Lia Block Will Drive the Hoonipigasus at Pikes Peak This Year

Lia Block will drive her late father's Hoonipigasus Pikes Peak competitor at this year's international hill climb event, the 16-year old announced Thursday on Instagram.

Lia's father, Ken Block, planned to compete with the Hoonipigasus in 2022, but an engine issue stopped the Hoonigan team from setting any timed runs. Ken was killed in a snowmobiling accident in January before he could get another chance at running the car.

"I am stoked to be going up the mountain in this crazy build, and getting my feet wet on the legendary mountain," Lia wrote on Instagram. "This'll be a tribute run, not a timed competition run, because I still need a lot more experience before I can confidently race [the Hoonipigasus] up the hill."

The Hoonipigasus might look like a vintage Porsche, but it's actually a mid-engine tube-frame race car with a 1400-hp twin-turbo flat-six and all-wheel-drive, weighing just 2200 pounds. Built by BBi Autosports, the car had a good chance at beating the overall record, but was hampered by a valve issue that ended last year's event before timed runs even started.

Pikes Peak is set to kick off on Sunday, June 25, 2023.

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