ROD MILLEN IS NO LONGER "KING OF THE MOUNTAIN"

Nobuhiro "Monster" Tajima has accomplished what he set out to do at Pikes Peak. Today, the 57-year-old Japanese driver piloted his immensely powerful, spectacularly bewinged Suzuki XL7 Hill Climb Special up the mountain and completed the 156-turn course in 10 minutes, 1.408 seconds, eclipsing Rod Millen's 1994 mark of 10 minutes, 4.06 seconds. According to the Associated Press, Tajima was quoted as saying, "It's fantastic. I'm very happy. I want to try again and beat the 10-minute barrier." We've no doubt that he'll be back again next year, looking to do exactly that. In the meantime, Tajima can sleep soundly, knowing that today, a Monster was crowned King of the Mountain.