Racing to the Clouds: Josh Tenge’s Journey Up Pikes Peak
[by: Dawn Brazier]
Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in the Q4_2025 issue of quattro Magazine. Audi Club members enjoy early digital access to the upcoming Q1_2026 issue, available online now. Click here to view the magazine in full before it hits mailboxes in late December. Not yet a member? Join today to unlock this exclusive benefit and many more!
Tackling the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb as a newcomer was more than just crossing the finish line—it was a challenge that tested everything built, learned and believed behind the wheel. When Josh Tenge strapped in and lined up on America’s mountain on June 22, 2025, it was not just about speed or placement. It was the reward for years of chasing adrenaline across frozen lakes, mountain roads and racetracks—and the start of another chapter in a journey that has always been about much more than just going fast.
Josh’s motorsport career began on the frozen lakes of Colorado, sliding around in his 2005 Audi S4 while trying to learn the art of finding grip where there was none. “I wasn’t very good at first,” he admitted. “But after I became a mechanic and learned to stud my tires, everything changed. I was competitive.”
Those initial lessons in control and recovery eventually carried Josh from ice racing to the circuit racing of Colorado National Speedway, where his wins began to stack up. Yet the defining moment of his true passion for driving was not on a lake or a track—it came on a daily commute. “I found it to be sometimes more fun driving that car back and forth to work than snowboarding at the mountain,” he laughed.
“I didn’t expect it to do well on the ice,” Josh admitted, “but then we added a competition rear diff controller, and it started beating the EVOS,” he said with a smile. Over time, Josh and the car were pushed further by driving schools and time-attack events—sharpening skills and discovering new limits. Along the way, a network of friends and mentors opened doors—people like Jimmy Olsen and Jimmy Ford, whose support helped boost Josh’s Pikes Peak application. “Having those guys behind me meant a lot. They believed in what I was trying to do.”
Even as his passion grew, racing Pikes Peak never seemed achievable. “I started late and never really thought I could do it,” he said. That changed in 2024 when his friend Ben Ryan entered the Hill Climb and needed assistance. Josh stepped in as crew chief, and something clicked. “Being part of that effort made me realize that I wanted to try it myself.”
Josh’s 2012 Audi TT RS was never intended as a race car. It was a sleek, mildly modified daily driver that made the long commute between Evergreen and Colorado Springs more enjoyable. But modifications didn’t stop there. “I started with a bigger rear sway bar, then brakes and suspension,” he said. “Eventually, it needed a roll cage—there’s very little stock left now.” Most of the transformation was done by Josh himself, learning as he went.
Once Pikes Peak came into view, the car had to be upgraded again. Passing tech inspection required significant modifications—a fuel cell, fire suppression system, dual kill switches and a fully race-legal cage. It was no longer about speed—it was about doing it safely, especially on one of the most challenging courses. Josh hired a few select local shops for the bigger tasks: Denver Donut Shop for the cage, Under Pressure Performance for the exhaust and fuel cell and Bluewater Performance for tuning and alignment. “That was it,” he said. “That’s when the car stopped being a streetcar and became a real race car.”
Josh’s experience in ice racing boosted his confidence on the track when things got uncertain. “A lot of people don’t understand what their car feels like when it breaks loose,” he said. “But I do. I’ve spent years figuring that out on the ice.” He often took the TT RS to empty lots, deliberately pushing the limits in testing new setups. “I want to know where it breaks loose so I’m not surprised when it happens at speed,” he explained.
Unlike a typical race weekend, Pikes Peak is a test for both cars and people. “Race week is intense,” said Josh. “You’re lining up at 3 a.m. in the dark, setting up pits before sunrise and hoping to get a few clean runs in before the road opens to the public.” The schedule leaves no breathing room. Between inspections, practice, qualifying, Fan Fest and car shows, it’s nonstop. Most teams camp on the mountain just to avoid a grueling 2 a.m. commute. Even a full year of prep doesn’t seem like enough. “There’s always something more the car could use—or something I could be doing better as a driver,” he admitted. As a small, self-funded team, the financial stress was real. But so was the drive to keep going. “You do the best you can with what you’ve got. And you just keep going.”
Race morning for Josh started with a few quiet rituals to calm his nerves—lucky underwear and socks, strong coffee and deep breaths. But this time, things felt different: his daughter was watching from the pits. “That meant everything,” Josh said.
The energy on the mountain was intense. “There was a ton of people at the picnic area,” Josh recalled, “but I had to keep my eyes ahead and focus on braking points.” The bottom section, his least familiar stretch, still had plenty of room for improvement, but each run chipped away at his time. “I picked up a few seconds with every run—reminding me that consistency is just as important as speed.”
Race day brought some surprises, like a hay bale moved onto the road, forcing Josh to improvise, and a few corners were entered too hot, testing his braking limits. “You just do the best you can,” he said. Although the weather shortened the course to only the lower section, Josh carried the rest of the hill with him, especially the middle part. “That part of the mountain… it’s just something else.”
Catch this story and more in the Q4_2025 quattro Magazine issue: America’s Mountain
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