Yahoo Autos Donohue sets new Time Attack record in Pikes Peak qualifying
First-day practice and qualifying runs for the 101st Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo was held Tuesday, giving the 66 drivers entered for this year’s race their first look at the mountain in one of three sections.
LOWER SECTION – Qualifying took place on the lower section for the Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama division and the Time Attack 1 competitors.
Brumos Racing was out in front in the Time Attack 1 division with David Donohue behind the wheel of the iconic No. 59 2019 Porsche GT2 RS Clubsport. Donohue clocked a new TA1 qualifying record of 3m53.618s, besting his 2022 record of 3m55.750s.
Two PPIHC rookies laid down the fastest times in the Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama division. Hayden Bradley, the youngest competitor in the field at 18 years old, was the division’s top qualifier with a time of 4m27.091s in his No. 727 2020 Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport. The division qualifying record was set by Tanner Foust in 2021 in 4m21.277s.
MIDDLE SECTION – The Exhibition and Open Wheel divisions made their practice runs on the middle section. Randy Pobst ran fastest in the Exhibition division, just one second ahead of Tanner Foust and the Radford entry. Former Parade of Champions driver, Matt Mullins, was the fastest rookie in the same group.
Codie Vahsholtz outpaced the other Open Wheel competitors, with PPIHC rookie Sylas Montgomery bringing his former Silver Crown racer, a MFG Road Course Sprint Car to the same division.
UPPER SECTION – The wind in the upper section, along with plenty of snow, reminded drivers it isn’t quite springtime at 14,115 feet. Competitors in the Pikes Peak Open and Unlimited divisions braced for the chill as they warmed their tires in anticipation of their runs. Reigning course record holder Romain Dumas returned to the mountain in the 2023 Ford Performance SuperVan 4 and clocked the fastest time in the upper section in 2m24.73s — 14 seconds ahead of fellow Frenchman, Raphael Astier, in the A110 Alpine GT4 Evo. The division’s only PPIHC Rookie, Satoshi Yagi, had his first taste of the mountain, completing three practice runs.
Robin Shute, three-time “King of the Mountain” at Pikes Peak, proved he still has what it takes to send his 2018 Wolf TSC-FS through the upper section turns. Shute’s fast time on the upper section topped the Unlimited division, with Dan Novembre, also in a Wolf, running only five seconds off Shute’s pace. Duncan Cowper in the Alcon Brake entry, a 2018 Cowper Dax Rush Pikes Peak Special, was the fastest rookie among the Unlimited competitors.
Competitors will rotate sections on Wednesday. Pikes Peak Open and Unlimited will qualify on the lower section. Porsche Pikes Peak Trophy by Yokohama and Time Attack 1 move to the middle, and Exhibition and Open Wheel drivers challenge the upper section.
