Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport Class Heats Up Pikes Peak
With stakes high, three seasoned racers tackle an iconic mountain in the inaugural Cayman GT4 Clubsport division.
The 2018 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is in the books, and for the first time in many years, records fell. But we’re just beginning to see a slew of interesting stories from this year’s running of the legendary race surface. One of the coolest is this tale of how Porsche invited two Pikes “rookies,” IndyCar’s J.R. Hildebrand and former Major League Baseball pitcher C.J. Wilson, to take on the mountain in a Cayman GT4 Clubsport. Joining them was none other than X-Games legend and 4-time Rally America Champion Travis Pastrana.
There’s just one problem for folks that have never run Pikes Peak, of course. Because it takes place on public roads, drivers can only practice on one of its three sections at at time. The first time you string them all together is the day of the actual race. Despite holding that distinct disadvantage, Hildebrand is brave enough to wager a full $2 with Pastrana over who would have the fastest time. And by the end, we’re guessing that the multi-talented Pastrana wishes he would have upped the ante a little.
In the end, Wilson shed his rookie status by recording an impressive 11:23 time, finishing fifth in the inaugural running of the Cayman GT4 Clubsport class and second among rookies. He was edged out by Hildebrand, however, who laid down a strong time of 10:39 and took top honors among the newbies. Pastrana, who has a little more experience on the hill, recorded a time of 10:33 and claimed overall victory in the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport division.
Not to mention a sweet $2 pot from his Indy car-driving buddy. But as competitive as these guys are, you can wager that all three will be back at it next year. This time, with a little more experience under their belts, and most likely a few more dollars to bet!
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