FasterSkunk Racing

From the Mind of Rob

The top of the mountain is nuts.

We drove into the clouds.

Then we raced out of them.

I’m fully qualified.

Which, to be clear, means the officials have looked at my driving and decided I am legally allowed to continue making increasingly questionable life choices at higher altitudes.

And here we are.

Today only gave us one run, but it was a good one. I got some incredible instruction from Jeff Zwart, and now the challenge is figuring out how to store decades of Pikes Peak International Hill Climb knowledge inside the brain of a software architect from North Carolina before race day.

Unfortunately, the mountain claimed a car today. The driver is okay, which is what matters most, but it ended our day early. It’s a sobering reminder that Pikes Peak doesn’t care about your plans, your budget, your sponsorship deck, or how many times you’ve watched onboard videos at 2:00am.

Also, there are places up there where the road simply ends and Colorado becomes a suggestion.

Next up is heading back down the mountain for more practice, more note-taking, and more attempts to remember everything Jeff told me before my brain replaces it with random song lyrics and diesel fuel prices.

And through all of it, we’re carrying 523 names of people lost to ALS. Every trip up the mountain carries them a little closer to the summit. Racing for ALS is the reason we’re here, and it’s what keeps this whole adventure grounded when the rest of it feels completely absurd.

One run closer.

One lesson wiser.

One day closer to finding out whether I’m actually qualified, or merely certified as a participant. 🏔️💙🏁

Day 2 is complete of Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

Practice at the middle section went well. Learned some things. Times continued to drop.

Tomorrow brings on the top of the mountain.

Anybody in the area of Divide Colorado (just north of Colorado Springs) come up to Paradox Beer Company and hang out with Ryan Cheek Racing and the entire FasterSkunk Crew! Sit in the cars, buy the team a beer, and cheer all of us on as we head for the ultimate goal on Sunday!

Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (Official Site)

Pikes Peak update:

Today was practice and qualifying on Section 1. Three runs. Three opportunities for the mountain to explain to Rob that he still has absolutely no idea what he’s doing.

The good news is he appears to be learning.

Massive chunks of time came off each run, confidence continues to build, and the car generally seems happy with the arrangement.

A huge thank you to the workers, volunteers, officials, rescue crews, and everyone else who somehow orchestrates this entire event. Getting hundreds of competitors up and down a mountain before sunrise every morning feels like a logistical fever dream, yet they make it happen.

Qualifying results are still a mystery, but the team did secure the coveted “loaded the race car back into the trailer under its own power” championship. At Pikes Peak, that’s a category worth celebrating.

The CJM Industries diffuser and the mountain had a brief disagreement. The diffuser arrived with enthusiasm. The mountain responded with geology. A little trimming is in order before race day.

For now, the Audi is healthy, the crew is smiling, and Rob is still finding speed in places he swears weren’t there yesterday.

One day closer.

523 names are going up the mountain with him.

Welcome to Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Could not be more proud of this team!

Ps- you should all totally get one of the fan programs that just released today! Lots of love for the Racing for ALS mission!

All 4 Racing for ALS drivers in one spot!

Today is tech and registration day and qualifying and practice starts tomorrow for Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (Official Site)!

Wilder Racing Composites LLC
FasterSkunk Racing
Ryan Cheek Racing
bad_zl1_1le

Well, the Audi has officially passed tech!

Tomorrow begins the next phase: qualifying.

Send us, all the competitors, staff, and crew all the positive vibes this week as we drive Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

NOPI
Lifetime Audi Parts
OneOf250
Racing for ALS
Babyface Fabrication
Audi Club Carolinas
NCR SCCA
CJM Industries

The offical start of race week!!!!

All 4 Racing for ALS drivers in one spot!

Today is tech and registration day and qualifying and practice starts tomorrow for Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (Official Site)!

Wilder Racing Composites LLC
FasterSkunk Racing
Ryan Cheek Racing
bad_zl1_1le

FCP Euro Car Show at Cherry Point in Denver under way!!!

From the Mind of Rob:

Next week is race week.

After months of preparation, development, testing, problem solving, and more late nights than I'd care to admit, FasterSkunk Racing will take on the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

We've already had the opportunity to test on the mountain. We've watched the sun rise over Pikes Peak, learned valuable lessons, and gained an even greater respect for the challenge ahead.

As a rookie, I've been asked a lot what the goal is.

The answer is pretty simple.

Respect the mountain.

Make good decisions.

Represent our community well.

Earn the privilege of seeing the summit.

For a race that lasts only a few minutes, an incredible number of people have helped get us to the starting line. Teammates. Workers. Volunteers. Sponsors. Friends. Family. Fellow competitors. The people who answered questions, shared advice, offered encouragement, or simply believed we could get there.

This effort has never been about just one driver or one car.

And when we take the green flag next week, we won't be making the climb alone.

This year, 523 names make the trip with us. Each represents someone lost to ALS. They are carried on our car in honor of their lives, their families, and the mission that brought us here in the first place.

Long before there was a Pikes Peak program, there was a commitment to Racing for ALS. Everything else grew from there.

No matter what happens on race day, I'm incredibly proud of what this team has built.

We've won races. We've won championships. We've broken parts. We've built solutions.

Most importantly, we've tried to leave a better road map for the people who come after us.

Next week, we get the opportunity to write the next chapter.

See you on the mountain.

OneOf250
CJM Industries
NCR SCCA
Vitour Performance Tires
Racing for ALS
Audi Club Carolinas
Lifetime Audi Parts
NOPI
Jzilla Track Days
Babyface Fabrication