For 2013, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb has has added a fourth practice day, part of an effort to give each of the competitors extra practice running up the mountain. That day is today, and it saw the cars running on the bottom-half of the course, while the two-wheelers ran up top.
The extra practice day was not without drama. As we mentioned earlier, the Lovefab Enviate Acura NSX of Cody Loveland endured a huge crash due to a faulty part and is likely done for the week. In the Unlimited class, the Forge Motorsports Ford RS200 driven by Pat Doran also had a big off, but his racecar might live to see raceday this weekend.
World Rally Championship maestro Sébastien Loeb showed why he's the master of perilous ascents, tallying today's quickest section time with a 3:30.768 in his Peugeot 208 T16. Loeb's time buried that of current champ Rhys Millen, who rang up 3:54.835 in his Hyundai Genesis Coupe Unlimited racer. Veteran hillclimber Paul Dallenbach chipped in with the quickest Time Attack session at 4:16.113. (For further timing and results information, click here.)
In the burgeoning Electric class, Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima has returned with his Monster Sport E-Runner for a second try after mechanical failure ended his race last year. He's got a ways to go, though, as he only ran the fourth-quickest time in the class, 4:16.562. Top time today for the Electric class went to Dakar rally winner Hiroshi Masuoka in his Mitsubishi MiEV Evolution II.
Wednesday will see more practice sessions and the start of qualifying, which will carry on throughout the week. The run for the record books in Colorado officially gets underway on Sunday at 8:00 am MDT.
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