A Japanese to Challenge Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 2024
Just before the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb 2024, a Toyota “Starlet” (EP82/1990), which will be competing for the second time, will leave Japan for the United States. What is inside the Starlet, which has been updated for the competition?
The second oldest race in the world
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is a hill climb race to see who can run the fastest up Pikes Peak (14,115 feet = 4302 meters) in Colorado, USA. The race has a long history, with the first race being held in 1916. Although there have been years since then when the race was not held due to World War II and other reasons, it is the second oldest race in the world, held every year around July 4, Independence Day, and will successfully hold its 100th anniversary in 2022.
The course is a single road of approximately 20 km from the start point at an elevation of 2,862 m, the halfway point of the Pikes Peak Highway attached to Pikes Peak mountain, to the top of the mountain. The time attack will be conducted one by one here. Incidentally, this Pikes Peak Highway is normally used as a tourist road, and the time attack throughout the entire course from start to finish can be done only on race day, which is only once a year.
During the race week, a practice session is held before the race, and this practice and qualifying session is also divided into three sections of the course, and each participating car is divided into three groups and runs in different sections on different days. In other words, the practice and qualifying sessions will be held on one-third of the course. The running time is also extremely limited, from 5:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., which is before the start of business as a tourist road.
Another feature of Pikes Peak is the high-altitude riding. The air is thinner near the summit, which is said to reduce engine output by nearly 30%. It is said that EVs, which have less power loss, are said to have the advantage, but many monster machines with super-high power output have appeared on the scene in anticipation of this reduction in power output. Another feature is the use of huge aerodynamic parts to increase aerodynamics.
Updated for second attempt
Mr. Satoshi Yagi will be challenging Pikes Peak in a 1990 Toyota Starlet. He enjoyed rallying in his youth, and in recent years he has been challenging hill climbs in Japan, especially in the BRIG Hill Climb Series, in his Toyota Starlet. He will be challenging Pikes Peak for the second time in 2024.
In 2023, in conjunction with the Pikes Peak challenge, the vehicle was fitted with a safety tank and incorporated a thick Pikes Peak-spec roll cage. The result of that first attempt was 54th overall (13th in class) in 12:33.959.
Unfortunately, the engine used in 2023 blew up, so this time he had to replace it with a hastily built engine. The turbine was tuned based on the one for the R34 Skyline GT-R. The setup was done by Mr. Dandy Tanaka of FNATZ, who has experience in setting the fastest speed record at the Bonneville Salt Flats.
The engine is capable of producing 220 hp, which is enough to cause wheelspin if the accelerator is opened roughly, but the engine can keep up in time, so it has been suppressed considerably. To accommodate the turbine, the placement of the radiator was revised.
The suspension was a one-off by BILS. After measurements were taken on the actual vehicle, the front suspension was inverted and the rear was a separate tank type. Mr. Kanazawa of BILS commented,
“The suspension is tuned to be as smooth as possible so that it can be used on the race circuit.”
The alignment and spring rates were also revised to accommodate the suspension. The ADVAN A050 tires were chosen, which the driver is accustomed to using daily.
There are no major changes to the exterior. The shape of the front canards will be revised to prevent air from hitting the front tires directly.
Mr. Yagi describes the goals for his second attempt as follows.
“Last year, I broke my engine and turbine and was only able to finish the race, so this year I want to focus on time.”
The official schedule for the 102nd edition of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb includes open vehicle inspections on Monday, June 17, 2024, four days of practice and qualifying sessions beginning on Tuesday, June 18, and a fan fest on the evening of Friday, June 21. The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Final will be held on Sunday, June 23.
translated by DeepL