source Autoweek

Racer Rhys Millen goes to the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb this weekend with one goal in mind–break the 10-minute barrier for the run up the 14,110-foot mountain.

If successful, Millen would break the record of 10:01.408 held by Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima, who will be there this year to defend his record. A good run will also put Millen in the company of his dad, Rod Millen, who made the run in 10:04.06 in 1994.

Millen has been prepping his purpose-built race car, powered by a Hyundai V6. Here is video of Millen and his team preparing for the run on June 27.

Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100622/MOTORSPORTS/100629979#ixzz0rbcTvODf

Autoblog has published the first renderings of Formula DRIFT champion Rhys Millen’s Pikes Peak vehicle.

Last week, we learned that Rhys Millen has been busy preparing a new unlimited class challenger to try to recapture the overall Pikes Peak Hill Climb record that his father held for over a decade. At the time, all we knew was that it would be Hyundai powered, and we assumed that it would bear at least a vague resemblance to a Genesis Coupe.

Instead, these first official renderings suggest that the Rhys Millen Racing Hyundai Genesis PM580 looks more like a Le Mans prototype than some of the cartoonish looking Suzuki or Toyota racersdriven by Nobuhiro “Monster” Tajima or Rod Millen – let alone one of the more traditional open-wheel buggies that long dominated the Peak.

The PM580 uses a steel tube frame chassis wrapped in a carbon fiber skin. A turbocharged 4.1-liter Hyundai V6 producing up to 750 horsepower will put power down through an active all-wheel-drive system. The rear wing also has active trimming out on the straights to reduce drag, and it can tip up to generate additional downforce in the corners. Millen’s goal is to set the first ever sub-10 minute time for the 12.42 mile “Run to the Clouds.” Since you’ve got until June 27 until the green flag drops, why not check out the high-res gallery of renderings below and the official press release after the jump?

More on Autoblog

Formula DRIFT champion and Drifting World Champion Rhys Millen will be preparing to fulfill his dream this season and conquer the world record at Pikes Peak. Check out this intro video that also features his dad Rod Millen.

#1 Qualifier Rhys Millen is featured in this video. Check it out.

Drifting is back! Fans can download new desktop wallpapers of Rhys Millen and Ken Gushi in action at http://toyotires.com/tire-motorsports/downloads.

Follow these Team Toyo drivers as they kick-off the 2010 Formula DRIFT season this weekend at the Streets of Long Beach in California. Both Gushi’s RS-R Scion tC and Millen’s RMR Hyundai Genesis Coupe are equipped with Toyo Proxes R1R tires. Learn more about these extreme performance tires at http://toyotires.com/tire/pattern/proxes-r1r.