Hurley Haywood, in sharing his memories and perspectives during a 2021 The Brumos Collections installment of “Inside the 59” chats, on the mid-engine 1971 Porsche 914-6 GT, recalls, “was very nimble, easy to drive and had great resilience.  Racing against equipment that was much faster than ours, we won because of durability and planning.  This was my first year of racing, so it was quite a learning process.” Image Credit: The Brumos Collection via The Speed Journal (2023)

The famous #59 Brumos Porsche colors, which Haywood helped popularize over his five-decade plus racing and associated activities career, will be present in the race as well. David Donohue will be competing in a Porsche GT2 RS Clubsport with the goal of setting a new Time Attack 1 record. Donohue was the 2022 Time Attack 1 champion and would love to repeat the mark in 2023.

Haywood expressed his excitement about being part of the event, particularly with the success Porsche has had on Pikes Peak and Donohue driving a Brumos car once again. He is looking forward to the event and expects it to be a thrilling experience for all involved.

 

David Donohue in the 2022 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb winner’s circle, under foggy conditions. Image Credit: Rob Hutton via Stuttcars (2022)

 

As for the car Haywood will be driving, the Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo is the top model in the Taycan range. The Taycan has previously completed a 1,400 mile journey to Pikes Peak, setting a Guinness World Record for the greatest altitude change by an electric car. The Taycan Cross Turismo features a Gravel mode, which adjusts various settings to enhance performance on loose surfaces like mud, sand, and gravel. Additionally, the car has body cladding to protect against rock chips. On paved roads, the Taycan Turbo S Cross Turismo can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 2.7 seconds. It boasts dual-motor all-wheel drive, adaptive aerodynamics, air suspension, and Porsche's PCM system.

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, known as The Race to the Clouds, is the second oldest race in America. It has been held annually since 1916 on Pikes Peak, near Colorado Springs, Colorado. The race features a challenging 12.42-mile (20 km) course with 156 turns and a significant elevation gain of 4,725 feet (1,440 m). The event showcases a variety of vehicles, ranging from production-based Time Attack cars to purpose-built Open Wheel racers and state-of-the-art Unlimited vehicles. The current race record, set in 2018, is held by Romain Dumas and Volkswagen in the all-electric I.D. R Pikes Peak, with a time of 07:57.148.