After following the Electric and Time Attack 2 classes on Tuesday and the various motorcycle classes on Wednesday, we decided to spend our time yesterday at Pikes Peak checking out the Unlimited and Time Attack 1 classes during their practice session in the middle portion of the course.
The most eye-catching racecars are usually in these two classes, especially if you have a thing for wings, spoilers, canards, diffusers, splitters or anything that can be used to increase the downforce on a car. This year was no exception, and there are some fantastic new vehicles competing from a 2013 Porsche GT3R driven by David Donner (which happened to set the fastest time in Time Attack 1) to a stunning 2013 Audi TTRS driven by Robb Holland. Perhaps the most unique is a 2015 Ford Focus (we doubt there's much left of the factory car) driven by Australian Tony Quinn that features a massive widebody kit and a mid-mounted R35 Nissan GT-R twin-turbo V6.
The top time in the middle class, however, was set by Romain Dumas in his Norma M20 RD Limited, beating out the next closest car by more than sixteen seconds with a time of 2:17.92.
At the bottom third of the mountain the Electric and Time Attack 2 classes put in their qualifying times, and the results were impressive. Unsurprisingly Rhys Millen laid down the quickest session, a 3:43.229. While Millen bested his qualifying time from last year by more than seven seconds, it still wasn't enough to outpace Dumas' time from yesterday who will be top qualifier come Sunday. Does Dumas have a chance to take over the Pikes Peak crown? Perhaps, but remember that qualifying times are set on the lower portion of the car, and Millen's electric-powered car will have an ever-increasing advantage as the elevation changes and Dumas' gas engine loses power.
Be sure to check out all our photos from today's session at Pikes Peak in the gallery above, and you can view all of the practice times over at PPIHC.com.
Related Video:
The most eye-catching racecars are usually in these two classes, especially if you have a thing for wings, spoilers, canards, diffusers, splitters or anything that can be used to increase the downforce on a car. This year was no exception, and there are some fantastic new vehicles competing from a 2013 Porsche GT3R driven by David Donner (which happened to set the fastest time in Time Attack 1) to a stunning 2013 Audi TTRS driven by Robb Holland. Perhaps the most unique is a 2015 Ford Focus (we doubt there's much left of the factory car) driven by Australian Tony Quinn that features a massive widebody kit and a mid-mounted R35 Nissan GT-R twin-turbo V6.
The top time in the middle class, however, was set by Romain Dumas in his Norma M20 RD Limited, beating out the next closest car by more than sixteen seconds with a time of 2:17.92.
At the bottom third of the mountain the Electric and Time Attack 2 classes put in their qualifying times, and the results were impressive. Unsurprisingly Rhys Millen laid down the quickest session, a 3:43.229. While Millen bested his qualifying time from last year by more than seven seconds, it still wasn't enough to outpace Dumas' time from yesterday who will be top qualifier come Sunday. Does Dumas have a chance to take over the Pikes Peak crown? Perhaps, but remember that qualifying times are set on the lower portion of the car, and Millen's electric-powered car will have an ever-increasing advantage as the elevation changes and Dumas' gas engine loses power.
Be sure to check out all our photos from today's session at Pikes Peak in the gallery above, and you can view all of the practice times over at PPIHC.com.
Related Video:
Featured Gallery Pikes Peak Hill Climb 2016: Practice Day 3
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