PIKES PEAK ROOKIE RON ZARAS CAPTURES ELECTRIC PRODUCTION SUV/CROSSOVER RECORD | |
Colorado Springs, CO – With the 102nd Running of the Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, brought to you by Gran Turismo, in the rearview mirrors, the top stories continue to unfold. Meet Ron Zaras, former Brand VP, and later Senior VP, at Hoonigan Industries where he was passionate about inspiring automotive enthusiasts through his on-point brand marketing strategies, and he continues to embrace the fan experience as he builds his racing resume. | |
SEA LEVEL TO SUMMIT
Ron Zaras calls Long Beach, CA home, but has raced at tracks from coast to coast, sharing, "I started doing track days and autocross around about the age of 19, but didn't compete in my first sanctioned race until I was 35 years old!"
In the past decade, Zaras has won the Our Gang Ice Race in Georgetown, CO, the NMK Folkrace in Bergen, Norway, and the ARA/Rally Ready 'Do it for Dale' Rally Sprint.
Zaras knew about Pikes Peak from Gran Turismo 3, and enjoyed running the course in Tajima's Escudo Pikes Peak, exclaiming, "That car was savage to drive in the game - huge aero, feather weight, the highest horsepower number in the game, and enough turbo lag for me to question if the game was broken."
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HYUNDAI ON THE MOUNTAIN
In 2024, Zaras did, indeed, find himself in the position to compete in the Race to the Clouds and explained, "My main goal at Pikes Peak this year was to bring the car to the top of the mountain shiny side up, but let’s be honest, you’ll always find a benchmark time to try and beat. Running a 10:49, and seeing my name on the Pikes Peak records list among my racing heroes, was an absolutely surreal feeling."
As part of the three-car team, a Hyundai Motorsport / Bryan Herta Autosport venture, Zaras shared why he felt the Hyundai production platform was well suited for Pikes Peak, "A fully electric powertrain is a major advantage on the mountain, but two things really tied that together for an awesome drive: reliability and driveability. It’s incredibly close to a showroom stock version of the car, which meant that it was super easy and intuitive to drive. On top of that, the battery had zero performance degradation for the entire run, making it really consistent."
| Zaras finished third in the Exhibition division behind the wheel of his electric 2025 Hyundai Ionic 5 N with his clocking of 10:49.267, establishing a record for an Electric Production SUV/Crossover. | Since his time on the mountain, Zaras has moved straight into his next automotive venture, racing with Hyundai in the SRO TC America Championship, in an Elantra N touring car. | |
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PARTING THOUGHT
"I just want to give a very big thank you to the entire Pikes Peak staff, safety crew, and all the fans, for an unforgettable first event," Zaras expressed. "I can’t wait to come back. I'm absolutely hooked on this challenge!"
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Fun Facts:
"I really, really enjoy storytelling, and I've spent the bulk of my career telling stories about cars and racing."
"I enjoy architecture and industrial design."
Between you and your teammates, Dani Sordo and Randy Pobst, who ate the most summit donuts? "I’ve got the win on that one by a long shot."
What surprised you most about Race Week? "The people! During practice, the mountain is quite empty, so you get used to markers, apexes, and corners looking a certain way. But on race day, certain sections are PACKED with fans cheering you on. It’s quite an awesome thing to see."
Advice for someone racing on Pikes Peak for the first time?
"All the seasoned racers will give you great driving advice, so my biggest suggestion would be to really, consciously, enjoy the moment. Take mental images. After early morning practice sessions, the drive back down from the top at sunrise is something I’ll never ever forget."
Any Pikes Peak heroes? "The easy answer is Ari Vatanen - I’m a big rally nerd, and Ari has been my driving hero ever since I learned about him. As I learned more about the race over the years, I gained a few more: Dave Carapetyan, Cole Powelson, and Monster Tajima."
Any bucket list races or events you'd like to try?
"The 24 Hours of Nurburgring. It’s quite the process just to qualify to race there, but it’s an absolute goal. And then it would be to compete in one of the world’s most scenic rallies ever, the Azores Rallye on São Miguel Island, off the coast of Portugal. You’re rallying on top of a volcano, it’s insane!"
If you could drive any car, from any era, up the mountain, what would it be? "Easy one...but we’d have to travel back in time to my birth year. I’d want to drive Walter Röhrl’s Audi Sport Quattro S1 E2 up the mountain back in 1987 when it was all gravel. That would be a wild experience!"
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Photos by: Larry Chen Photo; Larry Chen, Jason Zindroski, Charles Zhou | |
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ABOUT THE PIKES PEAK INTERNATIONAL HILL CLIMB
First staged in 1916, the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is the second oldest race in America. The invitation-only event, often referred to as The Race to the Clouds is held annually near the end of June on Pikes Peak – America’s Mountain, near Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. The famous 12.42-mile (20 km) course consists of 156 turns, boasts an elevation gain of 4,725 feet (1,440 m), and reaches a finish line at 14,115 feet (4,302 m) above sea level. The PPIHC’s six race divisions feature a wide variety of vehicles - from production-based Time Attack challengers to purpose-built Open Wheel racers and state-of-the-art Unlimited vehicles. The current race record was set in 2018 by Romain Dumas and Volkswagen in the all-electric I.D. R Pikes Peak – 07:57.148.
Contact:
Lisa Haight
Communications Manager / Historian
lisa@ppihc.org
(719) 685-4400
www.ppihc.org
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