Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima, a legend in the international motorsports community with nine series wins in the All Japan Dirt Trial (rally sprint) Championship, five wins in 2WD division for the Asia Pacific Rally Championship, and eight overall victories in New Zealand’s “Race to the Sky” hill climb event.
Despite this the 60-year-old has become the first person to break the fabled 10 minute barrier with a record time of 09:51.278, which smashed his previous record of 10:01.408 set in 2007. The second fastest time was set by Rhys Millen in the custom Hyundai PM580; his time was 10:09.242.
Take a ride on the roof with Monster Tajima as he breaks his own personal record at Pikes Peak with a time of 9:51. First person to break the 10 minute barrier:
Piloting a specially updated Monster Sport Suzuki SX4 Hill Climb Special with a twin turbocharged 3.1-liter V6 912-horsepower beast is ready run at 8,750 rpm and 890 Nm of torque at 5,850 rpm, the hill climb master experienced a blown radiator and a sudden loss of power steering in the final leg up the famous course.
The gruelling Pikes Peak course runs 19.9 km (12.42 miles) consisting of 156 turns that begin at an altitude of 2860 meters (9383 feet) and finishes at the 4300 meter (14,107 feet) summit of Pikes Peak. The dramatic rise in altitude deprives engines of 30 percent of their power at the summit and competitors employ special oxygen breathing apparatus to combat the changes in air pressure.
The Pikes Peak Hill Climb covers a mix of paved road, dirt and gravel, and starts at an elevation of 2.89 km (1.78-miles). Interestingly, this will be the last time the famous race, now in its 89th year, will be run with gravel left on the mountain course. Locals have already started paving the course to attract tourists and by next year the entire course is expected to be covered in tarmac.
Subscribe to email feed
