Famed racing driver and car builder Rhys Millen claimed another world record and overall victory on the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb this past weekend. Millen ascended the 14,000-foot tall Colorado mountain course, containing 156 turns over 12.42 miles, in 9: 46.164.
This year marked the first time from the race’s storied history that this entire course was completely paved. Millen’s time smashed last year’s record of 9: 51.278, that was set by Japan’s Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima. Tajima was the first to break the 10-minute barrier up the mountain with his wild Monster Sport Suzuki SX4 Hill Climb Special. This season, Millen achieved the record over the paved course within his heavily modified Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) Hyundai Genesis Coupe.
For 2012, Millen’s own race team used an enhanced version of last year’s car that set Time Attack 2WD class record with Rhys’ father, Rod Millen, driving the car. Rhys narrowly edged out former 24 Hour of LeMans winner and Pikes Peak rookie Romain Dumas by only 17/1000s of your second. Dumas piloted a specially prepared Porsche 911 GT3R.
For 2012, Millen’s own race team, Rhys Millen Racing (RMR), made additional performance enhancements to the current world-record-setting Genesis Coupe. They focused on providing maximum grip on the new all-tarmac course that would provide considerably higher average speeds. To do so, the team added a fresh aero package designed to provide greater downforce to take into account the higher speeds and additional grip provided from new, ultra-wide racing slick tires. In past times, teams used treaded tires to make up un-paved portions of the track that were a mix of dirt, rocks, and gravel.
The team also added a new, more potent turbo to last year’s heavily modified Hyundai V6 engine, improving the car create 700 horsepower and 700 lb. ft. of torque. To make up the additional power, the team had to upgrade the brake calipers and add more cooling ductwork to account for greater temperatures and braking loads created by running about the new tarmac at extreme altitudes. Lastly, the team fine-tuned the car to match Rhys’ unique rally and drift-oriented driving techniques.
Just last year, Rhys narrowly missed the general win in the dedicated PM580 tubeframe hillclimb racecar. He was able to eclipse the famed 10-minute barrier, however. The special, custom-built chassis have also been powered by way of a specially built 4.1 liter version of Hyundai’s 3.8 liter V6.
