For Sale By Legend...

Mike Ryan's Championship-Winning, Record-Breaking Freightliner Race Truck is for SALE! We're making room for our brand-new Freightliner Race Truck. Please contact Mike Ryan at 818-766-2200 for more information.

2008 Pikes Peak Race Update from Mike Ryan

The new-to-us truck that we raced this year at Pikes Peak is actually the chassis from the 3 axle Sterling race truck that my NZ truck racing friend from the '90's, Shane Chapman drove at Pikes Peak in 2000. Molly Morter an ad agency exec and CORR buggy racer from Chicago drove it at Pikes Peak in 2002. Since then, the Sterling was used as entertainment for the previous head of engineering at Freightliner. He often gave rides around the Freightliner Proving Grounds track for visiting execs from Stuttgart.

As you probably know, Mercedes Daimler owns Freightliner, Western Star and Sterling truck brands here in the states as well as Detroit Diesel. The head engineer, Michael von Mayenberg spent some time in a rally car during college and was comfortable at speed in the Sterling. since his retirement in 2004, the racer sat in a warehouse in Portland Oregon at the truck plant.

The worthwhile thing about this truck is that volunteers from the engineering department built it. They had access to all of the CAD programs for design and stress analysis as well as every other benefit that the largest volume truck builder in the US has from fabrication to parts acquisition from tier one suppliers.
The frame rails are heat-treated aluminum and virtually all of the steel is 4130 chrome-moy.

After a tremendous amount of begging and showing the cost benefits, we received the truck at the end of 2007 and started figuring out what we would need to make it more competitive than our previous truck which we have set 5 speed records and 10 Class wins with at Pikes Peak and two records and wins with at the Queenstown Goldrush Hill Climb on your south island in 1998 and in 2000.

I prefer the race version of the ZF Ecomat 5 speed automatic transmission over anything that I have driven from Allison and after years of fun rides, the engine definitely needed to go. Detroit Diesel engineers and several machinists and test engineers at one of their remanufacturing facilities built a new Seres 60 engine for us that on the dyno produces 1,200 HP and 2,300 foot pounds. Not a big deal except 1,200 HP was all that the dyno could handle. Those ratings were made at approximately ¾-throttle position. Their engineers guesstimate something closer to 1,600 HP and 2,800 foot pounds of torque.

The Sterling was a three axle and that class no longer runs at Pikes Peak. We cut the chassis down to make it a two axle rig, a light weight, well balanced truck with seriously good handling characteristics and terrific brakes is more valuable to me than big horsepower. Every component that we put on the truck has been weighed and considered for use and lightening before it gets bolted on.

We made molds of the recently introduced Freightliner Cascadia cab and hood and did some aero modifications to the rood and cab extensions for performance and looks and then pulled the body using a new product that is comparable in weight to carbon fiber lay ups but has more flex in it's structure. It is much less expensive and is less sensitive to damage from the sun and from the environment.

Barotex was invented here in Southern California by a LeMans race team owner from volcanic rock. We are one of the first users and definitely have the largest Barotex parts to date. They are working on a contract with Boeing for aircraft parts and they have built many parts for their own team cars.

Since our first run in a truck at Pikes Peak in 1997, we have had 11 Class wins in twelve years but in all fairness, there have only been 6 really competitive trucks that have challenged our truck over the years. We have had the terrific good fortune of having Shell Rotella Diesel Engine Oil, Freightliner Trucks, Mercedes Benz, Detroit Diesel, ZF Transmissions, Sachs shocks and Michelin Tires as our sponsors. Every one of them has contributed the engineering and special components that have given us the unfair advantage. Our sponsors consider the trucks to be a test bed for their ideas as well as a demonstration of the quality of their products and their commitment. Putting your name on the side of a vehicle racing Pikes Peak has its risks.

Our philosophy has been to continually improve everything that we do as budget allows. We try to stay at the forefront of truck technology. Rack and pinion steering, disc brakes, compounding turbos, Co2 cooling, various forms of inner-cooling and fuel cooling, improved electronics, lightweight materials and data acquisition have been the big things that have helped us over the years versus what you would find in a US based production truck.

