Yokohama Pikes Peak International Hill Climb - Race to the Clouds
July 16, 2010
Electric cars fight for victory on Pikes Peak
W he tire manufacturer Yokohama took part in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 2010 with an electrically powered vehicle last year. The 3.80 meter long and 1,150 kilogram buggy is powered by a 180 kW electric motor from AC Propulsion. The lithium-ion batteries with an energy of 37 kWh come from Sanyo. With a time of 13: 17.575, the rear-wheel drive Yokohama EV Sports Concept with Ikuo Hanawa at the wheel secured victory in the electric car class at Pikes Peak.
Pikes Peak 2010: 'Monster' chases the record with 910 PS
At the 88th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 2010, the almost 60-year-old Japanese Nubohiro Tajima was one of the contenders for victory in the 'Unlimited Division', the premier class of the Race to the clouds. His goal: With the approximately 910 hp Suzuki SX4, 'Monster' Tajima wanted to be the first driver to conquer the mountain in under ten minutes. The all-wheel drive is powered by a 3.1-liter V6 with two turbochargers.
The previous record dates back to 2007. At that time Nobuhiro Tajima chased his 1,007 hp Suzuki Sport XL7 Hill Climb Special up the 156 bends to the summit at breathtaking speed. The former President of Suzuki Sport needed exactly 10: 01,408 minutes for the 12.4 miles (almost 20 kilometers) with an average gradient of seven percent. With that, 'Monster' set Rod Millen's 13-year-old record.
Tajima already demonstrated his dominance in qualifying on Friday (June 25th). With a time of 4.28 minutes, he clearly distanced himself from the competition. His toughest rival, Rhys Millen, needed 14 seconds more than the Japanese for the 8.53 kilometers in his Hyundai RMR JE09.
Suzuki driver 'Monster' Tajima wins on Pikes Peak 2010
In the 'Race to the Clouds' on Sunday, Nobuhiro Tajima secured his place in the sun again - his fifth victory as a result. The Suzuki SX4 crossed the finish line after 10: 11.490 minutes. Tajima missed the target record, but outclassed the competition: Paul Dallenbach chased his rear-wheel drive Chevy up the hill in 10: 39.534, Rhys Millen with his Hyundai was almost a minute slower than Tajima (11: 06.208).
Pikes Peak International Hill Climb - Walter Röhrl won the Pikes Peak International Hill in 1987
Climb to the 4,302 meter high peak in the Rocky Mountains in the US state of Colorado first took place in 1916. It is the second oldest motorsport event in the USA after the Indianapolis 500. In contrast to the past, the 20-kilometer route is no longer made up entirely of gravel, but about half asphalt.
The start is at an altitude of 2,800 meters. This is where the hunt for the sky begins, because the destination is 4,500 meters above sea level. It is not for nothing that the Pike's Peak race is nicknamed 'Race to the clouds'. Walter Röhrl also entered the list of winners at Pikes Peak in 1987. With a 600 hp Audi S1 Pikes Peak, he clearly undercut the record set by Bobby Unser in a time of 10: 47.85.
