Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/164130
16 www.bigrigowner.com By Brad Bentley September 2013 Cover Story > Banking On A Future Record Mike Ryan's Banks Super-Turbo Pikes Peak Freightliner Photo courtesy of Sergey Korchinskiy In the June issue of Big Rig Owner, we previewed the Freightliner Cascadia Pikes Peak Special racing machine of Mike Ryan and his quest for another record run at the 91st edition of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. Ryan was entered in the Pikes Peak Open division, and his truck was truly like no other entry in the race, which was held on June 30. A veteran of numerous Pikes Peak ascents, Ryan has finished ninth last year in the division, with his sights set on a higher finish this year piloting this amazing vehicle. Ryan's 'day job' for the past 30 years has been a professional Hollywood stunt driver and stunt coordinator, but he also competes in hill climb and drift competitions- currently holding records in both the Pikes Peak "Race To The Clouds" and coverstory 0913.indd 1 the Mount Washington "Climb To The Clouds" events. The former was during 2012 and the latter in 2011, and both record runs were covered in the pages of Big Rig Owner. The truck is equipped with a 14.0L Detroit Diesel 60 series engine with a compression ratio of 15-1 and a fuel redline of 2700 RPM. The body is constructed entirely of fiberglass and carbon fiber; even still the truck weighs in at just over 5 tons. Like any well balanced race vehicle, it is a midengine design. This truck truly tests the merit of each and every one of its systems. Good acceleration requires a responsive engine, high speed requires massive horsepower and cornering and handling require extreme braking capability. Ryan's truck has always been fast, but with the new surface at Pikes Peak, Ryan wanted to push the limits. Enter Gale 8/7/13 11:52 AM