We are currently designing fully independent suspension for the new truck. Pikes Peak will be fully paved in the next three or four years so the dirt truck set up that worked so well there in our old truck now need to be replaced with the best road racing set up that we can come up with. Aside from driving, the most rewarding part of this whole process has be finding the smartest designers, fabricators and engineers and then letting them do what they do to the trucks. That more than anything has been the key to our successes. When we first went to Pikes Peak, the Big Rig record was 15:48, we broke that by a minute and eight seconds our first time out with an old circle track truck from the defunct Great American Truck Racing Series that ended in 1992. In a 10-year period, we set six consecutive class records and in 2006 had brought it down a total of 3 minutes and five seconds. According to the promoters, that is the largest reduction of class times in the least amount of years at Pikes Peak since before WWII.

Next year, we will replace the engine with the new DD15 from Detroit Diesel. We are also in the middle of designing a new land speed race truck that may have as many as four DD15's in it. The goal is to go 250MPH using emissions legal engines. Hybrid Electric and hybrid diesel are being studied seriously as is every component for its performance, weight, aerodynamics, recycle-ability and it's environmental responsibility.

Mike Ryan Debuts Shell Rotella T Freightliner Cascadia at 86th Pikes Peak Event

For Immediate Release:

North Hollywood, CA – In less than two weeks, many will be able to see Mike Ryan in his new 2008 Freightliner Cascadia Race Truck speed up a mile of vertical feet at Pikes Peak in Colorado. With his newly designed truck in its final stages of fabrication here in Southern California, the blur you will see whizzing by will no longer be the monochromatic black and grey. Mike will welcome a fresh new Shell Rotella T-inspired paint scheme and a new Detroit Diesel engine that will hopefully provoke a fresh new time on the clock at the finish line, as well. The preferred time will be faster than the 12:43.66 result from 2006, and if so, it will mark Ryan’s 7th world record in 12 attempts.

At the heart of the new Cascadia is a hand-built, custom-made race chassis designed and originally constructed by volunteer engineers at the Freightliner test center. This new mountain assault vehicle is powered by a 1600 horsepower Detroit Diesel Series 60 engine, and was race-prepped by engineers at the Detroit Diesel Reman Center. The truck will appear in Shell Rotella T livery, as they are this year’s premier sponsor. Mike’s 2008 Freightliner Cascadia Race Truck will make its debut at Pikes Peak on July 20th, 2008.

Pikes Peak is the second oldest motorsports event in the United States after the world-renowned Indianapolis 500 which completed its 92nd running this year. The course is home to 156 turns over 12.46 miles while climbing a near mile in elevation. There are few guardrails. There are no padded walls. There are no safety nets, and there are certainly no sane people driving up it! Pikes Peak is no sandbox, but his license plate frame on the race truck’s hauler reads, “Mike Ryan Still Plays With Trucks”.

Of course, driving dangerous routes is just part of a day’s work for Ryan. He has not only been busy throughout the off-season working alongside engineers, welders and fabricators on the new race truck, he has also been hard at work with more stunts and stunt coordination for the picture industry, adding to his 500+ credits. Mike was the Stunt Coordinator on seven episodes of the hit Discover Channel show Smash Lab, and conducted driving stunts in the major motion picture 12 Rounds, which will be in theaters nationwide in 2009. He is now the Stunt Coordinator on the new American version of the BBC hit show, Top Gear.

Please visit www.ppihc.com for more information about this year’s race and for more information regarding sponsorship, interviews, photos or film of Mike Ryan, please contact Wes Smith, wes@fastrucks.com or 818.766.2200.

Mike Ryan Motorsports welcomes UTI for 2008!

We are happy to welcome href=http://www.uti.edu>Universal Technical Institue (UTI) as a new sponsor for 2008. We have taken part in UTI's campuses in Houston, Texas and Avondale, Arizona for their Finish Firstprogram. We know the importance and value of a good education and are pleased to put our energies towards such a great institution. FINISH FIRST is a program that focuses specifically on Daimler products. Daimler, who owns and operates Freightliner, Detroit Diesel, Thomas buses, Western Star, Sterling Trucks, among many other companies. It is fair to say without Daimler, Mike Ryan Motorsports wouldn't be where it is today, and it is our pleasure to partner with UTI and give back to the diesel trucking industry.

