2026 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb - Fastest BMW Once Again At America’s Mountain During The 104th Running Of The Race To The Clouds - 2nd Place In Unlimited Production Class - 15th Overall
As many readers know, I was pretty torn after 2025’s reduced race distance and on the fence about whether or not to even try and go back for another attempt. But after digesting what took place last year, and reflecting on how I would feel if I regretted not trying again— I realized something. It wasn’t that I just wanted to go back. We needed to go back.
You see, last year all the data pointed to the possibility that we had an overall package capable of going just under 10 minutes at Pikes Peak, which is something I and many other drivers have chased because of how hard that is to do. Setting aside weather and short courses for a second, here’s a fun fact: after 103 years of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb (while the race first began in 1916, it was paused during WWI and WWII), only 36 different drivers have ever achieved a sub-10 minute run. That is a very exclusive club! And one that I very much wanted to join. So, alas. Here we go…
Suspension Built for the 111R // JRZ Limited-Time Offer
If you own a Lotus Elise or Exige, you already know there’s not much else that delivers the same kind of driving experience. Lightweight, communicative, and purpose-built — it’s one of the best driver’s cars ever made. That said, suspension is one of the areas where the car can be transformed even further. A properly developed damper package doesn’t just improve grip — it changes the way the entire car feels underneath you. We’ve had great experiences with JRZ Suspension Engineering systems on Lotus platforms, especially for drivers looking for a suspension setup that works exceptionally well both on track and on the street. Their dampers are thoughtfully engineered, highly tunable, and backed by years of real motorsport development and testing. To celebrate Memorial Day, JRZ is currently offering special pricing on all four of their Lotus 111R applications for a limited time.