“It’s one of the most dangerous races in the world”: Pikes Peak International Hill Climb safety team prepares for race day

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) – The safety team for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb was at Monster Motors Hot Rod Garage, a veteran-owned non-profit Saturday working on the trucks they say could save lives during the race.

11 News spoke with the team at the garage on the east side of the springs as they worked to get the lights and sirens in order.

“It’s one of the most dangerous races in the world because we’ve had numerous motorcycle and car drivers killed,” Safety Chief for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb Judd Werner said.

Preparations are underway for the one-hundred-second Pikes Peak International Hill Climb. It’s a race that takes drivers through the twists and turns of America’s mountains, some of which feature drop-offs of 1000 feet with no railing.

A team of first responders and veterans are putting together the wiring for the lights and sirens on the safety team’s trucks.

“Anything that we can do to help veterans our first responders we’re ecstatic to have people out here,” Vice President of Marketing and Communications for MOnster Motors Hot Rod Garage Dave Jones said.

Altogether, the team prepared 12 trucks over two weekends. Werner says his team will be ready on the mountain for race day.

“This is a year-round job to get everything ready,” Werner said. “Make sure everything is ready to go. We have the right people in the right places. All of our people are at the minimum an EMT.”

Those at Monster Motor Garage say they were honored to have a team of first responders there. The team will be lined up along the track for the events which all start June 18.

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