9 minute read
Return to Pikes Peak
THE MOUNTAINS BECKONS. Although I checked the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb off my racing bucket list last year, I returned in 2021. Why? Because there’s nothing else like the 156 turns over 12.42 miles of a two-lane road climbing from 9,390 to 14,115 feet through lush green forest to barren granite summit. And I was determined to improve my time in the 99th running of the second oldest race in the United States. (Spoiler alert: Mother Nature foiled me).
On January 28, I was officially accepted to run in the 2021 “Race to the Clouds.” Once again, I had the honor of being part of the Porsche Motorsports Yokohama Tire team. Five drivers of Cayman GT4 Clubsports were invited; four piloting the newer 781s with 40 more horsepower than my 2016 981. Because I knew I could not win the Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama division, my race would be against myself and the mountain.
Overall, thirteen Porsches were invited to the race. Their drivers included such notables as all-time record holder Romain Dumas and Raphaël Astier, both of France, and David Donahue. The GT4 Clubsport class had its own professional – veteran rally car racer, stunt driver, and television host, Tanner Foust.
The three days of practice before race week were spent getting reacquainted with the course, roughly one-third of it each day, divided into the lower, middle and upper sections. Practice runs began at about 5:30 a.m. and continued until 8:30 a.m. Cars launched at approximately two-minute intervals. After all cars reached the top of their assigned section, they returned downhill in a conga line, turned around, and ran up again. It’s like the thrill of being a kid on a playground slide – climb the ladder, slide down, and repeat – but the thrill is going up instead of down. Once again, eight-time class champion and Pikes Peak Hall of Fame member Jeff Zwart served as coach for the Cayman GT4 drivers. You know Jeff, at least, from his artistic photography on the last page of every issue of Panorama magazine. He is also a director and cinematographer of everything automotive from car commercials to movies (e.g., The Art of Racing in the Rain). There is no better coach. Jeff is not only knowledgeable, he is affable and generous with his expertise, determined to see that each of his drivers do their best. Every day after our individual in-car practice sessions Jeff would drive us up and down the mountain in a Cayenne while describing the racing line and narrating from the depth of his years of experience.
RACE WEEK, started on Monday with a rigorous tech inspection of cars and driver safety equipment, followed by three more days of practice, one of which was also qualifying day on the lower section. Qualifying times determine the running orders on race day, not whether the driver will compete on race day. My race week practice began on Tuesday on the upper section, which is perhaps my favorite section with its fast sweeping turns and broad vistas. Wednesday was my qualifying day on the lower section. My first run was a less than full speed reconnaissance trip in dawn’s early light. My second run at sunrise was going to be faster than ever, but it proved to be too fast. I approached Engineer’s Corner at 90 MPH intending to go through it faster than before. I lifted, braked, and then realized I had miscalculated. This corner has claimed many a victim, rookies and veterans alike, even Jeff Zwart. He has said the corner is named Engineer’s Corner because it takes an engineer to figure it out. Well, I’m no engineer. Fortunately, there is no cliff at that corner. Instead, I went off the pavement, over the dirt shoulder, and “parked” the car in the edge of the trees. Although I didn’t hit a tree, the “off” damaged the spoiler, front bumper cover, and right radiator.
ENTER THE HEROES OF PORSCHE OF COLORADO
SPRINGS. As soon as my car was flat-bedded to the pits, Porsche technician Jason Schmitt inspected the car and pronounced it repairable. At the dealership, Matt Strand put my car on the alignment rack and proved it was not only straight and square, but the alignment specs were still spot on. Parts were quickly ordered by Andrew Olsen for overnight delivery while Kelly Rohrer and I prepped the car. By end of day Friday, a new and freshly painted bumper cover was in place, behind which was a new radiator, and the cooling system was bled, pressure tested, and refilled. Although my qualifying session was cut short and I missed Thursday’s practice on the middle mountain, I would get to race on Sunday. though my qualifying session was cut short and I missed Thursday’s practice on the middle mountain, I would get to race on Sunday.
