The alarm started blaring off at 2:30am and I bolted straight up red eyed. There was somewhere I had to be and a rising sun that I had to beat. I had a date with a mountain.

Around 12,000 feet (just under the Devil’s Playground), Falken photographer, Jesse Lee and I parked the rental and stepped out into the chilly morning air. The whole mountain range was pitch black. The only source of light were the tiny lights of cars and trailers as they crawled up the mountain. It was cold –real cold.

But all sense of coldness is completely forgotten when the blackness is broken by a rapidly rising sun and a rock shattering throaty V8.

There are three practice days before the actual race on Sunday.Each day for practice, the course is broken up into three sections; the bottom, the middle and finally the top. This morning’s practice took place in the shorter middle section, which starts around 11,000 feet, for the unlimited and time attack classes.

Compared to previous year’s Pike’s Peak event, the excitement this year seems a bit more understated without the presence of a World Rally Championship driver. But that did not mean that there were no exciting story lines to follow…

In one corner, stands a Pikes Peak heavy weight veteren and reigning record holder, Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima. His car weighs in at 2400+ pounds with 875 horses under his command.

The other corner is a new contender to the unlimited class. Though, he’s no newbie to Pikes Peak. Last year, Rhys “Mad Skillz” Millen took fastest record for the Time Attack class in his Formula D Hyundai Genesis. This year, he’s in a car that he’s built from the ground up. The RMR Hyundai Genesis PM580 weighs in at 1950 pounds wet with 750 horses throwing this car up a mountain.

Rhys dominated the morning’s practice session with a best time of 2:02. Monster Tajima’s car had issues with his drivetrain and only ran once. For that single run, Tajima set a time of 2:05.

In the time attack class, Jeff Zwart dominated with his Porsche 911 Cup car with a time of 2:15.

I’m sure most of you remember the NOS/AMS Mitsubishi Evo driven by David Kern from last year. Him and his co-driver, Allison Kern, managed to place the third fastest time for the time attack class. They ran the middle section at 2:25.

This pink S14 is also in the time attack class. It managed to run a 2:47. Look out for a spotlight on this car soon!

This Mini Cooper did the middle section in this morning’s practice at 3:03. A bit slow, but it’s great to see such a normal looking car participating in the event!

There’s so much that’s going on at Pikes Peak this week. So many different cars, drivers, and fans. Tomorrow, practice will take place in the course’s top section. Look out for that oxygen starved report tomorrow.

Excuse me while I go soak in a bit more of Colorado’s beauty and catch up on a bit of sleep….

-Linhbergh

Speedhunters Pikes Peak Hill Climb 2010 coverage