By alley - Jun 27, 2014, 2:11 PM ET

Truck front-runner KO'd at Pikes Peak by qualifying crash

The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb was down one top competitor even before qualifying was completed. During the second qualifying heat Thursday on the bottom section, California's Mike Ryan – a multi-time class champion in the Big Rig division – crashed heavily during his run. Although he escaped unhurt, Ryan's Freightliner semi (LEFT) was damaged beyond immediate repair, sidelining him for the 92nd running of the Race to the Clouds.

"I don't see how we can put this back together for Sunday," Ryan told the

Colorado Springs Gazette

. "We tore the oil pan off it, cracked a corner chunk of the block off, the crank is shocked beyond anything and the front suspension is gone. This is without a doubt the most expensive and worst wreck I've ever had here."

Practice sessions this week have been quintessentially Pikes Peak, with cold temperatures and weather conditions changing by the minute. Several crashes throughout the week were a constant reminder of how unforgiving the mountain can be.

Jeff Zwart's Pikes Peak diary

Qualifying runs on the 5.16-mile bottom section of the course saw Le Mans prototype star Romain Dumas set the pace at 3:37.525 (85.397mph) in his Unlimited class Norma. For a full list of qualifying results,

click here

.

Live video streaming of Sunday's race is available on a pay-per-view basis. For more information,

click here

.

TOP IMAGE:

Don Canet on his Ducati Multistrada during a Pikes Peak practice session. Credit: Jamey Price