Pikes Peak Hill Climb: Parking Lot Heavy Metal

Thanks to a delayed plane, I got to the hotel just as the media credentials staff was packing up. Fortunately, they were totally understanding and hooked me up with my press badge, and they also got me a spot on the media bus that’s heading up the hill tomorrow morning. The bad news? Said bus leaves at a mind-bendingly early 4:15AM. Ouch. After I found out how little sleep I’ll be getting, I walked out to see if I could find any cool rides in the parking lot, and I wasn’t disappointed. I spotted an EVO, an Audi, and a Subie, but the sickest cars were vintage machines wearing La Carrera Panamericana livery. Along with a burly ’64 Falcon and a ’54 Lincoln Capri with a gorgeous patina, there was a ’54 Corvette and ’54 Oldsmobile Super 88. I actually got to talk with the Super 88′s driver, Doug Mocket, and his crew chief Oscar Casilla, and they filled me in on some of the car’s details. The motor is a modern Chevy 350 mated to a Jericho racing gearbox, and the sheet metal is riding on the chassis from an ’80s Camaro, so it’s an "Olds en Nombre Solemente," or "Olds in Name Only." Apparently the car has been bashed up pretty badly a few times, so it seems fitting that the under the driver and co-driver names painted on the doors, their blood types are listed. Let’s hope nobody needs to use that info. I’ll try to get the scoop on the rest of the cars tomorrow, for now, check out a bunch of pics after the jump.