Monster a Little Less Scary This Year

By John Coyle

Editor

In 2007, Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima, and his Suzuki XL7 Hill Climb Special scaled the Peak in a record-breaking 10.01.408, the fastest overall ever achieved here. The previous record—set by Rhys Millen’s dad, Rod—had stood for an amazing 14 years, so hopes were high that "Monster" would break the ten minute barrier this time around. But alas, it wasn’t to be. While he was jovial when I talked to him after today’s run, his time of 10.18 was nowhere near record-breaking territory. Maybe next year? More pics of the Monster-Mobile after the jump.