Mike Ryan Looking To Be King Of The Mountain In Colorado (Again)

North Hollywood, CA- Big Rig racer and Hollywood stunt driver, Mike Ryan, will be driving in attempt to set another record at the 85th running of the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) in Colorado Springs, CO on July 21, 2007.

Known to many as “The Race to the Clouds”, Pikes Peak is the second oldest motorsports event in the United States after the world-renowned Indianapolis 500. The course, one of the toughest in the world, exhibits 156 turns over 12.46 miles while climbing a near mile in elevation by the time one crosses the finish line at the 14,110-foot summit of Pike Peak. The arduous course is dominated by dirt and with no security from guardrails; it’s a daredevil’s task. Over the last ten years, Ryan has won the race nine times, and six of those wins have been record-breaking times. The most recent record of 12:43.66, set by Ryan last year, will be the time to beat on July 21st. Visit www.PPIHC.com for more information.

Ryan will be racing his one- of- a- kind hand built Freightliner Century Class S/T race truck that was designed specifically for the hill climb. It’s equipped with a 1250 horsepower Mercedes-Benz engine and has 2700 foot-pounds of torque. The transmission is a ZF 5 speed that has been modified for racing. Suspension is a 4-link front end and three-link rear end, much like that of a sprint car. Weighing in at 4 tons, speeds have reached over 100 mph. For more information, visit: www.Fastrucks.com

When not racing trucks, Mike serves as a Hollywood stunt driver and stunt coordinator. His first paid stunt was at just 18 years old, and has since been seen crashing, burning and getting blown up in such films as; Herbie Fully Loaded, After The Sunset, The Italian Job, Training Day, Swordfish, Premonition, and the classic Terminator 2. He recently completed work on Rush Hour 3 which will be released in August of 2007. For more about Mike’s career, visit www.Fastrucks.com

For more information regarding sponsorship, interviews, photos or film, please contact Wes Smith, wes@fastrucks.com or 818.766.2200.

Mike Ryan Performs Driving Stunts In New Fox Series “DRIVE”

North Hollywood, CA - Pikes Peak Champion and Hollywood stunt driver, Mike Ryan appears in the FOX new series “DRIVE” that premieres on Sunday, April 15, 2007 at 8pm Eastern.

Created, executive-produced and written by Tim Minear and Ben Queen, “DRIVE” is a 20th Century Fox Television Production. Greg Yaitanes serves as an executive producer and director. “DRIVE” is an action-fueled drama following a diverse group of Americans competing for their lives (or the lives of their loved ones) in an illegal, underground cross-country road race. Some of them have been coerced into joining “The Race”; others have sought out The Race themselves, hearing rumors of the $32-million prize. Each has a reason to compete and must win. Click Here to check out the "Drive" promo!

In the series, Ryan performs various truck and car stunts and will continue work on the series as a stunt driver. His work can also be seen in the Sony Pictures movie, Premonition, where he jack-knifes and crashes a fuel tanker. Premonition is playing in theaters now. Sony Pictures "Premonition". Mike is currently working on New Line Cinema, Rush Hour 3 that will be released in August of 2007. For more about Mike’s career and other film credits visit www.Fastrucks.com

When Mike is not crashing vehicles on the big screen, he is racing his one-of-a-kind hand-built Freightliner Century Class S/T race truck at the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He currently holds the world record in the big rig class of 12.43.66 and will be competing for record number seven on July 21st. www.PPIHC.com For more information regarding sponsorship, interviews, photos or film, please contact Julie Leibovitz. Julie@fastrucks.com or 818.766.2200

Pikes Peak Champion & Hollywood Stunt Driver Mike Ryan Attending 36th Annual Mid America Trucking Show

Louisville, KY- Mike Ryan, Hollywood stunt driver, nine time champion, and current record holder in the big rig class at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will attend the 36th Annual Mid America Trucking Show March 22-24, 2007 in Louisville, KY.

