Pikes Peak 2014 Practice and Qualifying – Cars

I have been covering the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb as a part of the team from My Life at Speed for the past few years. Those years have been fueled by my passion for the hill, as my physical limitations have been a real challenge. I made the journey to fulfill my racing and photography pursuits even though I did it with more and more pain every year. I have a degenerative condition in my joints and my hip joints were completely gone! I suppose it is sort of like worn out ball joints.

When in 2013, the pain was so great that the thought of not coming back to Pikes Peak in 2014, well that was the motivator to finally face the task of getting both hips replaced over the winter….almost back to back, with little time in between each surgery. I was really nervous to have the necessary surgeries not knowing what the down-time would be for my recovery. Lucky for me, recovery was fast and the pain was gone. And now, just 6 months later, it was time to test out my new upgraded parts covering this years Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. I knew I could once again head to Pikes Peak to see good friends, shoot the race and be able to enjoy all of it…pain free.

Excited? You bet!

Here are a few of my favorite photos from Tuesday, June 25th in the section at Halfway, Picnic Grounds shooting the Unlimited and Time Attack vehicles.

Colorado Springs local Fred Veitch driving his #73 2001 Porsche 996 Turbo in the Time Attack 2 class.

Number 199 John Edwards-Parton from Woore Shrophire in the United Kingdom driving a 2003 Mini Cooper S

Brianne Corn races her Subaru WRX STI through Picnic Grounds during an early morning practice.

Toshiki Yoshioka, driver of the #104 Scion FRS competes in the Time Attack 1 division.

Jonathan Newcombe in the #178 Hyundai Tiburon.

Peter Koch from Wilmington, North Carolina, in the #41 Porsche 935 K3

Rick Knoop in the #31 Knoop-Mann Special

Derek Boyd in the #72 Mitsubishi Lancer EVO X

William Kitchens in the #265 BMW M3

The #959 Mitsubishi Evo piloted by “Texas” Dave Carapetyan runs through Half Way Picnic Grounds during practice.

Kash Singh driving the #78 Ford Shelby GT500

Mark Rennison’s beautiful Ford RS-200 Group B rally car.

Piero Nappi driver of the #989 came from Italy to compete in his Picchio P4 pp

Romain Dumas blows through Picnic Grounds in his 2013 Norma M20 RD Limited race car during an early morning practice. Romain would be fast qualifier for Sundays race.

Jeff Zwart and his 2010 Porsche GT3 cup.

Thursday June 26th, we shoot the area around 11 Mile water station. Electric, Open Wheel, and Pikes Peak Open.

With Crystal Reservoir in the background, Mitsubishi #32 driver Hiroshi Matuoka, goes trough 11 mile during a qualifying run.

James Robinson in the #902 Honda Acura NSX

Colorado Springs local favorite, Chris Strauch, in the #56 Porsche 914.

Ralf Christensson, from Sweden, in the #372 Ford Mustang GT350.

Aaron Kaufman, in his 1963 Ford Falcon, makes his rookie qualifying run for the 2014 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Ed Gavin in the #62 Factory Five Racing Challenge Series Racer

Michael Skeen in the #2 Nissan GT-R during an early morning practice session

Woodland Park, Colorado’s Lorie Wood in the #12 Wells Coyote

Basalt Colorado Native and perennial favorite Paul Dallenbach brought his own car to run in the Open Wheel Class. Paul would set a qualifying record but was unable to complete his run on race day.

Dave Wood in the #11 Wells Coyote

Mike Ryan’s Freightliner just before his big off as he comes through 11 Mile. This is how I prefer to remember Mike’s truck.

Layne Schranz in his GEICO, Valvoline, KMC Wheels in his Chevrolet Monte Carlo

Hill Climb favorite and past overall record holder, Nobuhiro Tajima, takes an early morning qualifying run.

Don Hoffman took time out to race Pikes Peak from his usual routine of picking up his grand daughter from school in his daily driver, a Radical RXC, which is street legal. Don would compete in the Pikes Peak Challenge – Exhibition Class.

Next up, bikes….

Rick Beets

From early on I was always bombing around the neighborhood on some kind of home built go kart or minibike. So working on motors and bikes came naturally. As well as things electronic or technical. I was also an avid skier and instructor. If I can make something go fast by either propulsion or gravity, I am in. Yes, I freely admit to being a bit of an adrenaline junkie.