News from Kenworth: T2000 to Race in Pikes
Peak International Hill Climb
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Jeff Parietti, (425) 828-5196 jparietti@paccar.com
Kenworth, CFI Team Up To Race T2000 in Pikes Peak International Hill Climb
on June 30
KIRKLAND, Wash., June 21, 2001 - Kenworth Truck Co. and Contract Freighters
Inc. (CFI) are teaming up once again to race a Kenworth T2000 in the annual
Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on June 30.
Veteran racer and designer Bruce Canepa of Santa Cruz, Calif. will pilot the
Kenworth T2000/CFI Red Racer Peak Performer for the second consecutive year,
taking on the challenging 12.42-mile course to the summit.
The Kenworth/CFI sponsored vehicle is entered in the Big Rig - Highway
Division at the popular Colorado event. Canepa will drive a T2000 prepared
by a volunteer team of 14 Kenworth engineers. The team has undertaken test
runs at the PACCAR Technical Center in Mount Vernon, Wash. and at the Pikes
Peak course earlier this month. Qualifying runs for the competition are
slated for June 28.
"I'm excited to once again have the opportunity to race the T2000 at Pikes
Peak," said Canepa, who has raced everything from go-karts to sprint cars to
sports prototypes for many years. "Pikes Peak always is an incredibly
challenging experience with ever-changing surfaces, blind switchbacks and
drop-offs that fall out of sight. It keeps your 100% attention every moment
of the run. But the goals again this year are the same - have fun and win."
Last year, Canepa drove the T2000 entry to a record-setting victory of 14
minutes 34.41 seconds in the tandem-axle division for semi (Class 8) trucks.
Canepa and the T2000 averaged 51 miles per hour, especially impressive
considering the course has 156 turns and rises from an elevation of 9,402
feet at the starting line to 14,110 feet at the finish line. Canepa passed
the course's three major radar checkpoints at 81.6, 79.6 and 83.4 miles per
hour, respectively.
"We've pulled together a solid Kenworth engineering team to back Bruce this
year," said Mike Gilbert, Kenworth's Pike Peak team leader and assistant
chief engineer. "Building on what we learned last year, we've reduced
weight, increased horsepower, enhanced traction and improved handling to the
point that we have a truck that is worthy of Bruce's talents as a driver. We
expect to see a dramatic reduction in our times over last year."
According to Gilbert, the racing effort will be especially aided by the ZF
5HP500 Ecomat automatic transmission modified to racing specifications.
"We've been extremely pleased with the ZF transmission because of its
precise shifting and lightweight design," he said.
Gilbert noted that other Kenworth suppliers also play a key role in the
racing effort. Official sponsors of Kenworth's Pikes Peak effort this year
include Contract Freighters, Inc., ZF, ZFMeritor, Bridgestone, Bendix,
DuPont, Eaton, Dana Spicer, Alcoa, Horton, Camfil Farr, Arvin Ride Control
and ConMet.
Besides setting out to win, Gilbert said that Kenworth uses its Pikes Peak
racing experience to help evaluate items that may eventually become
available on Kenworth production models.
"Kenworth's AG200 suspension aluminum control arms and fully threaded
control arm pins are two examples of items initially evaluated on our past
Pikes Peak trucks before moving over to production," Gilbert said. "The
Eaton I-80 steer axle and hydraulic disc brakes are examples on the medium
duty side."
Gilbert also cited lightweight iron hubs compatible with disc brakes, and
lightweight fabricated pusher steer axle - used as the race truck's front
steer axle - as other examples.
"This year, we have some new items being evaluated with potential production
application," Gilbert said. "These include ConMet aluminum hubs compatible
with disc brakes, Horton Drivemaster fan hub, Kenworth AG200 suspension
equipped with prototype paddle-spring sway bars, and Gabriel's 3-way
adjustable gas front and rear shocks -- which use that firm's recently
patented, acceleration-sensitive valve technology."
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is held in cooperation with the City
of Colorado Springs and the U.S. Forest Service. The race attracts an
international field of truck, auto and motorcycle competitors. The race's
website is at www.ppihc.com.
CFI, an international truckload carrier based in Joplin, Mo., is a major
Kenworth fleet operator. The company operates 2,000 tractors and 6,000
trailers and transports a variety of goods throughout the contiguous United
States and Canada. In addition to its Joplin headquarters, CFI operates five
terminals and its subsidiaries have 39 sales offices throughout North
America and employs more than 2,700 people. CFI's website is at
www.cfi-us.com.
