Pike’s Peak Braces for Old Smokey

Chuckle’s Garage owner Scott Birdsall is set on conquering the 101st running of the Pike’s Peak International Hill Climb this Sunday, June 25th at 9:30 a.m. ET, which will be streamed live via Mobile 1’s Facebook page. Scott will once again pilot Old Smokey, a Banks-equipped 1949 Ford F1 in hopes of beating his own diesel record of 11:24.065 set in 2020. He beat the previous record by a whopping 13 seconds.

The race up Colorado’s Pikes Peak is a 12.42-mile time trial event, where one car at a time climbs the 156-turn paved scenic roadway and finishes at the summit at 14,115 feet above sea level. Six divisions of cars compete, ranging from production cars to open-wheel aerodynamic freak shows. It’s widely considered one of the most challenging races on earth. It tests man and machine. At 14,115 feet above sea level, the air is so thin that many drivers require oxygen to be pumped into their helmets. And, combustion engines struggle to breathe and cool themselves, requiring the use of complex turbo and intercooling systems.

Old Smokey is fitted with a high-compression Cummins 6.4L engine built by Freedom Racing Engines, fed by Garrett G47-1550 and Garrett G40-900 compound turbos. Maximum boost currently is 93 psi. However, with big boost comes power-robbing heat. The charge air is cooled as it passed through a custom Bell Intercooler before entering the Banks Racing Monster-Ram intake elbow and into the manifold. This all makes for 1,200 horsepower and should get the 5,000 lb oil-burner up the hill with ease. Can he break his own record? That depends on mother nature and Scott’s will. The truck is plenty fast. 

Listen to Gale Banks interview Scott Birdsall in Speed School Podcast Ep 5.