We were excited to see Block drive his insane Porsche prototype to the pinnacle of the Pikes Peak track, but he did not show up for the event. A short video he posted on his social pages explains why.
Apparently, the engine blew a valve shortly before the competition, an explosion that was powerful enough to cause a number of malfunctions. He and his team had attempted to repair it, but ultimately realize there was not enough time and resources. The incident left the famous racer and stunt driver without a suitable racecar for the international hill climb.
In case you forgot, the Hoonipigasus is a Porsche 911 customized by BBi Autosport to squeeze a ridiculous 1,418 metric horsepower (1,400 hp / 1,041 kW) out of its 4.0-liter turbocharged six-cylinder engine. Such figures look scary on any car, let alone a dedicated racer weighing in at one metric ton (2,200 lbs).
Block said he was very saddened to have to skip the Pikes Peak this year and looked forward to coming back in 2023.