Stryker Shattering Records at 14,000ft

Redemption.

After weather robbed everyone of a legitimate shot at the record in 2025, we came back to Pikes Peak with one goal—to set a new UTV and 1000cc record. The existing mark of 10:40 was already an incredible achievement, but we had shown in qualifying the year before that we had the pace to beat it. Pikes Peak, however, is one of the most demanding race courses on earth. Having speed is one thing. Putting together one flawless run from 9,390 feet to over 14,000 feet is something entirely different.

From the beginning of this project, we knew success would require assembling the best team possible. While I had no previous experience with the Rotax powertrain in the Can-Am Maverick R, I knew exactly who to call when it came to making reliable horsepower.

Todd Zuccone and the team at Evolution Powersports were my first call.

Todd and I had worked together years ago on some ambitious Porsche tuning projects, and I knew he loved solving difficult engineering problems. When I explained our goal of breaking the Pikes Peak UTV record, he was immediately on board.

Making power at over 14,000 feet presents challenges that very few race programs ever encounter. A conventional turbocharger simply wasn't capable of delivering the performance we needed across the entire climb. Evolution Powersports developed a compound turbo system that provided the quick spool characteristics necessary at low RPM and thin air while still producing over 400 horsepower at the summit.

Power alone wasn't enough. Keeping everything alive for nearly eleven minutes at full load is just as difficult. Thin air dramatically reduces cooling efficiency, so the entire cooling system had to evolve. We doubled the engine cooling capacity with a second rear-mounted radiator, designed a dedicated transmission cooling circuit with its own upgraded heat exchanger, and relied on the Evolution Powersports intercooler to keep charge air temperatures under control all the way to the summit.

Many of these systems were true firsts for the Maverick R platform. While "world first" sounds exciting after the fact, it usually means countless late nights, broken parts, and learning through failure. Fortunately, we had an incredible group of partners willing to push those boundaries together, including Evolution Powersports, Yokohama Tire, Shock Therapy, Radium Engineering, John Reed Racing, and many others.

After our shortened 2025 race, we had an entire offseason to address our biggest weaknesses. The stock gearing simply wasn't designed for Pikes Peak, so we commissioned a custom gear set that increased our top speed from 95 mph to nearly 130 mph. John Reed Racing continued developing a MoTeC system capable of fully controlling both the engine and transmission, while we designed a true race-grade braking package using Wilwood components.

Every test session uncovered another weak link, but each improvement brought us one step closer. By the time race week arrived, the car had been completely inspected, refreshed, and was ready for one more shot at the mountain.

Race week at Pikes Peak is unlike anything else in motorsports. Practice begins before sunrise, which means 2:00 a.m. alarms, reaching the gate by 3:00 a.m., and being ready to run from 5:30 to 8:30 before the mountain reopens to tourists.

Each section of the course presented new challenges. Our updated gearing worked brilliantly at high speed but made some of the tight hairpins more difficult than expected. The upper section reminded us just how unforgiving Pikes Peak can be, with massive pavement heaves, dramatic elevation changes, and temperatures that made keeping heat in our Yokohama slicks surprisingly difficult despite using tire warmers.

By qualifying, however, everything finally came together. Our previous qualifying time had been 4:30. This year we laid down a 4:18.
The run felt controlled. I wasn't driving over my limit, and I knew we had even more in reserve. We also secured third in the Unlimited Production class, giving us an excellent starting position for race day.

Instead of using the optional final practice day on the mountain, we focused on transmission calibration and data analysis with John Reed Racing before heading to Fan Fest in downtown Colorado Springs. With over 30,000 fans lining the streets, the excitement surrounding race day was impossible to ignore.

Race day had finally arrived.
Nearly two years of preparation came down to one run.
One chance.
One shot at the record.
As the 20th car in the starting order, the waiting was almost unbearable. Once the officials called me forward, everything changed. I suited up, hugged every member of the team, climbed into the car, and everything became quiet.

You never ignore the danger of Pikes Peak, but you also can't dwell on it. At that moment I trusted my team completely. We had put in the work, solved impossible engineering problems, and earned the opportunity to chase history.

The green flag dropped.
Immediately the car felt fast. The lower section flew by exactly as we had hoped, but we still had no idea how everything would hold together over the full 12.4-mile climb. We'd only ever tested the course in individual sections.

As I climbed past Glen Cove and into the middle section, I started believing the record was within reach.

Then the transmission began reminding us just how demanding this race really is.

The shifts became sluggish, and the clutches started slipping in the lower gears. Every corner became a balancing act between preserving the drivetrain and maintaining momentum. I began minimizing shifts whenever possible, carrying more speed through faster corners while carefully managing every first-to-second gear change through the hairpins.

The upper section was as intimidating as ever. Massive bumps, steep drop-offs, and some of the roughest pavement in motorsports demanded absolute focus.

Once I cleared Cogs Cut, I knew there were only two hairpins remaining.

Each shift into second felt violent as the transmission grabbed abruptly and spun the tires. Entering the final hairpin, I remember thinking,

It did.
Third gear.
Fourth gear.
Finish line.

I pulled off course, parked the car, and immediately called over a race official for our official time.
10:18
For a split second I just stared at the sheet.
We had done it.

A new Pikes Peak International Hill Climb UTV and 1000cc record.

Nearly two years of development, countless sleepless nights, broken parts, engineering challenges, and relentless testing had all led to that single number. Records like this are never earned by one driver. They're earned by teams willing to push beyond what everyone else believes is possible.

I'm incredibly grateful to the entire STRYKER team for trusting me behind the wheel, and especially to Todd Zuccone, Brandon, and everyone at Evolution Powersports. From developing an innovative engine package & turbo system to solving the enormous challenge of making reliable horsepower at over 14,000 feet, Evo was instrumental in turning an ambitious idea into a record-setting reality.

Thank you to John Reed Racing for creating the MoTeC Powertrain package and relentlessly worked to get us to the summit.

To Yokohama Tire, Radium Engineering, Shock Therapy, Wilwood, and every partner who contributed to this effort.

Breaking the record wasn't the accomplishment of one person or one company, it was the result of an extraordinary team refusing to accept limitations.

That's what made this victory so rewarding.

- Cole Powelson

VEHICLE BREAKDOWN

Evolution Powersports & Spectrum: Custom Compound Turbo System / Capable of 700+ HP
Evolution Powersports: Stage 1 engine build w/ rods, pistons, valve springs, head studs / High HP Transmission w/ Upgraded Clutch Packs / 30% Overdrive transmission gearing / EVP.MOde Race steering wheel w/ Turning Paddle shifters
Yokohama: Tires for all events
Shock Therapy: Suspension development
Motec/ John Reed Racing: Motec tuning package
Star Stream Pro: On board streaming and live telemetry
Wilwood: Brake calipers and rotors
Sabelt: Seats, harnesses and driving suits
AIM: Dash and power distribution module
LYFE Motorsport: Vehicle development
Radium: Fuel system
Dodson Motorsport: Clutching
Turbosmart: Turbo Wastegate
Bending Solutions: Chassis manufacturing partner
Anti gravity: Battery
CT Race Worx: Consulting
Rival motorsports: Consulting
AMB Aero: Aerodynamics Consulting
43i: Our favorite motorsport non-profit