The Mid America Trucking Show is the largest of it’s kind in the world. This year’s show will have over 1,060 exhibitors from both the United States, and 11 foreign countries. More than 80,000 attendees are expected to view all the latest in trucking industry products and technology. www.truckingshow.com

Specifically designed and hand-built for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Ryan’s Freightliner Century Class S/T race truck was the inspiration for the rack-and-pinion steering that Freightliner recently made available for heavy-duty trucks. The race truck performed so well on the demanding terrain at the Hill Climb, Freightliner determined heavy-duty trucks could benefit from this technology as well. Ryan currently holds the world record in the big rig class of 12.43.66. This year’s Hill Climb will be held on July 21, 2007 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. www.ppihc.com

When Mike is not racing you can catch him crashing vehicles on the big screen. Recent films include Sony Pictures, Premonition that was released on March 17th and New Line Cinema, Rush Hour 3 that will be released in August of 2007. With over 500 feature films, television shows and commercials to his credit, Mike has made a living as a Hollywood Stunt Driver and Stunt Coordinator for over 25 years. Visit www.fastrucks.com to see highlights of his stunts in action.

Events and appearances for the remainder of 2007 include; Truck Show Las Vegas, June 7-9, Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, July 21st in Colorado Springs, CO, The Great American Trucking Show, August 24-26 in Dallas TX, The Truck Show Latino, October 20-21 in Pomona and SEMA November 4-7 in Las Vegas, NV. For information regarding sponsorship, interviews, photos or film, please contact Julie Leibovitz. Julie@fastrucks.com or 818.766.2200.

Mike Ryan Crashes Fuel Tanker In Sony Pictures New Premonition Movie

North Hollywood, CA - Big Rig racer and Hollywood stunt driver, Mike Ryan will appear in Sony Pictures new movie, Premonition that will be released in theaters March 16th, 2007.

Premonition stars Sandra Bullock as a wife with a perfect life and perfect husband until one day she received the terrible news her husband has been killed in a car accident-or has he? The next day she awakens to find her husband alive and well next to her, while on other days she awakens a widow. See the trailer at http://www.sony.com/premonition

In the movie, Ryan jack-knifes and crashes a fuel tanker into the car that Sandra Bullock’s characters husband is killed in. Directed by Mennan Yapo, the film was shot on location in Shreveport, LA. Ryan states that the new jack-knife system developed by 2nd Unit Director Joel Kramer and Tommy & Scott Fisher’s special effects team made this the first time there’s been a controlled full 90 degree jack-knife to the right side of the tractor that he is aware of. “The timing and coordination developed between myself and Stunt Coordinator, Steve Ritzi, as he operated the trailer and I drove the truck made the whole experience safe, repeatable and exciting” Ryan said.

Ryan performed his first paid stunt when he was just 18 and has been seen crashing, burning and getting blown up in such films as; Herbie Fully Loaded, After The Sunset, The Italian Job, Training Day, Swordfish and the classic Terminator 2. Recently he worked on Rush Hour 3 that will be released in August of 2007. For more about Mike’s career, visit www.fastrucks.com

When Mike is not crashing vehicles on the big screen, he is racing his one-of-a-kind hand-built Freightliner Century Class S/T race truck at the annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. He currently holds the world record in the big rig class of 12.43.66 and will be competing for record number seven on July 21st. www.ppihc.com For more information regarding sponsorship, interviews, photos or film, please contact Julie Leibovitz. Julie@fastrucks.com or 818.766.2200

Pikes Peak Champion Mike Ryan Attending World Ag Expo With Shell Rotella-T

North Hollywood, California- Hollywood Stunt Driver and Pikes Peak Champion, Mike Ryan will be attending the 40th Annual World Ag Expo in Tulare, California February 13-15, 2006 with his one-of-a-kind hand built Freightliner Century Class S/T race truck.

