Jean-Philippe Dayraut third at Pikes Peak

Posted 4th July, 2013 in MINI, Motorsport, Videos | Leave a comment

Unless you live in another galaxy you’ll know that Sebastien Loeb recently destroyed the Pikes Peak record in his Peugeot 208 T16 with a time of 8:13.878, slicing an unbelievable 1:33 off the record set last year by Rhys Millen.

This year’s event saw Millen come runner-up with an impressive 9:02.192 in his RMR-built Hyundai Genesis PM580-T, followed by Jean-Philippe Dayraut rounding out the top three in his MINI Countryman clocking a 9:42.740.

Having about as much in common with its road-going namesake as the 208 and Genesis, Dayraut’s vehicle has been constructed by Tork Engineering, who are responsible for creating trophy-winning ice, WRC and Dakar racercars. Built around a tube-frame chassis propulsion comes from a twin-turbo 3.8-litre V6 powerplant developing 671 kW (900 hp), while the Countryman bodywork features widened wheel arches, a clamshell opening and deleted rear doors

The Frenchman, who had to had to ease off from the eight-kilometre mark, in order to look after his brakes, said: “It was a tough race, which I had to take a bit slower. That was why I was not able to challenge for second place.”

Audi really needs to build an A1-based Pikes Peak racer with five-cylinder turbo power and Timo Scheider behind the wheel.