An overall world record of 9 minutes 46.164 seconds has been set by Team Rhys Millen Racing at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in Colorado Springs. On Sunday, 2010 Le Mans champion Romain Dumas posted a 9-minute 46.181-second time with his Porsche 997 GT3-R, only to be beaten by a whisker later in the day by Team RMR.
They have both broken Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima’s 9-minute 51.278-second record, set last year.
We have been tirelessly bringing you the latest on the 2012 PPIHC during the past weekend as events unfold, and if you’ve been keeping up, I’m sure you’ll agree that conquering this climb in a car is no mean feat; even to finish it unscathed is an achievement, what more to do it faster than anyone else.
“With the newly paved section of the course and the hot weather conditions, a lot of people failed or crashed. Our cars balance remained the same from practice to race day using these Hankook F200 Tires this entire run. Even on a slick tire and torrential downpour in the last mile and a half, with the heat we were able to achieve in the tires the grip was still adequate and we were able to produce a new world record,” said Rhys Millen, driver of the team’s Hyundai Genesis Coupe.
Born in New Zealand, Rhys Millen is perhaps best known for his involvement in the US drifting scene, but he also does some rallycross (in a 500 hp Hyundai Veloster, no less), and brought this customised Hyundai Equus to SEMA a couple of years ago.
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A Hyundai winning while wearing Korean made tires! Wow… Looked like Korean know everything about automotive now.
Cheh.. nobody will break Tajima’s record because it was set in a harsher condition than today. Simple not fair to discredit Tajima.
Well, winning’s winning.
Exactly, plus, he was using an all new electric vehicle; awesome tech, but the car was not reliable enough, would have definitely smash his record if he had brought the Suzuki SX4.
I really wanted to see the full on, no BS lap time set by this new car, guess have to wait next year.
Millen’s Mountain again, well done Kiwi and Hyundai
There will always be one true king of the mountain Monster Tajima, period. Paved roads are for noobs
Hyundai tu….
Korean era?
the old pikes peak was more exciting with its mixed surface for sure.. but things change, and it shouldn’t take anything away from Rhys’s great drive.
but good to see Rhys winning such a great event. I can still remember the days when i was a kid watching Rally Malaysia, and his dad rod was rallying here.
Monster Tajima would have definitely broken his record by a country mile if he had brought his Suzuki Monster Sport SX4 instead of this electric challenger; it caught fire and that’s the end of it. Well, that’s racing.
For the record, the time 9 minute 51.278 seconds set by “Monster” Tajima still stands as the Pikes Peak road surface is NOT 100 percent tarmac.