Ford made it two in a row at the 102nd running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb this weekend with an unassailable 8:53.553 time on America’s Mountain. The all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning SuperTruck set a new Open class record during qualifying (conducted over a shorter course) but while its time on Sunday was sufficiently quick to outgun 61 competitors, it didn’t overhaul last year’s SuperVan time.
Nevertheless, on the basis that it suffered an early technical fault that required driver Romain Dumas to reset the 1,600hp truck, it goes to show just how far ahead of the field the custom-built Ford really was. “I’m honored to achieve this victory with Ford Performance at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb,” Dumas said. “Everything about this event is a challenge because it is unlike any other form of racing, you only have one shot. We faced a challenge early on but that only gave me more determination to make up the lost time in the rest of the run.”
Elsewhere in the running, Hyundai had cause to celebrate its well-supported showing, with a Ron Zara-piloted Ioniq 5N snatching the unmodified EV record with 10:49.267 - much to the dismay of Rivian, which has just set a 10:53.883 one run before with an R1T (still a production truck record, mind). Had it been a second quicker, the 5N would’ve also grabbed the production SUV record from Bentley - although its failure to do so goes to show just how rapid Rhys Millen’s 2018 run in a W12 Bentayga really was.
At any rate, Hyundai had further success with its Dani Sordo-driven Ioniq 5N TA (for Time Attack) car competing in the Exhibition class. With minimal alterations (said to include software tweaks, motorsport dampers and brakes, plus racing tyres) it managed a 9:30.852 - sufficiently quick not only for a class win, but also a modified EV record. On the basis that the model it smashed for that title was a Model S Plaid previously entered by Unplugged Performance, Hyundai will likely have returned from Colorado tickled pink with its efforts.
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