Tuesday 14th June 2011

Pikes Peak, Wacky Races-Style

1307hp brute revealed in '2 turbos 1 mountain'

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The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb returns at the end of the month, and the now-annual race to crack the so-far-elusive 10-minute barrier for the 12.42-mile course looks to be hotter than ever this year.

How so? Because Paul Dallenbach, one of only three men to brave attempting the 156-corner course in an Unlimited class machine last year, is back with his Banks Power machine. And an extra 562 horses, bringing his twin-turbo Chevy V8 up to 1307hp.

Thus Dallenbach should be better placed than ever to chase Nobuhiro Tajima's four-wheel-drive, super-sophisticated Suzuki and Rhys Millen's equally trick Le Mans-alike Hyundai up the famous mountain.

We love the idea that a car with simple rear-wheel drive and looks that put you in mind of a Wacky Races refugee could genuinely take the fight to more obviously 'trick' cars. Judging by the look of this video, Tajima and Millen have a fight on their hands. Roll on June 26th...

 

 

[Veeayt]

[Riggers]

^ See. Identical

[scubadude]

Wonderful insanity, love it.

That said- compared to the footage from the unlimited 4x4 cars this one does seem to be struggling for traction out of the bends, espeacially on the loose sections.

Good luck to them though, marvellous event.

[Munter]

Utter madness. Will be funny if they are quickest though!

[cookie1600]

[DaveR]

I can't help getting a feint sense of impending Darwin Award looking at that.

[Wammer]

Surley if one of the formula one teams modified one of there cars a bit it would smash the record.

[Munter]

Wammer said:

Surley if one of the formula one teams modified one of there cars a bit it would smash the record.

The altitude would kill the power of an F1 car. They only start with 750ish right?

[pozi]

Rumour has it the Mach 2 guys are going to try again this year with their RS200.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mklc9DecNLw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gat1c2e3pwM&

They have not updated their website with anything new in ages but fingers crossed they do go.

Edited by pozi on Tuesday 14th June 12:35

[tonym911]

Shouldn't this be in Shed of the Week? Also, tempted to wonder how fast it would go with a WRC driver.

[Fetchez la vache]

scubadude said:

Wonderful insanity, love it.

That said- compared to the footage from the unlimited 4x4 cars this one does seem to be struggling for traction out of the bends, espeacially on the loose sections.

Good luck to them though, marvellous event.

This.
Presumably it has to make up the lost time in the corners on the straights..

[300bhp/ton]

This just has to be one of the most mental motor sports ever!!!! Huge, huge drops on the upper part of the hill there and crazy crazy speeds......

[anonymous-user]

Take two of the driven wheels away and add more power? Errr

[GravelBen]

300bhp/ton said:

This just has to be one of the most mental motor sports ever!!!! Huge, huge drops on the upper part of the hill there and crazy crazy speeds......

You've probably seen this before, but just in case you haven't...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH1jRX3CjZs



The original Pikes Peak vid (at least to me!) and still the best IMO.

Edited by GravelBen on Tuesday 14th June 13:32

[EDLT]

Munter said:

Wammer said:

Surley if one of the formula one teams modified one of there cars a bit it would smash the record.

The altitude would kill the power of an F1 car. They only start with 750ish right?

Well it is an unlimited class, so they could turn up with a jacked up version of that Red Bull X1 thing.

[geoffracing]

If it needs so many huge wings,
it means it's very badly designed.

[geoffracing]

Wammer said:

Surley if one of the formula one teams modified one of there cars a bit it would smash the record.

Yes, I always thought F1s had too many wings.
Now they seem shy in design!

[300bhp/ton]

geoffracing said:

If it needs so many huge wings,
it means it's very badly designed.

eh?

Ok how would you make it look then?

[300bhp/ton]

GravelBen said:

You've probably seen this before, but just in case you haven't...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FH1jRX3CjZs



The original Pikes Peak vid (at least to me!) and still the best IMO.

Edited by GravelBen on Tuesday 14th June 13:32

Great, great vid that

Those guys certainly have way larger balls than I do

[vz-r_dave]

tonym911 said:

Shouldn't this be in Shed of the Week? Also, tempted to wonder how fast it would go with a WRC driver.

Many WRC drivers have tackeled it and have failed to leave a mark. I would try to not believe that those driving these cars are a bunch of simple jacks. They are driving gods and in many cases probably just as good if not better than the average rally slag.