Betim Berisha returns to talk about what comes after the origin story: the grind of Pikes Peak 2025 with a five-car, multi-class effort, managing 40+ people, and the brutal reality of race-day weather that cut the event short. The conversation also covers the Type 99 “Evo” program—building a halo coachbuilt Porsche-inspired car using modern tech and extensive mountain testing—plus Berisha’s near-fatal heart attack and how it reshaped his priorities as a father and entrepreneur.
Betim Berisha is the founder of BBi Autosport in Huntington Beach, California. Porsche tuner. Engine builder. Pikes Peak veteran. He and his team at BBi built the Hoonipigasus for Ken Block, developed the new Project Evo, launched Type 99 as a coach-built 911 program, and have taken cars up the mountain for over a decade alongside drivers like Jeff Zwart and Loni Unser.
"I want you to take me through a pikes Peak 2025 which was five cars Three divisions all done by an independent shop."
Pikes Peak is a big racing event where cars drive up a mountain road. “2025” just means the version of the race that year, and it’s tough because the course and conditions can be demanding.
Pikes Peak is a famous hill climb race in Colorado, and “Pikes Peak 2025” refers to that year’s event. It’s known for high-speed runs up a mountain course where preparation, logistics, and reliability matter as much as outright pace.
"we ended up teaming up with Porsche of Colorado Springs there So they're they're always our home base and they're always our our like technical partner there"
“Porsche of Colorado Springs” is a Porsche dealership/service partner that the team worked with as a technical home base. Dealer-backed support can matter for race logistics—parts availability, experienced technicians, and coordinated vehicle prep.
"...Amelia came down and said hey, I'd like to do a program You know with the GT4 stuff..."
GT4 is a type of race category. The cars are built to race, but the rules are designed to keep things more affordable than the top pro classes.
GT4 refers to a class of race cars and regulations (GT4-spec). In practice, teams use GT4 cars to compete with a balance of performance and cost, and driver coaching/selection is often tailored to how GT4 cars behave under race loads.
"Donnie you and his TA one car ... we had problems with the gearbox this whole the whole time"
The gearbox is what changes gears so the engine can stay in the right power range. If it’s having issues, the car may not accelerate or shift properly, which can cost you a lot of time.
A gearbox is the transmission system that selects gear ratios to match speed and driving conditions. Gearbox problems can be especially damaging in endurance or mountain events because they can force slower running or limit how aggressively the team can push.
"Due to weather this year ... gear it up and weather weather seems to be looking good and we end up ... Run half course"
Weather can drastically change grip, visibility, and cooling, forcing teams to adapt setup and strategy. The speaker links weather to being “cut short,” suggesting it directly impacted race operations and performance opportunities.
"... the winds were just, you know, 85 mile an hour sustained up above above 10,000 feet. Yes. Yeah I thought it's so it's got to feel like a light wind though, right? There's no air up there."
Higher up, the air is thinner and has less oxygen. That can make engines feel weaker and can change how the car behaves overall.
At high altitude, air density drops and oxygen levels are lower, which can reduce engine power (especially for naturally aspirated engines) and change how tires and brakes behave. It also affects cooling and can influence strategy and safety decisions during the run.
"[757.2s] But then I didn't like how big those cars are so I was like, you know what if I could take and
[762.8s] Always feel like I'm in an air-cooled car a small
[766.6s] Nasty little car but run, you know late model suspension"
An air-cooled car keeps the engine cool using air flow, not coolant. The speaker is saying they want that classic feel even if they update other parts of the car.
An “air-cooled car” uses airflow over the engine to manage temperature instead of relying on a liquid cooling system. Classic Porsche 911s (like the earlier air-cooled SC) are famous for this layout, and it’s often associated with a distinct feel and sound.
"[814.6s] Can do you know and so if you have unfavorable surface conditions that are ever changing
[819.2s] And you could still build a compliant chassis"
A compliant chassis means the car can handle bumps without losing control. It helps the tires stay planted so the ride feels confident even on rough roads.
A “compliant chassis” is tuned to absorb bumps and irregularities while maintaining control and tire contact. The goal is to balance comfort and traction—especially important when surfaces are uneven or unpredictable.
"Axle angles and we extended the wheelbase two and a half inches So it basically it's to celebrate the 993 GT2 Evo"
Wheelbase is how far apart the front and rear wheels are. Making it longer can make the car feel more stable at speed, but it can also affect how quickly it turns.
Wheelbase is the distance between the front and rear axles. Extending it can improve high-speed stability and ride comfort, but it also changes turning behavior and weight distribution.
"FCP euro is now shipping parts from both coasts
Serving most of the country in three days or less with free shipping
We at overcrest have been working with FCP euro for years and can vouch for them"
FCP Euro is a website/store that sells car parts. The hosts are saying they ship quickly and have real people behind the business who care about cars.
