Ken Block is back with his maniacal 1400bhp Hoonicon Mustang. But this time, he is headed up the International Pikes Peak Hill climb for a tyre-ripping, smoke-filled climb up the legendary course. He never had a record run in mind, but Block made his run one of the most entertaining ones to watch. Or was it?
In the time before Pikes Peak became a tarmac course (and a little after it) great men have attempted to conquer it. And here we have gathered few of the most iconic videos of ‘The Race to the Clouds’. Sit back and enjoy.
Climb Dance
It was the year 1988. The Pikes course wasn’t paved and there was no sun visor in the car. But Ari Vatanen produced the best Pikes Peak climb video of all time. He set a then-record time of 10:47.77 in a highly modified four-wheel drive, all-wheel steering Peugeot 405 Turbo 16 GR. Every corner he takes will fill you with awe and wonder.
Sebastian Loeb
Sébastien Loeb shattered the Pikes Peak record with a breath-taking time of 8m13.878s in his Peugeot 208 T16. The Frenchman negotiated the 20 kilometres and 156 corners of the mountain at an average speed of 145kmph. The multiple WRC champion makes the climb look effortlessly easy, but trust us, this is one amazing feat for the history books.
‘Monster’ Tajima
Nobuhiro Tajima is nicknamed "Monster" for his participation in Suzuki's rallying program as well as his triumphs at the Pikes Peak hill climb. Monster Tajima broke a 13-year-old hill climb record in 2007, and of late he drives only electric cars up the climb. But we bring you his hill climb debut video of 1992. It showcases how gruelling the track was back then and how tough the climb actually is.
Hiroshi Masuoka
It’s always fun watching different motorsport drivers take on the hill climb. The Japanese Dakar Rally champion Hiroshi Masuoka climbed the Pikes Peak in the Mitsubishi I-MiEV Evolution III. Although he managed to finish third overall and second in his class, the sound of an electric car scaling the hill climb is something worth watching.
Rhys Millen
Rhys Millen is one of the America's top competitors in Formula D. Prior to that, he was a top rally driver in the US. You can see some of his drift and rally instincts kicking in this hill climb video. His ride of choice is another Hoonigan, a specially prepared DT 074 Hyundai Genesis. This POV video gives you the latest view of the Pikes Peak layout.
Bonus
Banks Super-Turbo Freightliner
If you believed that climbing the Pikes Peak is reserved for cars with massive wings and tonnes of downforce, think again. At the 2012 season, Mike Ryan’s Banks Super-Turbo Freightliner Cascadia completed its run and now holds a record for its class. The truck is powered by a Banks Super-Turbo equipped 14-litre Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine. It breathes out a whopping 2400 horsepower and a colossal 5400Nm of torque. Watch it whiz past inches away from the spectators in the wet and wild track of the Pikes Peak.