Ryan’s race truck is specifically designed for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb held annually in Colorado Springs, Colorado. It’s equipped with a 1250 horsepower Mercedes-Benz engine and has 2700 foot-pounds of torque. The transmission is a ZF 5 speed that has been modified for racing. Suspension is a 4-link front end and three-link rear end, much like a sprint car. With a weight of 8000 lbs, speeds have been reached of over 100 mph. www.fastrucks.com

The World Ag Expo began in 1968 and attracts farm equipment manufacturers and dealers from around the world. Buyers and sellers come together in the volunteer driven show to share the latest in technology and agricultural services. With a total of 2.5 million square feet of exhibit space, over 1500 exhibitors and over 100,000 attendees, The World Age Expo is the largest agricultural exposition in the world. www.worldagexpo.com

Mike Ryan Motorsports will be attending the World Ag Expo in conjunction with Shell Rotella T, a Shell Lubricant Company. Shell Rotella-T motor oil with Triple Protection technology, is designed to meet or exceed the API CJ-4 service category for heavy duty diesel engine oils while providing significantly lower wear, exceptional deposit control and engine cleanliness on most diesel truck engines. The oil is formulated with 30 percent more active ashless chemistry for superior protection against deposits and sludge. A unique detergent system exclusive to Shell provides outstanding control of high temperature piston deposits. Mike has conquered Pikes Peak with Shell Rotella-T for the past 9 years. Visit www.rotella.com for product information.

Currently Ryan’s record stands at 12:43.66. The 85th Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will be held on Saturday, July 21, 2007. Mike will be attempting record number seven with this being the tenth consecutive year competing in the hill climb. www.ppihc.com

Mike Ryan And Chris Miller Racing Team Break At Mile 432 In Baja 1000

Bahia de Los Angeles, Mexico- After attending the largest SEMA show in history in Las Vegas Nevada, Mike Ryan and navigator Tony Deno of Stewart Raceworks joined members of the Chris Miller Racing Team to compete for the first time in the Baja 1000. Known as the most dangerous race in the world, less than half of all racers finish the race.

Truck owner, Chris Miller drove off of the start sometime after 11:00 am with stunt man Brent Fletcher in the navigator seat. Fletcher and Miller switched positions at the first fuel stop at the Ojo’s Negros. After spending several hours caught up in the bottleneck at the silt beds, they finally got back underway. The next obstacle was the white out on the El Diablo dry lakebed. The lake has minimal markers that were obscured in the dust. Finally arriving at the Baja-Pits pit stop in Bay of LA around 12:45 a weary Fletcher and Miller climbed out covered in silt and muck.

At the early hour of 1:00 am Ryan and Deno jumped in the #266 Miller Racing/Ivan Stewart ProTruck in Bahia de Los Angeles at mile marker 377 six hours later than expected. They had a quick run to their first pit. As they pulled in the low oil light came on and it was discovered they were 3 quarts down and the air filter was blocked by silt. There were no oil leaks anywhere on the truck which meant that the engine was burning the oil as it got past the rings or valve guides. With full oil, Ryan and Deno sped off once again into the dark for another three or four miles when a connecting rod knock signaled the end of the night for Miller Racing. The chase truck arrived at 11:00 am for the 40 -mile tow to the highway crossing at El Arco.

Unfortunate and unavoidable circumstances led to an early demise from a well-intended effort. Miller’s new engine wasn’t finished in time to be installed in the truck, which meant the race was started with an engine that had run in the Baja 500 and the Pikes Peak Hill Climb. The bottom line was that we learned a lot about Baja this week. Miller’s success as a college basketball star, Fletcher and Ryan’s years of racing and stunt work in Hollywood along with Ryan’s nine wins at Pikes Peak didn’t make the engine live any longer.

There has already been hours of conversation about next year and what it will take to ensure a finish next time. “Needless to say, we are hooked on the event, the challenge and the friendliness of the people of Baja. We’ll be back.” Ryan said.

NBC will broadcast a one-hour TV special on the Baja 1000 that airs on December 10th, 2006 at 11:30 PST. In addition Spyglass Entertainment is producing a full-length feature film. For more information, interviews, photo or film, please contact Julie Leibovitz

Julie@fastrucks.com or 818.766.2200.

