Freightliner and stunt driver Mike Ryan set a new record in the big rig division at the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on July 4. Ryan and his modified Century Class truck ran the 12.4 mile, 156-turn "Race to the Clouds" in 13:39.02. This beat the 14:30 record he set in 1998, and logged the fourth straight heavy-duty truck title for the team. Ryan attributed his performance in part to the newly installed Mercedes-Benz engine. Based on a Mercedes-Benz 501 V-6 twin-turbo diesel, the engine generates over 1,200 hp.

Kenworth and Contract Freighters Inc. scored a record-setting victory in the tandem-axle division trucks. Bruce Canepa, a veteran racer and designer from Santa Cruz, Calif., clocked 14:34.41 in CFI's T2000 Red Racer, which was equipped with a 960-hp Caterpillar C-16 engine and Bridgestone tires with a special tread.

A modified Sterling A-Line tractor powered by a 14-liter Detroit Diesel engine running through a six-speed automatic transmission came in second, at 14:35.09. Driven by New Zealander Shane Chapman, this was Sterling's first attempt at Pikes Peak.