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David Donner is planning to break the production car record at the 100th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, in a 2022 Porsche 911 Turbo S.

This year will mark the 100th installment of one of the most intense motorsports events in North America. The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is also called the "Race to the Clouds" for its intense yet beautiful uphill course. The world's famous hill-climbing competition takes place in Colorado and sees a multitude of people flocking in to see the unreal spectacle of speed and precision.

What makes the Pikes Peak hill climb so special is the fact that it is not only about speed but also about precision driving. And unlike other racing events, the level of protection is rather dull on the track. And this is also why motorcycles were recently banned for good from the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb.

There are various types of entrances but the most intriguing one has to be the production car segment where road cars fight it out for supremacy. There are minimal mechanical modifications involved, and so the drivers who take part in this event are of a whole different breed. And this year, David Donner is planning to break the production car record run of Pikes Peak, and he has chosen a Porsche to achieve it.

David Donner is planning to break the production car record at the 100th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, and he's driving a 2022 Porsche 911 Turbo S with a cool livery.

The Porsche 911 Turbo S is an incredible driving machine. It packs a 3.8-Liter twin-turbo flat-6 motor that churns out 640 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic dual-clutch transmission. The Turbo S can do 0-60 mph in 2.6 seconds and has a top speed of 205 mph. Impressive numbers, yes.

But the Turbo S is known more proficiently for its insane driving dynamics. And that brings us to the Lightweight Package. This package is considered to be a waste of money for the roads. It comes in an additional $11,400 and brings about weight loss and minor suspension tweaks. If you look at it like a racecar, then these changes can bring about a lot of differences in lap timings.

With the Lightweight package, the Turbo S loses 66 pounds from its curb weight. This is achieved by stripping off some insulation and sound-deadening materials and the second-row seats. The seats lose their heated function and the steering wheel is not electronically adjustable. Other tweaks include lighter glass, carbon fiber front row seats, and a lighter exhaust system.

This package also adds in a sports setup which lowers the adaptive suspension by about 0.4 inches and has a stiffer layout. This makes the already stern Porsche, glued to the track even in the most demanding corners; Just what you need when doing a hill run!

Related: Meet The Hoonipigasus: The New Challenger For The Pikes Peak Hill Climb

This Porsche 911 Turbo S is being given a visual overhaul, courtesy of 000magazine. A custom livery has been created with the theme "Print isn't Dead". This is sort of a “Thank You” by 000magazine editor Pete Stout to Mitra Maraj, President of Champion Porsche, Florida for their support in the event.

Stout learned that Mitra's father Dave Maraj started his career with newspapers and loved print. So, in this age of digital magazines, he created a livery using 000 magazine papers. The sheets were folded and trimmed to form a random graffiti-type design.

The concept was shared with a regular contributor Glen Cordel, and he came up with renderings of the wrap. There is "000" printed on all four sides, and "Print isn't Dead" written subtly on the hood. It sure is an interesting wrap that will turn heads at the Pikes Peak climb.

Related: Pikes Peak International Hill Climb With Rod Millen And His Toyota Tacoma

The main man behind the wheel is David Donner who has seven times in various Pikes Peak challenges and is a three-time "King Of The Mountain". In short, he is a G.O.A.T! This year's collaboration of his with Pete Stout will be a second one as they joined hands in 2020 with a bone-stock Porsche 911 GT2 RS Clubsport. He won Time Attack 1 with a record run. He was seconded only by a purpose-built open-wheeler!

So, this dude just gave a hardcore race machine a run for its money with a factory Porsche! The current record holder in the Production car category is Rhys Millen who achieved 10:18.488 in a Bentley Continental GT in 2019. Interestingly he snatched the title from Donner who had bested this race type in a 2014 Porsche 911 Turbo S with a time of 10:26.896 in 2015. So, if he manages to ace this year, then he will have reclaimed the title back.

Related: Here’s Why Motorcycles Are Banned For Good From The Pikes Peak Hill Climb

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is 105 years old, but this will be its 100th race event. The discrepancy is due to a few canceled years due to World War One and Two. But it is impressive to see a racing event go on uninterrupted for this long. The mountain climb is a 12.41-mile-long track with 156 turns.

And the event is divided into three major car segments - Pikes Peak Challenge, Time Attack, and Unlimited. It will be interesting to see various segments of cars take part, including souped-up race cars. But the most intriguing will be the stock series which will help the masses see the true potential of the 911 Turbo S which Donner would be ripping up the hill, flaunting the cool print livery.

Source: Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

Tijo is an engineer, mechanic, gamer, and an avid content creator. He is a grease-monkey who loves tinkering with automobiles every now and then, when not busy penning down his passion for them. He has always had a soft spot for JDM and is keen on diving deep in for anything that involves wheels and engines.