FCP Euro is an automotive parts retailer known for selling European car parts and accessories. In the episode, they’re highlighted for fast shipping and customer-focused service, which matters if you’re doing maintenance or upgrades on your own car.
"And take advantage of free shipping on any order over $49
Looking for the best app for navigating your next adventure look no further than on X off-road with over"
Free shipping thresholds (like “over $49”) are a common e-commerce incentive that can affect when you place an order. For DIY maintenance, it can also influence how you bundle parts to minimize total cost.
"Looking for the best app for navigating your next adventure look no further than on X off-road with over
750,000 miles of trails and comprehensive offline maps you can explore without worrying about cell service
The app features trail ratings detailed information and a discover tool to help you find trails near you"
OnX Offroad is a navigation app aimed at off-roading. It’s relevant to car enthusiasts because it helps you plan routes, find trails, and understand land access—reducing the risk of getting stuck or accidentally entering restricted areas.
"750,000 miles of trails and comprehensive offline maps you can explore without worrying about cell service
The app features trail ratings detailed information and a discover tool to help you find trails near you"
Offline maps mean the app can show directions even if you don’t have cell service. That’s important when you’re out on trails far from reception.
Offline maps let you navigate without a cellular signal, which is crucial in remote trail areas. For off-road driving, this reduces the chance of losing navigation when you’re deep in coverage gaps.
"On X off-road also includes public and private land boundaries
So you'll always know where you can legally off-road camp and explore
Want to stay connected the app features a cell service layer so you can plan your route with service in mind"
Land boundary awareness is a key part of legal off-roading. Apps that show public vs. private boundaries help drivers avoid trespassing and choose routes that are permitted for camping and exploration.
"You know as as a company that if we need to we could bring in Investment dollars, you know and having that structured in a manner like just all of the the legality and the nuances"
It just means money from investors to help a business grow faster. For car projects, that money can pay for building parts and making prototypes.
“Investment dollars” refers to outside funding—typically from investors or venture capital—to help a company pay for development, tooling, staffing, and early production. In automotive startups, this often determines how quickly engineering and manufacturing can scale.
"But when you go and start something with all the lessons that you've learned all of a sudden like that brute force Ignorance isn't there now. You're a little bit more cautious. You're a little bit more careful… Trying to do all that without getting analysis paralysis"
It means you think and plan so much that you get stuck and can’t move ahead. Instead of making progress, you keep reviewing everything and it takes forever.
“Analysis paralysis” is when too much planning and second-guessing slows progress to the point that decisions don’t get made. In projects like vehicle development, it can happen when every process, legal detail, and design choice needs to be perfect before moving forward.
“Pulling data” means recording what the car is doing while it drives. Engineers use that information to figure out what’s working and what needs tuning.
“Pulling data” refers to collecting sensor and performance information during testing runs. That data is used to compare behavior against targets, diagnose issues, and refine calibration for drivability and control systems.
"...everything else is gone like you can see like that's like this tube chassis stuff"
A tube chassis is a custom frame made from metal tubes. It’s often used in builds where the original body/frame is removed and replaced with something stronger or easier to customize.
A “tube chassis” is a spaceframe-style structure made from welded tubes, often used in custom builds and kit cars. It can replace a traditional unibody or frame, which is a big deal for rigidity, packaging, and how “original” the car really is.
"All the intervention is bespoke like one off design and the engine is Mercedes and the body panels are just hanging on"
“Bespoke” just means custom-built for that exact car. Instead of using off-the-shelf parts, they made special pieces for this project.
“Bespoke” means custom-made to a specific project rather than produced as standard parts. Here, they’re saying most of the car’s components are one-off designs, which affects how authentic it is to the original R107.
"It's called the surpass AS01 and what sets it apart is it's a high performance all season tire. It's made specifically for drivers who want the most out of their cars without sacrificing capability when the roads get slick"
It’s a tire meant to work well year-round, but with better grip than regular all-season tires. The goal is to help your car feel sure-footed even when the road is wet or a little sketchy.
A high performance all-season tire is designed to balance everyday usability with stronger grip than typical all-seasons. It aims to provide better traction in dry, wet, and light winter conditions so the car feels consistent when roads get unpredictable.
"But won't we be stranded if the road or weather gets rough not only does it come with a 55,000 mile warranty. It also offers no key and tires pothole protection if he happened to damage your tire beyond repair"
This is a promise from the tire maker about how long the tire should last in miles. If the tire wears out early, the warranty may help with replacement depending on the rules.
A tire mileage warranty sets expectations for tread life under normal use, and it can affect how you evaluate value. It’s typically tied to tread wear and conditions, so it’s important to understand the warranty terms.
"All right, let's take a quick break talk about our latest sponsor the common gear. Now the story of your car matters just as much as the machine itself every receipt every late-night fix rally mile"
The Common Gear is a service/app that helps you keep your car’s receipts and records organized. It turns your scattered paperwork into one easy-to-find history.
