Pikes Peak 2020: Former NASCAR Driver Clint Vahsholtz Wins and Acura, Chevrolet, Ford, Porsche, Toyota and Mitsubishi in the Top Ten

Written By Nestor Cabrera
August 2020 • By Nestor Cabrera
Overall and Open Wheel winner Clint Vahsholtz with a time of 9:35.490 minutes in a Ford-powered open wheel car built in his dad’s shop Vahsholtz Racing.

Overall and Open Wheel winner Clint Vahsholtz with a time of 9:35.490 minutes in a Ford-powered open wheel car built in his dad’s shop Vahsholtz Racing.

The 98th running of The Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb was a very different event this year. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic had its affect and the entry list was well depleted compared to normal years when there are typically more than 130 entrants. This year only 44 made the field, there were more than a few wrecks and spectators were not allowed most days. And, as can be the case, the start was delayed due to ice at the top end of the course.

The Top Ten Fastest:

TorqTalk was there with our friend Kash Singh driving his 1,000 hp 2017 Ford Mustang GT in the Pikes Peak Open Class. Kash, once a Ford customer service zone manager but now a Ford Performance Enthusiast Marketing Managaer debuted at Pikes Peak in 2011 and was well known for driving his racecar from Federal Way, WA to the event in Colorado. He hit a new PB of 11:38.388 but it was slower than he wanted.

“This is not a race against other drivers, this is a race against a mountain and mother nature and she doesn’t give it up without a fight.” Said Kash.

First up the hill on race day was Scott Birdsall in the twin-turbo, diesel powered 1949 Ford F1. He placed 27th overall and set a new diesel record of 10:11.446

First up the hill on race day was Scott Birdsall in the twin-turbo, diesel powered 1949 Ford F1. He placed 27th overall and set a new diesel record of 10:11.446

The first run up the hill on race day was Scott Birdsall driving his 1949 Ford F1 and he set a new diesel record at 11:24.06. However, the Exhibition Class was won by Blake Fuller driving a 2018 Tesla Model 3 with a time of 11:02.802.

The overall winner of the event and also winner of the Open Wheel Class was Clint Vahsholtz of Woodland Park, CO, driving a 2013 Ford Open with a time of 9:35.490. Clint, a former NASCAR driver, has raced every Pikes Peak since 1992 and won 24 times now.  His Ford-powered Open Wheel car was built in his dad’s shop Vahsholtz Racing in Woodland Park.

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Of course, 9:35 minutes is a long way from Romain Dumas’ track record of 7:57.148 minutes but that’s not to take anything away from Vahsholtz , it was just different times is all.

Nestor Cabrera

A native Angelino with a deep passion for cars, Nestor’s love for cars grew out of a desire for independence and exploration. Trying to be a cool teenager he purchased a 1966 Ford Mustang that turned out to be a problematic money pit. Fixing its many problems paved the way for his love for tinkering with cars and he enrolled at Universal Technical Institute. Instead of going to work as a mechanic after graduation he applied and got a job with Nitrous Oxide Systems that led to an extensive career in the automotive aftermarket working for some of the premiere aftermarket brands such as Holley Performance, SO-CAL Speed Shop, Edelbrock, K&N Engineering, Falken Tire and Meguiar’s. Nestor continues to pursue his passion for cars and can be found any given weekend at a local car show, motorsports event or working on cars.

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