08 Jul Travis Pastrana Fastest in Friday Practice Stages at Climb to the Clouds

Article originally written for American Rally Association here.

Gorham, New Hampshire (July 8, 2017)

Travis Pastrana set the overall fastest time on the upper half of the Mt. Washington Auto Road yesterday, besting every other competitor on the mountain. Practice session times are not scored for points at hillclimb events, but the 2:30.93 run on the mountain’s upper 4 miles is a promising start to the weekend.

“I have to admit I was pretty scared the first run up,” said Pastrana, “this car is 600 pounds less than what we ran up in 2014 and it’s probably 250 horsepower more. I hit a rise and car just wheelied down the straightaway. The whole first run I spent half smiling and half, ohh crap we have to race this thing at speed on Sunday.”

Situated on Mt. Washington, the tallest peak in the Northeastern United States, the Climb to the Clouds is America’s oldest motorsports event. First run in 1904, the Subaru Mt. Washington Hillclimb takes place on the 7.6 mile long Mt. Washington Auto Road. Competitors race full bore up the narrow dirt and tarmac summit access road, in the process climbing nearly a mile up the mountain. One hundred fifty twisting corners that challenge driver skills and countless sharp exposures, their nerve.

Friday’s practice sessions saw drivers make two passes of Mt. Washington’s upper section of road, the first high speed passes of the weekend. The upper half of the Auto Road runs from the Signal Corps spectator area up to the top of the mountain, a little under 4 miles of driving that saws competitors rise from 4000 ft above sea level to just below the mountain’s peak at 6288 ft.

The variation in the racing surface here at Mt. Washington is one of the events hallmarks and represents many driver’s favorite challenge of the event. Of the 4 miles that make up yesterday’s racing surface, approximately 1 mile of remains unpaved while a few thousand feet are freshly paved. It was a slick surface to say the least.

By contrast today’s roads are a much older asphalt. Saturday’s practice/qualifying runs will take place on the lower section of the Auto Road, from the mountain’s base to the Signal Corps spectator area. The roads are tight and tree lined, with many gotchas and quick transitions. The road surface is rough for asphalt, pot marked with cracks and spalling in many locations. The road will be a challenge to drive at speed.

The fight to be “King of the Hill” continues today from the Mt. Washington Auto Road, ARA will be on site all weekend sponsoring the Rally 1 and Rally 2 classes at Climb to the Clouds.

Be sure to check into the Climb to the Clouds and the ARA Facebook pages for stories and happenings from the event. Detailed information including standings and spectator information can be found on the Climb to the Clouds website.

Photo Credit: Subaru Rally Team USA (Top, 2), Matt Kalish (1), CPD Racing (3)

About American Rally Association (ARA)
We are a member driven organization dedicated to the sport of stage rally by providing a transparent and inclusive sanctioning body. A 501 (c)(3) non-profit, ARA is lead by elected and appointed board members who deliver a framework for safety, competition, promotion, and educational forums for all aspects of the sport. The common goal of our members, volunteers, and organization is a thriving stage rally program in America.