RealTime Racing’s founder Peter Cunningham is still racing up to the ragged edge and this sign-eating Acura TLX GT is proof enough.
Although hill climb racing isn’t as big here in the United States as it is in Europe, that doesn’t mean it’s not a thing here. Earlier last week Auto Week hosted the 5th annual Empire Hill Climb Revival and RealTime Racing’s Peter Cunningham brought out his ringer, a race-spec AWD Acura TLX GT which was more than ready to tear it up the 3/4th-mile course and its 8 wheel-to-wheel turns. You’ll be happy to know that Peter Cunningham not only brought home a win for Acura and RTR, but his Acura TLX GT also has the battle scars to prove it. Check out this slow-mo video of Peter Cunningham on the ragged edge below.
Can’t say I wasn’t trying. We knocked 2.373 seconds off the course record (and this sign) at the 2018 Empire Hill Climb Revival presented by @AutoweekUSA pic.twitter.com/wbZThgbdNU
— Peter Cunningham (@PD42ACURA) September 18, 2018
With the course lined with photographers, someone caught the exact moment when this Acura TLX GT turned into a road course destroying hill climb speed missle.
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At this point in his 5th run, the Acura TLX GT already broke the course record by over two seconds, and this run was trying to improve on that record. Here’s the list of times of each run Peter hit.
Run 1- 21.426
Run 2- 20.066
Run 3- 19.003
Run 4- 18.539
Run 5- 21.671 (including this road widening incident)
Run 6- DNS (had enough fun for one day)
The TLX GT did sustain some minor damage as I plowed down a sign post but this 4WD spaceship will live another day to knock some more shit down in the future ?
Because this Acura was running in the exhibition class, that meant no prizes for RTR, but walking away with a record is a prize enough in my book.
And if you’re wondering, this isn’t any ordinary TLX, its supercharged to 500 HP and power is routed through all four wheels. As per Auto Week, RTR gleaned data learned from its TLX GT Racing Program to make this car into what it is today.
Congrats to RTR and here’s to your 2019 Empire Hill Climb Run.
