Pikes Peak Hill Climb Driver Rolls Race Car, Finishes Run Anyway
“Yesterday’s Pikes Peak International Hill Climb was marred by substantial fog, which greatly reduced both visibility and grip in the lower sections of the track. How substantial? Take a look at Pikes Peak rookie Levi Shirley, who was flying up the hill in his King of the Hammers-style Ultra4 spec buggy when he came up on a fog-shrouded corner out of control and slid off course. He rolled completely and landed on his wheels. Then, he just kept going.
As Shirley’s onboard video shows, the particular roll happened surprisingly early in the run. Shirley’s line, alongside the inside associated with where the corner would be, suggests that he had simply misjudged when the particular next corner was coming up within the thick fog and had to adjust too quickly. (The day’s winning times up Pikes Peak were considerably slower than in past years with a fully-paved track, a good exhibition of how much the haze cut into what drivers could see. ) Fortunately, Shirley slid off at a relatively gentle slope and in to as perfect a rollover as you’ll ever observe. He rolls just once, does not hit anything in the air, lands upon all four wheels, will not stall, and settles onto the runoff with a path to simply drive away. ”
