Pikes Peak Video

Hi,

I about had heart attacks when I saw brake lights ahead...

--Tom

Hello,

saw that Video and I could not deny myself to post the link. :rolleyes: <!-- s8) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_cool.gif" alt="" title="Cool" /><!-- s8) -->


Welcome on the "Autobahn"...

The Trucks on the right lane are not standing still, they go with approx. 50-55 mls/h


...and yes, to drive that fast is not forbidden ( but only on Autobahn parts without speedlimits by trafficsigns)


Cheers

Matt

mikespeed35 wrote: Why are there two people in the cars? They don't seem to shift gears. Do they?
CORDially Mike

Hello,

these Rallyes are completely driven by roadbook notes. The driver drives more or less "blind" only depending on the road-notes/-data (e.g.: direction and ° angle of the next curve, length of the next straight ahead part, etc.) that would said him (out of the roadbook) by his co-pilot. Without Co-pilot these driven speeds (on more or less unknown terrain!) are not possible.

Some of these rallye sequenceses/parts are driven in complete darkness. <!-- s:shock: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_eek.gif" alt=":shock:" title="Shocked" /><!-- s:shock: -->

Matt

Why are there two people in the cars? They don't seem to shift gears. Do they?
CORDially Mike

Hi,

Well, now I have a new definition of insanity: "Stand on the outside arc of any turn of an open-road race."

Here in the States, this scenerio is a Lawyer's Paradise!

--Tom

mikespeed35 wrote: The Peugot looked to be four wheel drive.
CORDially Mike

Hello Mike,

you are right, it is a four-wheel-drive car, the Pikes Peak Peugeot 405 was, aswell as the Audi Quadro S 1 (Pikes Peak) the late top end derivative (with roundabout 600 hp and an acceleration of 0-60 mls in less than 2.5 seconds) of the, in Europe very popular (road) rallye cross "Gruppe (Group) B" class.

The "Gruppe B" class regulations developed in its high time (mid 1980ies) four wheel driven cars with a weight less than a ton and turbo-engines with roundabout 125 cui and 400-450 hp.

With these cars it was (single) raced against the clock through small (public) byways, gravel farm and forrest roads, with (crasy) spectators just inches beside the cars (see second video below @ 0.55 min.)...

These Gruppe B monster became more and more "undriveable" on that terrain. After some fatal accidents the rallye cross regulations had been changed to less powerful car specifications in 1986/87.

Here are two videos of that time Gruppe B rallye race madness <!-- s:shock: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_eek.gif" alt=":shock:" title="Shocked" /><!-- s:shock: -->

Cheers

Matt

The Peugot looked to be four wheel drive.
CORDially Mike

The race is still run every year although now the road is paved all the way to the top. That along with the advent of all wheel drive have taken some of the thrill out of it - and also lowered the death toll!

Justin

I don't know how the driver could take his hands off the wheel to shift! That was a little different than Indy or NASCAR.
CORDially Mike

Hello,

I know it is a bit off-(ACD) topic, but I guess some ACD-cars had been raced up that "Hill" <!-- s:wink: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_wink.gif" alt="" title="Wink" /><!-- s:wink: --> in the past.

In a german newsmagazine was an article about todays Pike Peak race and there was a link to a video of a record-time climb with a Peugeot (gravel) rallye prototype (driven by Rallye World-Champion and Dakar Rallye Winner Ari Vatanen) in 1988.

That video is awesome and breathtaking so I have to post a link to it <!-- s8) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_cool.gif" alt="" title="Cool" /><!-- s8) -->

Enjoy it:

Matt