Hyundai And Rhys Millen Racing Tap Pikes Peak Veteran Paul Dallenbach To Pilot Time Attack Genesis Coupe

COSTA MESA, Calif., Feb. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Hyundai and Rhys Millen Racing (RMR) today announced the selection of veteran Pikes Peak racer Paul Dallenbach to race in the 2013 Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) Time Attack 2WD class. Dallenbach will drive the same production-based Genesis Coupe that set last year's all-time world record with Rhys Millen at the helm. Paul is a local Colorado fan favorite, with a thoroughly impressive Pikes Peak resume, including six class wins and three overall wins at the world's most prestigious hill climb. This years' race to the world-renowned summit is planned for June 30.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130207/LA56061)

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20091001/HYUNDAILOGO)

This year, Hyundai will expand its effort to the unlimited class at Pikes Peak in a two-car effort, with Dallenbach now teaming up with Millen piloting a new, unlimited class purpose-built rear-drive racecar in defense of his all-time world record of 9:46.164. With these two highly-respected, veteran racers combining both driving talent and tuning expertise, the venerable Hyundai/RMR partnership has a superb opportunity to set new world records in their respective classes.

"With Dallenbach joining the Hyundai/RMR effort at Pikes this year, we've formed a formidable team that will be thrilling for fans around the world to watch," said Rhys Millen, owner and driver of Rhys Millen Racing. "With race-proven Hyundai core powertrain components powering both of our hill climb racers, it demonstrates how confident we are in the performance and durability of Hyundai engineering."

"We're thrilled with the addition of Pikes Peak veteran Paul Dallenbach to the Hyundai motorsports team at Pikes this year," said Steve Shannon, vice president, marketing, Hyundai Motor America. "The combined experience of Millen and Dallenbach gives us an outstanding prospect to both defend our world record and generate impressive class wins."

TWO-CAR, UNLIMITED CLASS EFFORT FOR 2013

For 2013, Millen will produce and drive an all-new, ultra-lightweight, purpose-built racecar using major powertrain components from Hyundai's production-based Lambda engine family. This powertrain is expected to produce over 900 horsepower and 800 lb.-ft. of torque, while still making significant use of production components including the block, cylinder heads, bearings and engine accessories. The racecar chassis will be enveloped by a Genesis Coupe-like silhouette to compete in the unlimited class. This no-holds-barred racer will be accompanied by last years' world-record-setting, production-based Genesis Coupe in the Time Attack 2WD class, driven by Dallenbach. RMR is a truly unique racing firm, one of the very few which successfully conceptualizes, fabricates, tests, tunes, and most importantly, drives its vehicles in motorsports competition. In fact, the world-record-setting Genesis Coupe is the exact same production-based coupe that Millen successfully drifted in the Formula Drift competitive series, a testament to both the extreme durability of Hyundai engineering as well as the tuning versatility of the RMR team.

HYUNDAI MOTOR AMERICA

Hyundai Motor America, headquartered in Costa Mesa, Calif., is a subsidiary of Hyundai Motor Co. of Korea. Hyundai vehicles are distributed throughout the United States by Hyundai Motor America and are sold and serviced through more than 820 dealerships nationwide. All Hyundai vehicles sold in the U.S. are covered by the Hyundai Assurance program, which includes the 5-year/60,000-mile fully transferable new vehicle warranty, Hyundai's 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty, and five years of complimentary Roadside Assistance.

For more details on Hyundai Assurance, please visit www.HyundaiAssurance.com

Please visit our media website at www.hyundainews.com and our blog at www.hyundailikesunday.com

Hyundai Motor America on Twitter | YouTube | Facebook

SOURCE Hyundai Motor America