Gronholm aims for Sub 10minutes at Pikes Peak.Most people here will know of the legendary Pikes Peak Hillclimb in Colorado. The Pikes Peak Auto Hill Climb was first held on August 10, 11, and 12, 1916. Through the years the road has been widened and some sections have been paved. Other than that, the course and race format have not changed significantly from the original. Drivers and cars came from all over the world to compete in one of the most grueling courses known to the world of racing. Consisting of 12.42 miles of dirt and some paved road, the route feet above sea level) to the peakâs 14,110 foot summit.
Here is the course they face, in simple terms. Add in the fact, the track runs around a mountain, with sheer drops on the side, and the challenge gets some perspective as cars fight for grip inches from the edge. As you can see from the pic at the top the vehicles used are somewhat one off specials, many with unheard of horsepower figures far exceeding the old Group B days of Rallying insanity.
Drivers, then and now, are challenged by the torturous road and the rapidly changing weather. Starting out in sunshine, the driver could travel through sleet, thunderstorms, wind, hail, fog, or blinding snow before he finished,causing this breathtaking event to be called âThe Race to the Clouds.â
Many of you will have seen the Peugeot of Ari Vatanen run the spectacular ascent in this following clip..... Climb Dance
This award winning short film documents Ari Vatanen''s record-breaking run at the 1988 Event.The film was created by Jean Louis Mourey and captures Vatanen climbing Pike''s Peak in a four wheel drive, four wheel steer Peugeot 405 T16. Watch the world famous rally legend rip through hairpins and glide past sheer cliffs at 14,000 foot elevation from cameras inside, in front, underneath and above the car. This is by far some of the most spectacular and nerve bending race car footage ever recorded. The film has since become one of the most watched and talked about car films ever.
If you havent seen it, WATCH IT. If you have, you will probably want to watch it again just for the hell of it.The race is open to a number of different classes from motor bikes with (and without) sidecars, open wheeler type cars, road cars, off road cars, and of course the purpose built specials.A few pics from the history books. (pics copyright Artemis)
The mountain is not a place for the feint hearted - it's a very specialised course, long and very challenging with its own unique characteristics that take years to come to terms with. This is not like an extended rally cross track, it's very similar to a super-long and high-speed rally superspecial stage with multiple surface combinations unlike any found elsewhere in the world, it is a course that requires extreme concentration and a very good memory certainly helps! Car set-up is also something that is unique to this event .
As for Gronholms mount..... he has tested the Ford Fiesta he will drive at the Pikes Peak hillclimb in America next month.The Finn drove the car, run by the Olsberg Motor Sport Evolution team, for two days in Sweden, completing the test last night.
"The car was quite good," said Gronholm. "We have lots of power.
It's 800 horse power, which is very nice! But it's not easy to get all of that power down, at the moment, it's a bit like a switch, so we have some more work to do.
"I wouldn't say I feel confident now. I feel better having driven the car, so I know more about what it's going to be like in the car, but the place we tested was not so much like Pikes Peak - it was Sweden. So, we have to wait until we get to America for the next test. Let's see then."
Gronholm will run in the unlimited class and attempting to become the first drivers to break the 10-minute barrier through the 12.4-mile hill.
The pair will face stiff competition from Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima and his Suzuki SX4 Hillclimb Special. Tajima, the former boss of the Suzuki World Rally Team, holds the record for the hill, at 10m01.408s - which he set in 2007.
Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima and his Suzuki SX4 Hillclimb Special. Marcus will have to beat him to a sub 10 minute record. Sadly I dont have any pics of Gronholm's Fiesta at this stage but I think it would be safe to assume it is sure to look wild.
Topic: PIKES PEAK HILLCLIMB: Gronholm to run 'special' Ford on record breaking attempt (Read 880 times)
