The 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is drawing ever closer, and though Ken Block sadly isn't here to see it, his legacy endures. His wife Lucy, an accomplished rally driver in the American Rally Association (ARA), is now confirmed for this year's event. She will be driving a Sierra Echo EV in the Unlimited category, carrying the number 430 on the side.
Taking to Instagram, Block shared the news along with photos of the car she'll be piloting. The Echo is built by Sierra Cars, packing a single electric motor from Hypercraft and battery packs totaling 55.8-kWh of electricity. It generates 300 horsepower for the single-seat tube-frame race car, giving it a top speed of 120 mph. This will be Lucy's first time racing up the hill.
"Being given the opportunity to drive to the summit for Ken at Pikes Peak is an honor," she said in a statement shared by Dirtfish. "He gave so much to the action sports community. Driving Pikes Peak International Hill Climb gives us a way to carry Ken’s spirit forward and do something he was excited to do himself. We are eager to be able to use this opportunity to create awareness around 43 Institute, and celebrate my husband’s love for motorsports and innovation."
While this is Lucy's first run up the hill, she's no stranger to the rally scene. She's presently 12th overall in the 2023 ARA championship standings, where she competes in the Limited 4WD Class driving a Ford Fiesta. Sitting next to her is Ken's long-time co-driver Alex Gelsomino, and the duo raced to a fourth-place in-class finish at the recent Oregon Trail Rally.
Lucy isn't the only Block competing in the ARA, or racing up the hill at Pikes Peak. Lia will honor her dad by driving the wild 1,400-hp Porsche "Hoonipigasus" he was planning to race last year, before suffering an engine failure. Lia's run is purely an exhibition pass so it won't be timed, but we suspect she's more than capable when it comes to car control. Not only is she racing a Subaru BRZ in the Open 2WD class for the 2023 ARA season, she's first in class having just taken the podium at the Oregon Trail rally. That win also elevated her to sixth overall in the 2023 ARA championship.
The 2023 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb takes place on June 25.
