Essex-based Mach 2 only managed third place
The magic 10-minute barrier remained unbroken at the Pikes Peak hill climb last weekend, despite the best efforts of current record holder Nobuhiro 'Monster' Tajima, double WRC champ Marcus Gronholm and Brit favourite Mark Rennison in his 1150bhp Ford RS200.
Despite the monster power output of the Mach 2 Team's Group B classic, Rennison could only manage third place in the unlimited class with a time of 11m 56s.
Rennison was beaten in the unlimited class by second-placed Marcus Gronholm, who managed to complete his first Pikes Peak in 11m 28s in a Ford Fiesta with 'just' 800bhp and the extra weight of a co-driver.
Tajima, who is also boss of Suzuki's World Rally Team, took unlimited and overall honours with a time of 10m 15s in his Suzuki SX4, a time that's still 14sec off his own 2007 record.
But PH's Drive of the Weekend award has to go to US drift specialist Rhys Millen. Millen blasted up the 156-corner course in 12m 09s in his rear-wheel drive Hyundai Genesis Coupe, setting a new record for the two-wheel drive Time Attack class for production vehicles, despite wearing his tyres down to their steel bands by the time he reached the finishing line.
 Rhys Millen set a new 2WD record despite destroyed tyres |
 All smiles for overall winner Tajima, even though he didn't beat his own record |
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