Bruce Canepa operates Canepa Design in Santa Cruz, Calif. He has been
designing custom road machines since childhood and now enjoys an
international reputation as one of the finest and most versatile vehicle
designers in the world. Canepa Design's website is at www.canepa.com.
Kenworth Truck Company, a division of PACCAR Inc, is a leading manufacturer
of heavy and medium duty trucks. Kenworth's Internet home page is at
www.kenworth.com.
#
NOTE TO MEDIA: Media credential information for the Pikes Peak International
Hill Climb is available from media coordinator Tim Bergsten at (719)
632-4400, ext. 11 or via email at tbergsten@ppihc.com.
Kenworth/CFI Pikes Peak T2000 Vehicle Specifications
Vehicle Type
Kenworth T2000 Day Cab
Mid engine, rear-wheel drive, 2-passenger, Class 8 truck 6x4
Engine
Type: Caterpillar C-16 6-cylinder engine modified to racing specifications:
--Special cam profile
--Special injectors
--Larger Schwitzer turbocharger
--Special engine programming for high power with low smoke
--Prototype lightweight aluminum cooling system components
Power: 1,200 hp @ 2,600 rpm (at 14,000-foot elevation), 3,500 ft-lbs. of
torque
Displacement: 16 liter
Drivetrain
Transmission: ZF Meritor 5HP500 automatic transmission modified to racing
specifications:
--Prepared by ZF Motorsports Operations Group
--Modified for manual shifting
--"Slap" shifter in cab
Rear Axle: Dana DS344 tandem rear axles with all differentials mechanically
locked
Dimensions and Capacities
Wheelbase: 176
Curb Weight: 11,500 lbs.
Track, F/R: 80"/72" (to centerline duals)
BBC: 118"
Ground Clearance: 3"
Weight Distribution: 55FR/45RR
Chassis/Cab
Type: T2000 Day Cab
Frame: Tubular high strength steel rails with integrated roll cage
Cab Material: Sheet Molded Compound (SMC) and fiberglass
Interior
Seats: One approved racing seat
Restraint System: 5-point belts
Halon fire suppression system
Suspension
Front: Beam axle with composite leaf spring front suspension
Rear: Modified Kenworth Airglide 200 suspension
Damping: Gabriel customer-valved shocks, 3-way acceleration sensing amping
Steering
Conventional power-assisted
Brakes
Hydraulic disc
Wheels and Tires
Alcoa 22.5 diameter aluminum, 10-bolt hub pilot
Steer Position: Bridgestone R250F - 265/75R22.5
Drive Position: Bridgestone M711 low-profile 255/70R22.5 drive tires with
hand-cut tread pattern for maximum traction.
Other
Aeroquip Starlite lightweight crimped hose assemblies and fittings
DENSO heavy duty truck starter
DuPont Imron colors
16-channel data acquisition system
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BRUCE CANEPA BIO
Bruce Canepa has been designing custom road machines since childhood and now
enjoys an international reputation as one of the finest and most versatile
vehicle designers in the world. From motorcycles to performance cars to semi
truck/trailers, there is no facet of the road machine industry that he has
not touched.
A successful racer himself for many years, Canepa has been commissioned to
build performance vehicles for race world heavyweights such as Chip Ganassi,
Parnelli Jones, Rick Mears, Roger Penske, Danny Sullivan, and more.
Canepa changed the industry standards in tractor/trailer design when he
introduced the ultra-innovative trucks for which Canepa Design has become
famous. He continues to guide Kenworth to new heights in aesthetics.
As designer for Specialized Equipment Co. in Fresno, Calif., he continues to
lead the industry with his "Concept" trailers: custom-designed transporters
for the entire motorsports industry.
An avid motorcycle enthusiast, Canepa has won numerous awards for his unique
"designer" Harley-Davidsons. He enjoys riding his own collection of bikes,
which include several Harleys, a Buell S3, a Ducati 996, a Valkyrie and
more.
Every vehicle that leaves the Canepa Design facilities is unique. It is
clear that Canepa is a one-of-a-kind designer with demand for perfection in
every detail and an advanced sense of artistic design.
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KENWORTH PIKES PEAK ENTRY - 2001 OFFICIAL SPONSORS
Contract Freighters, Inc.
Bridgestone
Bendix
DuPont
ZF
ZFMeritor
Eaton
Dana Spicer
Alcoa
Horton
Camfil Farr
Arvin Ride Control
ConMet
