Guy Martin to Race the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb

It seems Guy Martin, the barely understandable, though immediately lovable road racer of Isle of Man TT fame will compete in the 2014 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. One of the stars of the Isle of Man TT, and perhaps the fastest man on the Mountain Course who has never won an IOMTT race, Martin’s involvement with “The Race to the Clouds” has been a long time coming.

The organizers at the PPIHC have long been trying to get riders and teams from the Isle of Man TT onto the Pikes Peak road course, in an effort to bolster the race’s international appeal and reputation, as well as breathe new life and interest into the historic American race.

Our sources say a special effort was made to lure Guy Martin, who was the centerpiece personality in the Isle of Man’s Closer to the Edge film, and it seems those efforts have finally paid off with this latest news.

Martin will compete in the 92nd Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on a 1992 Suzuki GSX-R1100 with a Martek frame and turbocharger, which he has built himself of course. With eyes firmly set on beating Carlin Dunne’s outright two-wheeled record of 9:52.819, which Dunne set in 2012 on a Ducati Multistrada 1200, Martin has a formidable challenge ahead of him, to say the least.

Only Carlin Dunne and Greg Tracy have posted sub-10-minute times riding up Pikes Peak, with Dunne nearly repeating that feat last year on the Lightning electric superbike under treacherous road conditions.

It’s not clear at this time what team Martin will be racing with in this year’s event, not how competitive his Martek race bike will be. Last we heard, Martin had his Martek doing 320hp with a turbocharger installed, and was looking for 500hp from nitrous system that was still be developed.

Win, lose, or draw, seeing that beast of machine and Guy Martin on it should be worth the price of entry. Just be sure to do your spectating from one of Pikes Peak’s designated spectating zones.