car record with a time of 11:57.098 in his 2010 Shelby Cobra. Schranz competed in his 36th career Pikes Peak hill climb, tying the race record set by Louie Unser.
Doug Mockett trimmed nearly a minute off the Vintage Class record, crossing the finish line in his 1954 Super 88 Oldsmobile in 13:05.710.
Tajima, Dallenbach and Millen have vowed to be back next year – determined to navigate a perfect run. Ford is supposedly preparing radically upgraded Fiesta WRC rally cars for an assault on the mountain too.
For the time being though, no machine has yet run to the top of Pikes Peak in under 10 minutes.