CASCADE, Colo. (AP) -Japanese motor sports legend Nobuhiro Tajima set a record in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on Saturday, racing to the top of the 14,110-foot mountain in 10 minutes, 1.408 seconds.

Tajima, the overwhelming crowd favorite, was mobbed immediately upon exiting his 2007 Suzuki Grand Vitara after completing the 12.42-mile, 156-turn course.

"It's fantastic,'' the breathless Tajima said as he reached for an oxygen bottle. "I'm very happy. I want to try again and beat the 10-minute barrier.''

Tajima has improved each time he's attempted the full course at the Race to the Clouds, the country's second-oldest car race in its 85th year. Only the Indianapolis 500 is older.

Local legend Leonard Vahsholtz won for the 18th time in 31 races, taking the Pikes Peak Open category in a time of 11.30.536 in what he had decided beforehand would be his final competitive run.

"I actually did better than I thought,'' Vahsholtz said. "Sometimes you go fast and think it's slow. This time, I felt I went slower, so that's good.''

Bobby Regester won the stock car category in 11:46.754. Clint Vahsholtz didn't finish because of a mechanical failure.

Nathan Conley set a new track record for a 4-wheel-drive vehicle in the Time Attack category, finishing in 12:49.064. The native of Colorado Springs, which sits at the foot of the peak more than a mile and a half below, had his new wife, Brandye, in the passenger seat working as his spotter during the ride.

Other winners included Paul Dallenbach in open wheel, Todd Cook in Mini Sprint, Rhys Millen in 2-wheel-drive, and Davey Durelle took his 11th title in 750cc motorcycles.