Pikes Peak International Hill Climb the second oldest motorsport event in the USA behind the Indianapolis 500 and one that has more inherent challenges than most races or rallies across the globe.
What makes it most interesting is that like the Bonneville speed trials, you and I can go and take part. I could go outside into my garage, create an aero monster with more power than is sensibly needed and hit the peak. If my wallet was big enough I could have a crack at the likes of Peugeot and generate, in their words “more PR exposure than their Le Mans 24hrs campaign”. Try turning up at the Monoco Grand Prix with your jalopy and see how far you get.
Get your pet project vehicle right then and it can put you on the automotive map, in full view of the world. Which brings me neatly to this cheeky little monster: the Evasive Motorsport Scion FR-S (GT86 to the rest of us outside the USA). Built in crazy quick time as a Time Attack machine, the team at Evasive Motorsport wanted the Peak challenge ticked off their wish list. So they did what any self respecting race/engineering firm would do. Entered it.
Due to class regulations and the faintly ridiculous aero you can see festooned all over the FR-S, the car was placed in the Unlimited class. As the title suggests, that means anything goes, which frustratingly placed them squarely up against the likes of Sebastian Loeb and his record smashing Peugeot 208. It’s the challenge though right?
So hold on tight as we head up in the famous twists and turns of the peak in a diminutive, yet exceptionally quick, Scion FR-S.