The Common Gear is presented as a platform for building a digital car history. It focuses on collecting and organizing maintenance receipts, photos, and mileage into a searchable record.
"It allows you to digitize everything maintenance receipts build photos. You know records provenance where it's coming from where it came from every mile that you log every oil change"
Instead of keeping receipts and photos in random places, you store them digitally. That way you can find your car’s service history quickly later.
Digitizing maintenance records means converting paper or scattered information into a searchable digital log. For car owners, it helps track service history, repairs, and modifications over time.
"[2171.8s] like
[2174.1s] I guess when I was young I had what they said Kawasaki's disease and it ended up kind of compromising the
[2180.8s] uh elasticity of my arteries and then I had an aneurysm that
[2184.9s] kind of blew up and then"
An aneurysm is a weak spot in a blood vessel that balloons out. If it gets worse or ruptures, it can be life-threatening, which is why it’s a big deal in the story.
An aneurysm is a bulge in a blood vessel wall that can become dangerous if it ruptures. The speaker connects it to prior artery damage, framing it as the critical medical event that led to their health decline.
"We got a paint booth here now and um a dealer license So we're this is more like a little mini dealership"
A dealer license is the legal permission to sell cars. It means the business can handle vehicle sales, not just repairs.
A dealer license allows a business to legally buy and sell vehicles, which can change how they operate compared to a shop that only repairs cars. The speaker frames it as enabling a “mini dealership” alongside their service operations.
"We got a paint booth here now and um a dealer license"
A paint booth is a special room for painting cars. It helps keep dust and fumes under control so the paint job comes out cleaner.
A paint booth is a controlled environment used for automotive refinishing, typically with ventilation and filtration to manage overspray and keep paint contamination low. It’s a key capability for collision repair and restoration work because it improves paint quality and consistency.
"Well, he was there when when I was having my heart attack. So he got to watch he had a front row seat to the whole thing"
A heart attack means part of the heart isn’t getting enough blood. It can be dangerous, so doctors treat it right away in the ER.
A heart attack happens when blood flow to part of the heart is blocked, starving heart muscle of oxygen. It’s a medical emergency and often involves emergency-room care and cardiac testing.
"I remember when he he asked me he was dad. Are you gonna die and I was in the ER room?"
“ER room” refers to the emergency room, where urgent symptoms are evaluated immediately. In situations like a heart attack, ER teams typically stabilize the patient and start diagnostic work.
"It was like you had one electronics engineer and you had like A team of over-the-wall guys a chassis engineer a strategist and a team owner and a couple drivers"
This is the engineer responsible for how the car handles. They help adjust the suspension and balance so the driver can go faster and feel more confident.
A chassis engineer focuses on the car’s mechanical setup and dynamics—things like suspension behavior, balance, and how the car feels through corners. They translate driver feedback and telemetry into setup changes.
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Take me back to like hearing that for the first time over the radio, like, hey, you know, it's where it's where it's off
Like what did that what was going through your mind? Oh, that was crazy. So
it was such a
such a hard one because
Usually I can hear the car at least three and a half miles up the road, you know through through the canyon
And I hear him take off and then also I don't hear anything
You
Hey guys, what's going on Chris here for Overgrass podcast and I usually don't do a little bit of an intro with these
I usually just roll into the interviews. However, I wanted to introduce this one a little bit
But Tim Berisha is on the podcast today
And he's the founder of BUI and hunted at beach. He built some of the fastest Porsches on the planet goes to pikes Peak
We built the Luna Pegasus as many of you will recognize from the social media and amazing films and content that's been
released around that
He's been going to pike peak for over 10 years
Thing is but him has been on the podcast before
The first episode is an origin story
Street racing in Washington state of Washington
Sleeping in his car. I mean the guy just absolutely
Grounded to get BBI started and if you haven't heard it
I'd go listen to that first one. I'll link it in the show notes. It's these two episodes are family. They really belong together
This time we're talking about what happens after the origin story
We kind of got his backstory on the first episode now
We're gonna kind of continue on and you know, but Tim had a massive heart attack
Two and a half years ago, and he nearly didn't make it
And then he came back and has done more than he's ever done five cars of pike peak
Pikes Peak new company type 99 a whole new chapter in his life and this conversation is about that distance
Between almost losing everything and going right back to the edge and what it does to you. It's a really really good episode
I hope you guys enjoy it again. Many thanks to the Tim for coming on the podcast. Thank you
Appreciate you guys. Let me know if you guys would like a little bit more of an intro of why I
Chose to interview somebody I can I can do some more of these. All right, ladies and gentlemen the Tim Berisha
Mr. Bitim man, how's it going man? It's really my pleasure to have you back again second time two-timer
Right, right. Yeah, Chris. Good to see you. Awesome to be on
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