PIkes Peak International Hillclimb coverage 1993 -(IT'S POP CORN TIME RACE FANS!!)

I was ten years old when I first saw what is the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. Thank you ESPN. I never thought in a million years that I would go on to race there ten times. Podium 8 times. Win my class twice. Set a record. And finish 2nd overall once. And chief crew for an Isle Of Man racer once. The fact that Colorado Hill Climb has taken such a strong hold on me is on the level of sever addiction/true love. This video is great from start and especially to the end. Was it that things were so much cooler before the information interweb revolution or was it just the seirra club's fucking pavement. All I know is I am so grateful for 9 time motorcycle class winner Chuck Lee for being my mentor. (See his name on the brief list of all the motorcycle heroes in the middle of the video.) I am also still in disbelief that Leonard Vahsholtz's first Pikes Peak car is in my yard. And that his grandson is now kicking ass not only on bikes (he only beat me on time:)) but now on the Peak! And also, that Paul Dallenbach gave me the wing that is on my new race car. (he said it might be a $15K wing, probably from a 1992 Penske Indy car.) Will I ever get to race on America's Moutain again? I built this little car of mine with the dream that I will, but I know it is as much of a far fetched dream if not more than any dream I've ever dared. Even just the CHCA patch on Leonard's race suit makes me so very proud. So does that other fella's mustache. And one time I did a press conference next to Tajima and his giant Japanese smile. Another story for another blog post... enjoy this capture of pure Colorado hill climb action. Pure.

$3k, elbow grease, bit of midnight oil.

Don't ever let anyone make you think that you can't.

The world is full of people spewing the why nots.

The can do usually quietly pulls through.

Nuff said. 

 

Look what I stepped in

 

Christmas sucks my balls. I like it.

 This time of year always drags me down a bit. With no racing on the radar in the near future and the consumer bullshit that is christmas. But with a little one around now I reckon it helps me find the joy in making people smile, even if it means lighting up something that is supposed to hold meaning to something that holds no meaning to me philosophically. But when it all comes around to it I reckon it is just really about the end of another year and being thankful for all it was and all that next season will bring. So I string up the lights, decorate the plastic tree, and pour another Kahlua cocktail. Fuck'n A Santa...

The back yard. The Honda Odyssey out of gas after all the snow melted.

The Champion has been patently waiting for me to transplant a worthy powerplant...

This little race car I built from scratch has had most of my spare attention for almost a year now. I can't wait to see how it does in competition next year with the Colorado Hill Climb Association.

The new shop is starting to feel like home. It is a big space to fill after 3 or 4 more intimate shops before it that were much easier to fill up. I have grand aspirations for it. Time seems to be slowly making it happen....