Rhys Millen claimed another world record and overall victory at the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on Sunday.
Rhys Millen claimed another world record and overall victory at the 2012 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on Sunday. Millen set a blazing pace to the summit in his hillclimb-prepared Hyundai Genesis Coupe racecar, needing only 9:46.164 to make international motorsports’ most challenging ascent over 14,000 feet.
“This year, it really came together for the RMR team at Pikes,” said Millen. “With the insights gained from the last few years in our Genesis Coupe, the team was able to make some high-impact improvements, leveraging additional downforce and traction opportunities provided by the new all-tarmac surface. And behind the wheel, my experience at Pikes Peak over the years allowed me to shave a few tenths from virtually every corner. Breaking the 10-minute barrier is something I’ve always wanted to do, and it feels great to accomplish this goal in 2012.”
For this year’s race special focus was given to maximizing the grip potential of the new all-tarmac course and its considerably higher average speeds. A new aero package was fitted, targeting even more downforce to accommodate higher speeds and additional grip requirements of new, ultra-wide, staggered fitment Hankook F200 racing slicks on custom HRE lightweight wheels. The front splitter was redesigned for more strength and the rear wing was redesigned for additional downforce, along with a wider rear body kit for stability. A new Garrett GTX3582 Turbocharger was also bolted on, giving the V6 Genesis racecar 700 horsepower and 700 lb. ft. of torque. To handle this extra power, the brake calipers were upgraded for extra thermal capacity, and additional cooling ductwork was installed to ensure optimal brake performance at the summit’s extreme altitudes. The entire car was scrutinized for weight reduction potential and suspension settings were further optimized for Millen’s unique rally/drift driving techniques.
