--- title: "Pikes Peak Diesel Record-Breaking Ford Pickup Destroyed After Sailing Over Cliff (UPDATE: Now With Video)" description: "The diesel-powered Ford sailed off a cliff at Pikes Peak in Colorado and rolled several times, but its driver was unhurt." date: "2023-06-27" modified: "2023-06-29" authors: - name: "James Gilboy" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/james-gilboy" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/pikes-peak-diesel-record-breaking-ford-pickup-destroyed-after-sailing-over-cliff" categories: - "News" - "Racing" tags: - "Ford" - "pickup" - "race car" - "Truck" --- # Pikes Peak Diesel Record-Breaking Ford Pickup Destroyed After Sailing Over Cliff (UPDATE: Now With Video) ![1949 Ford F-1 Cummins destroyed at 2023 PPIHC]() *\James Gilboy (left), via @chucklesgarage on Instagram (right)\* The [1949 Ford F-1 race truck]() that broke Pikes Peak's diesel record in 2020 was destroyed in a wreck during Sunday's 2023 [Pikes Peak International Hill Climb](). Despite plunging 175 feet off a cliff, the pickup protected its driver who reported no injuries as a result of the crash. The historic [Ford]() was entered by Scott Birdsall, who drove then 71-year-old pickup to the diesel record in 2020. He achieved a time of 11:24.065 with the aid of huge tires, loads of downforce, and a hugely boosted [Cummins]() diesel that could generate 1,400 horsepower on more than 100 pounds of boost. Birdsall didn't get a chance to challenge his own record until the 2023 race, but the opportunity slipped from his grasp when a mechanical failure sent him and his truck sailing over a cliff. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SNiu4oWAueg "... during the 101st running of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb, Smokey had a complete brake failure," Birdsall recalled in an Instagram post. "I went to settle in to the corner, and the brake pedal went to the firewall with zero effort. I tried to turn in and scrub speed in the ditch, but there was too much momentum, and I went off very quickly." "The truck flew about 175 feet down the cliff onto it's roof \[sic\], and then rolled eight or nine times before it came to a stop in a snow drift. I was winded, but completely unscathed. I dug myself out of the snow, unbuckled, and started climbing back up the mountain to the safety crew and medics. They checked me out, and confirmed I had zero injuries or a concussion. These guys are consummate professionals, and I can't thank them enough." > [View this post on Instagram]() > [A post shared by SCOTT BIRDSALL (@chucklesgarage)]() The Ford was completely destroyed in the crash, with Birdsall stating [in a Facebook post]() that "the truck is gone forever." Unfortunately for Birdsall, his truck's record also fell in 2023 to two other diesel competitors. One was a Powerstoke-powered [Nissan GT-R](), while the other was [a tri-turbo diesel-powered Radical prototype]() that Gregoire Blanchon drove to a new diesel record of 10:25.071 (almost one minute quicker). Still, the fact that a more than 70-year-old pickup held the record at all is a testament to how special a truck "Smokey" was—but also to [the savagery of Pikes Peak](), and how far from settled the mountain's performance arms race is. https://twitter.com/cospringsrunner/status/1673541174815236098 ***Update at 1:45 p.m. on 06/29/2023:** This article now includes onboard footage of Birdsall’s crash, which he posted on YouTube.* *Got a tip or question for the author? You can reach them here: james@thedrive.com* ## Author James is a former staff writer for The Drive. He has changed the conversation around electrification, debunked misinformation online, and become a prominent hunter of what he calls "automotive cryptids." ### Author social links [Instagram]()