Unlike 2020, spectators were back this year. Accordingly, Porsche of Colorado Springs hosted a great event for drivers and hundreds of fans on Wednesday evening. A highlight was the Driver’s Chat with all of the Porsche drivers seated before the crowd, introduced by General Manager Joe Brenner and engaged in a pleasant conversation moderated by Jeff Zwart. In introducing me, Brenner asked me to raise my hands. I had no idea why. He then introduced the crowd to my crew, Lefty Loosey and Righty Tighty! Like last year, I was the only driver on the mountain going solo, without any support crew. Zwart said he wasn’t sure whether to refer to me as “The Team of One” or “The Team of None.” But I must give thanks to Erik Skirmants, Mitch McKee and Scott Krugman of PMNA, and to the many folks from Yokohama Tire, all of whom assisted the entire team.
Fans of this event are especially dedicated as they must find their viewing spots between 2 and 5 a.m. on race day. Three fans, a black bear sow and her two cubs, found their place in a tree overlooking the pits during the night and stayed there all day.
As competitors moved into the pits near the start line on Saturday afternoon, rain began to fall. Rain at the 9,000 foot elevation takes a different physical form at 14,000 feet, as was confirmed on race morning. The green flag was scheduled to drop for the first car at 7:30 a.m., but the start was delayed while efforts to clear ice on the road to the summit continued. Unfortunately, the sun could not penetrate the overcast to melt the ice. Therefore, the race had to be shortened to end just below Devils Playground, about three miles from the summit.
Given my aborted qualifying effort, I was the first of the GT4s to take the green flag, following the Tesla Model S Plaid of Randy Pobst in the Exhibition Division. In contrast to Randy’s silent start, my car gave the fans a proper auditory experience. When the green flag is waved, a driver does not have to leave the start line immediately because the timing line is about 100 yards up the road. So, at the wave of the flag, I pressed the brake pedal hard with my left foot and floored the throttle with my right, thus putting the car in launch mode. When the RPMs stabilized at about 6,500, I released the brake. The sidewalls of the Yokohama Advan A052s wrinkled as they applied their grip to the asphalt of America’s Highway. I felt the rear of the car wiggle its hips as it “thundered” up the mountain, as commentator John Hindhaugh described my start during the Mobil 1 sponsored broadcast.
I especially liked the remarks of his co-commentator Bruce Jones:
“Super impressed though by Chas Wirken taking off from the line. It looked like a Porsche because it was. It sounded like a Porsche because it was. But what I love is that Chas is a 69-year old attorney who didn’t start racing until he was 50 years old. So you don’t have to be a child kart racer to get to the top of this mountain.”
With the start behind me, I was off into unknown weather and road conditions. Near the end of the series of hairpins known as the Ws because on a map they look like that letter, I entered the treacherous “Evo Corner” and what seemed like a cloud laying on the road. Whoa, that’ll cause a driver to lift! Indeed I did before cautiously feeling my way forward.
At the finish line, my first thought was a conscious sigh of relief that I finished intact. My second thought was the race was over too soon. I wanted to turn around, go down, and do it again.
Beyond the finish line, the cars parked alongside the road and the drivers shared camaraderie as they waited for and greet each successive car and driver. Although we didn’t reach the summit where a hot meal and a fresh donut were to be ours, we had a roadside picnic of cold sandwiches. I was honored that Romain Dumas, Raphaël Astier, and Tanner Foust chose my car as their picnic bench.
After the last of 51 cars passed the finish line, all returned down the mountain in a procession known as the “Parade of Champions.” The fans crowded the road forming a friendly gauntlet, cheering and high-fiving the drivers. While I was not a champion, I felt like a conquering hero returning home and enjoyed every moment.
At the end of the day, Porsches won three of the six race divisions. Romain Dumas won the Time Attack division and was second fastest overall in a 911 GT2 RS Clubsport. Raphaël Astier took the Pikes Peak Open division win a 911 GT3 Cup race car. And Tanner Foust won the Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama division in a 718 Cayman GT4 Clubsport.
Looking ahead to next year’s 100th running of this iconic race, post-race comments indicate I might be invited to return. I’m already looking forward to it.
My in-car camera footage and post-race interview (9+ minutes) may be found at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VR8Q6E8MqEU The full race reply (6+ hours) can be viewed at https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=qNtFzerV15M&t=9929s
