An amazing trip up the hill; Pikes Peak that is!!

[I B Sevener]

I’m local to Pike’s Peak so I showed up at Tech day where one can view all the cars competing. I came upon this guy thinking he had a Caterham, but it was really a glorified Lotus Seven clone called a Dax. That’s when I met Duncan Cowper who had come all the way from the UK to run the Peak on a shoestring budget. He and his mate who was his only crew, borrowed a truck and trailer to get the car from Denver International Airport and get it down to tech where he passed with no problem. Then I saw him again down at Pueblo Motorsport Park at the vintage races where my friends were competing with their S2 Sevens.

 

I asked him what his goal for the mountain was, knowing that it is mighty intimidating to those of us who have been up it dozens of times at 30-40 mile per hour and to be competitive one must go much, much faster. He said he would like to make it to the top (only about 80-90% do) and if he were really lucky, break 12 minutes which would put him in the top 50 of the 66 cars entered. His Hayabusa with massive turbo powered Dax weighed in at about 1,450 pounds and had some 440 horsepower.

 

Here is a link to a Jalopnik bit which shows many of the cars, their time and some of the beauty of the mountain and how hard it is to tame:

https://jalopnik.com/views-from-the-2023-pikes-peak-international-hill-climb-1850581361

 

Well as you may have now discovered if you viewed all those slides, Duncan did much better than his wildest dream must have been. He not only made it to the top, 14,115 feet above sea level but what is even more impressive is drove, 12th fastest up the hill out of 66 cars at 9:57.072 which is just amazing!! It means he drove that mountain at an average speed of nearly 75 miles an hour. Let that sink in with the understanding that there are 156 turns, many of them hairpin turns.

 

Not too many years ago, a time of 9:57 would have won the event and made him “King of the Mountain”. He should be very, very proud! Here is the video of his run…watch how hard he enters the corners and how he is on the power all the way up:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oetk2IP63hY

 

His story of coming over with sheer grit and a homebuilt car was his quest and was much like the story of Burt Munro in the “World’s Fastest Indian.” He proved that a dream can not only come true but be even better than the dream…It would make a great movie.

 

Edited July 4, 2023 by I B Sevener

[speedwagon]

I ran pikes peak in 72. It was all dirt then, so grossly different. the car was an old form-car formula v with the seat moved forward and a 350hp turbo corvair engine (pegged a 30lb manifold gauge on the top). Had $1500 max invested. It was truly a life changing experience.  I used to live in Grand Junction and we used to race each other up and down "lands end" the down trip was usually after dark!  Also came down the Colorado NM on snow pack in a power drift with a fiberglass dune-buggy with studs all around. Passenger was emitting turds all the way down.  It just amazes me that someone can still compete for so little today. and the paved road requires far more (although different) skill.

[Croc]

7 hours ago, speedwagon said:

I ran pikes peak in 72. It was all dirt then, so grossly different. the car was an old form-car formula v with the seat moved forward and a 350hp turbo corvair engine (pegged a 30lb manifold gauge on the top). Had $1500 max invested. It was truly a life changing experience.  I used to live in Grand Junction and we used to race each other up and down "lands end" the down trip was usually after dark!  Also came down the Colorado NM on snow pack in a power drift with a fiberglass dune-buggy with studs all around. Passenger was emitting turds all the way down.  It just amazes me that someone can still compete for so little today. and the paved road requires far more (although different) skill.

 

 

I really do like your style!  Are you still as crazy today?

[speedwagon]

age does not cure the instability, but growing incompetence sure tempers it.

[IamScotticus]

Y'all got more balls than a bowling alley.

[kayentaskier]

Ross,

What a great story, thanks for sharing it.

[preventec47]

That race up pikes peak is the most amazing scary driving video I have ever seen in my life ! 

There is absolutely no question that there are hundreds of opportunities to fly off the mtn into space and to your certain death.  The fastest vehicle I would take up that course would be my Sears riding lawnmower.     Seriously,  I thought I heard about a year ago after one or two guys died at pikes peak that they were shutting it down???.

[wdb]

They don't permit motorcycles to race anymore, as of 2021 I believe. The cars still go.