C.J. Wilson, Travis Pastrana Show Impress Skill at Pikes Peak
Two Pikes Peak rookies and one veteran square off in the inaugural Cayman GT4 Clubsport division with stakes high.
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is easily one of the most iconic and unique motorsports events on the planet. Tackling these tough conditions is quite the challenge for any driver, with perilous twisting roads and terrifying drop offs. So, you can bet that running Pikes Peak for the very first time is guaranteed to leave your stomach in knots. Even if you’re an experienced driver like C.J. Wilson or J.R. Hildebrand.
Neither the former Major League Baseball pitcher-turned-Porsche GT3 pilot nor Indycar’s Hildebrand had ever run up the infamous mountain before, until this year. And in this fascinating video from Mobil 1 The Grid, we get to see just how they prepared to do so in Porsche’s inaugural Cayman GT4 Clubsport division. But as the duo quickly learns, Pikes Peak presents more of a challenge for rookies than your average event.
Because the race takes place on public roads, drivers can only practice on one of three segments at a time. The first time they string them together is actually the day of the race. Despite this, a typically confident Hildebrand bets Pikes veteran and X-Games legend Travis Pastrana two bucks that he can beat his time.
In the end, all three drivers recorded very impressive times. And more importantly, stayed in one piece. Wilson finished fifth in the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport division and second among rookies with a time of 11:23. Hildebrand fared even better, completing his run in just 10:39. But the more seasoned Pastrana took home the gold (and the big wager) by finishing in 10:33.
Like most all Pikes Peak divisions, the very first Cayman GT4 Clubsport outing proved to be an exciting event. And you can bet that all three of these drivers will be back to try their luck again next year!
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