Pikes Peak Champion Mike Ryan Taking On Baja 1000!!

Pikes Peak Champion Mike Ryan Taking On Baja 1000!!

North Hollywood, CA- Mike Ryan, veteran Hollywood stunt driver, founding member of Driver’s Inc, owner of Picture Vehicles Unlimited and current champion in the big rig class at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb will attempt victory at the Tecate Score Baja 1000 race November 15-18, 2006.

Known as the most dangerous race in the world, the 1,017.31 mile race course begins in Ensenada, Baja California and finishes in La Paz, Mexico. 200,000 plus spectators are expected to be in attendance. Officially started in 1967, this world famous desert race averages nearly 350 entries from 30 states and dozens of countries. Mechanical failures, vehicle rollovers, and booby traps created by local spectators for entertainment value are all part of the challenge. Less than half of the racers finish the course.
www.score-international.com.

Mike will be racing the Ivan Stewart Ford Protruck #266 as a member of the Chris Miller racing team. Joining Mike and Chris is another veteran Hollywood stunt driver and member of Drivers Inc., Brent Fletcher. The Protruck has competed in a total of 3 races in which 2 were won. With this type of record and the combination of two Hollywood stunt drivers, it’s sure to be a winning team!

For the third year , NBC will broadcast a one hour TV special that airs on December 10th, 2006 at 11:30 PST. The race will also be telecast worldwide on ESPN International and shot in high-definition for distribution on HD cable network. Spyglass entertainment is producing a full length feature film and will have second unit personnel in attendance

On July 1st of this year, Mike set his 6th new record in the big rig class at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb with a new world record of 12.43.66. If you missed the race you can still catch all the excitement on The Outdoor Channels broadcast on December 16, 2006. Next year’s race will be held on July 21 and will once again air on a major network. www.ppihc.com

To learn more about Mike Ryan Motorsports, stunt services and sponsorship opportunities visit www.fastrucks.com

For sponsorship information regarding the Baja 1000, interviews, photo or film, please contact Julie Leibovitz Julie@fastrucks.com or 818.766.2200

Mike Ryan Claims Victory for the Ninth Time At Pikes Peak!

For the ninth consecutive time, Mike Ryan has once
again proven that he is the fastest in his hand built Mercedes Benz powered Freightliner Century Class® S/T™ Super Truck. At the 84th Annual Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Ryan broke his current record by 3 seconds and finished with a time of 12.43.66.
This is a new world record in the big rig class for the 6th year in a row at the Race To The Clouds. Ryan made his run during the morning session before storm clouds set in. Rain, sleet, hail and lightening caused more than two hours of delays causing the course to be shortened in the afternoon.

The total score for Mike’s racing career is now 10 races, 9 wins and 6 records, breaking his own record 5 times since breaking Sid Compton’s record of 15:48 in 1997. “The fact that we break records consistently is a testament to the quality of our sponsors products and technologies,” Ryan said.

Competing against Ryan in the big rig class was Shane Chapman, a former record holder of the Queenstown, New Zealand Race To The Sky. Chapman finished with a time of 13.36.32 in his 2004 Panoz Racing chassis. Despite transmission problems he managed to finish with amazing time. “Chapman ran a very impressive first effort. It took me many years to achieve this kind of time. We will have to up our game to stay ahead of him next year” Ryan commented.

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is the second oldest motor sports event in the United States. The course runs 12.46 miles through 156 turns, to reach the 14,110- foot summit of Pikes Peak. The run up the mountain is mostly dirt with no guardrails. Ryan’s top speed this year was 98 mph through the picnic grounds. The race truck has the capability of reaching 113 mph.

Welcome to the NEW Fastrucks.com!

5/9/06

Welcome to the new and improved Fastrucks.com, home of Mike Ryan Motorsports! In the coming weeks, we will be tweaking and updating the new site - so please be patient while we make some minor adjustments.

In the meantime, please feel free to let us know if you have any suggestions for our new website! Email Us!

See you at the races!

Thanks,

Mike Ryan Motorsports Team