While Romain Dumas was once again dominating the Pikes Peak International Hillclimb this year, Volkswagen racing legend Jim Morris from the UK also had something pretty special to celebrate at the Colorado classic last weekend. In his highly-tuned 2014 Mk7 Golf GTI, Jim took fastest ever front-wheel-drive honours up the mountain this year, smashing the previous record of 10:48.000 with an astonishing 10:33.104 pass.  

That time is pretty insane for a veteran Pikes Peak contender, but Jim here is actually a rookie on the mountain! To put his time into perspective, the previous FWD record had stood since 2018, so it just shows how rapid Jim’s run was in his MCS Dampers, Alcon Brakes, CarbonRepairsUK, Lifeline-supported car.

“After months of design, development, testing, problem-solving, and countless hours of hard work, we are proud to announce that we are Pikes Peak class champions! From the first concepts and CFD simulations to the final setup on America’s Mountain, every member of the team has given everything to make this achievement possible,” Jim proudly said.

He continued: “The car performed flawlessly throughout the event, with the aerodynamic package delivering exactly what we had developed it to do. Following successful testing on the lower sections of the mountain, confidence grew with every run, and when it mattered most, the team and car delivered.”

Pikes Peak is one of the most demanding motorsport events in the world; 156 corners, changing weather, extreme altitude, and no room for mistakes. To compete here is an achievement. To win is something truly special.

You might actually recognise Jim’s name and the ‘Flyer’ livery of his car, as he’s a regular at the various classic Goodwood Members’ Meetings in his infamous black Mk1 Golf GTI. The Mk1 actually used to belong to Jim’s dad, and he managed to track it down and buy it for himself some time ago. More on that later… 

We’ll actually be featuring Jim’s Mk7 and taking a look around his Solihull premises as soon as he’s back from the USA. For now, please join us in wishing Jim and his team well-earned congratulations!

We’ll leave Jim to conclude: “This victory belongs to every engineer, mechanic, designer, supporter, partner, sponsor, family member, and fan who has been part of the journey. The mountain challenged us, but together we conquered it. Class winners. Pikes Peak Champions. A moment we will never forget!”

Photos: Various, including Rupert Barrington (@rupertberrington) Pikes Peak, Alcon, MCS, Lifeline, CRUK, CarbonRepairUK