Cars saved me.

As a female trying to break into a very gate-kept community, finding my place in the automotive world wasn’t easy. My journey began at illegal car meets in Colorado Springs because I felt like I had no other way to explore my passion. That all changed when I discovered Pikes Peak International Raceway (PPIR), a place where I could safely and legally experience the car culture I had fallen in love with.

PPIR became so much more than a racetrack to me. It became my safe place, my coping mechanism, and my escape during some of the hardest moments in my life. It gave me a healthy outlet that helped my mental health, introduced me to an incredible community, and created lifelong memories with my children as we shared the excitement of race days together.

Now, this beloved raceway is under threat. Plans for a “mixed-use redevelopment” risk erasing a vital piece of Colorado’s automotive heritage.

Pikes Peak International Raceway isn’t just pavement and grandstands. It’s history.

PPIR hosted Indy Racing League events, NASCAR races, and countless other motorsports that helped shape Colorado’s racing legacy. For decades, families have gathered there, passing their love of racing from one generation to the next. Grandparents brought their children, who grew up bringing their own children. Generations of families have built traditions, memories, and friendships at this track. Those memories can’t simply be replaced with another shopping center or housing development.

Today, PPIR continues to unite car enthusiasts from every background. It provides a safe, legal, and controlled environment where people of all ages can connect through a shared passion. For many young enthusiasts, it’s an alternative to illegal street racing and dangerous meets, giving them a place to learn, grow, and enjoy motorsports responsibly.

Beyond its cultural significance, PPIR is also an important part of the local economy. The raceway attracts competitors and spectators from across Colorado and beyond, supporting hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and local businesses. It’s more than a racetrack—it’s an economic asset and a cornerstone of our community.

If PPIR is redeveloped, we won’t just lose a piece of land. We’ll lose history, tradition, opportunity, and a community that has spent decades growing together. Once it’s gone, it can never truly be replaced.

Is redevelopment worth sacrificing one of Colorado’s most iconic motorsports landmarks?

We believe the answer is no.

I urge the developers, city planners, and community leaders to reconsider these plans and explore alternatives that allow our community to grow without destroying a place that means so much to so many.

Please join me in fighting to preserve Pikes Peak International Raceway. Sign this petition and help protect a place that has changed lives, built families, inspired future racers, and preserved decades of Colorado motorsports history.

Let’s ensure that future generations have the same opportunity to make memories, discover their passion, and experience the incredible community that PPIR has provided for so many before them.