Co-written/edited by Lisa Haight

CECCHET ADDS FRENCH FLAIR IN MOUTON-TRIBUTE AUDI ON PIKES PEAK

Colorado Springs, CO – Of the more than 70 competitors who took part in this year’s Broadmoor Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, presented by Gran Turismo, each brought their unique story of how they came to Pikes Peak. Even drivers who called themselves rookies in this year’s 103rd Running carried a wealth of experience from other forms of racing, including other point-to-point events like stage rallies and other hill climbs.

Emmanuel Cecchet can claim all of the above. An indispensable figure in the world of rally through his Frog Racing team, he not only competes in events but offers an extensive resource portfolio of information about the sport to new competitors. The French-born, Massachusetts-based Cecchet linked up with Rayteam Automotive as the team pursued its second straight Pikes Peak finish. Last year, Laszlo Keskeny represented Rayteam on America’s Mountain.

THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

The story of Cecchet, his wife Margaret Sharron, and their Frog Racing team is well-known in New England. The couple married after a long-distance relationship and got their start in autocross before heading to stage rally and hill climbs. 

Sharron competes in the PrincesSTI, while Cecchet runs the FrogSTIr, and they’ve built a massive database of rallying information along the way which they willingly share with fellow competitors and those new to the sport.

“There’s really nothing more gratifying than getting messages from competitors all over the world who send a thank you and share how this content helped them in building their car, or achieving their debut in the sport,” shared Cecchet.

CAPTURING CONTENT

Discussing his method of sharing information with the racing communitiy, Cecchet explained, “We are now closing in on 700 videos from tech tips to onboard racing footage, and everything in between.

“It started when my wife got her own race car. Every time I was doing an upgrade on my car, she wanted the same thing. I started documenting everything I was doing on a webpage, and recording videos. When our team started to grow and we had more and more friends who wanted to volunteer and crew for us, I was spending a lot of time training people one-on-one. Sometimes we wouldn’t have enough time ahead of a race, so I started to make videos for that, too.

“Then other racers started to ask for more technical content, and I believe knowledge is only useful if it is shared. It’s been through word of mouth that we’ve seen a wider reach on our Frog Racing website. We’ve also seen growth in the popularity of our videos. There’s even a recurrent joke in the forums when someone posts a question, ‘There’s a Frog Racing video for that!’”

With a reputation like that, it’s no surprise that Cecchet got the call to drive for Rayteam this year. The Waltham, MA-based outfit was a fan favorite last year with its S1E2 replica, piloted by Keskeny, but needed a new driver for 2025. Add Cecchet’s experience competing in an Audi RS4 at hillclimbs in New England and both car and driver were a perfect match.

FROM EXTRACTION TO REDEMPTION

For Cecchet to even be able to compete on Pikes Peak this year was a minor miracle. Driving his FrogSTIr Subaru in last year’s Burke Hillclimb, he suffered a broken arm and leg in a high-speed crash. True to form, Frog Racing published a detailed video including not only footage from the incident, but a breakdown of the safety equipment used, challenges of the two-driver extrication process, and a review of lessons learned.

Cecchet made sure he had plenty of time behind the wheel to get comfortable with going fast again. The team tested at Thompson Speedway in Connecticut to dial in the car under multiple conditions and ran two hillclimbs at Mt. Ascutney and Mt. Okemo ahead of Pikes Peak.

“I practiced every day on the simulator to memorize the course,” Cecchet said. “I also watched onboard videos from last year to figure out where the bad bumps were and where being off the racing line in favor of smoother tarmac can be advantageous.”

The preparation paid off on race day as the car was able to score its second consecutive finish, this time with Cecchet in the driver’s seat. On this year’s shortened course, he was able to post a time of 5:09.043 in the Pikes Peak Open division.

“On race day, it was exactly 364 days since my high-speed crash at the Burke Hillclimb. As soon as I got the phone call from Rayteam, I ramped up the physical prep to make sure my broken arm and leg would be up to the task. 

“Nothing motivates you to recover faster than preparing for Pikes Peak!” – Emmanuel Cecchet

AUDI POWER

“There is nothing like a Group B Audi, the look, the sound, the rawness of the driving,” Cecchet admits. “The car is not an original factory car, it is a replica but it has the look, the sound and the feel of the original. 

“It was such a tribute to the sport to drive this car at speed up the mountain.”

MEETING YOUR HERO

“What made this year extra special was meeting Michèle Mouton and seeing her induction to the Pikes Peak Hill Climb Hall of Fame, especially since I was driving an iconic Audi S1E2, bringing back all the memories of the classic Group B Audi years and Michèle’s victory 40 years ago,” shared Cecchet.

Bearing Mouton’s signature on the roof of his car, Cecchet, and teammate Alex Kim, celebrated her by waving the French flag in her honor at the finish.

GET TO KNOW EMMANUEL CECCHET

Instagram: @frogracingus

Fun Facts:

“I learned to drive in a convertible with an air cooled engine, a Citroen 2CV with 29hp. Driving that car taught me how to keep momentum in corners and not lift!”

“I was part of the NASA team who built the system to find lost wrenches onboard the space station!”

Biggest challenges: “The weather conditions are always a challenge at Pikes Peak, but as a rally driver I am used to driving in pretty much any condition. The physical challenge is probably the biggest hurdle. To be able to give 100% on race day, oxygen helps, for sure, but I am not a 20-year-old hiking in the French Alps like I used to be…vintage car, vintage driver now!”

Biggest accomplishment in motorsports: “Being a grassroot racer, being able to race 2 cars nonstop for over a decade year around without getting bankrupt is probably my biggest accomplishment! Of course, the wins and podiums sweeten the deal! We enjoy racing year round, from ice racing in winter, to hillclimbs in the summer, and stage rally in all seasons. But, two highlights from my motorsport career are the 2023 Ontario Performance Rally Championship win and the double podium finish with my wife at the 2021 Mt. Washington Climb to the Clouds.”

Favorite PPIHC moments: “I really like the human interactions with the crews, the other competitors, and the fans. The driving can be fun too, but it comes only second. Any opportunity from practice to Fan Fest to race day where we can interact with people and share the passion of racing is a favorite moment!”

Favorite track: “For hillclimbing, Mt. Washington is very special, I had the chance to race it when it still had a dirt section. It is much narrower and more technical than Pikes Peak, and it only happens every three years, it is a very special place. The last edition we got both Frog Racing cars on the podium and there is nothing like being able to share a podium with your wife!”