Although the location of the strip has never changed, the complex had a renovation in 1988 and a major track resurface that began in 2007, Bandimere said.

 
Racers this season will compete on a new concrete track complete with a cooling system, a first for any track worldwide, Bandimere said.  The track, coupled with a high-tech timing system with live data feeds, positions it to be one of the most cutting-edge venues in the country, he said.

The project, which began at the conclusion of the 2007 season, involved removing 660 feet of asphalt from the eighth-mile marker to the quarter-mile marker, said Jeff Sipes, marketing and media relations manager.  Concrete is less porous than asphalt and dries faster, he pointed out.

Although concrete is a superior surface to asphalt, it absorbs heat faster, which is detrimental to traction, Bandimere said.  To solve that problem, Larry Crispe, Bandimere's brother-in-law, engineered a cooling system for the track, a first of its kind for a racetrack.

On a 90- to 100-degree day, track temperatures can reach 120 to 140 degrees, causing the rubber prep to soften, which results in less tire traction, Bandimere said.  "We want the track to be warm but not so hot that the rubber becomes greasy."

Before pouring 47,000 square feet of concrete, the crew braved the Colorado winter to design and install the cooling system with 15,000 feet of hose that was then attached to two 12,000-gallon tanks, one for each lane.  The tanks were then connected and buried underneath the grand stands, he said.

"A lot of people are curious to see if it works," Bandimere said.  At press time, he said he was awaiting the first major event, NAPA Auto Parts Night of Fire & Thunder, on May 17.  "It'll be exciting at the national events when the pros get here.

"We want fans to see good side-by-side racing," Bandimere said.  When a car has an oil spill, the cleanup is much longer on an asphalt surface, he said, adding that diminishes the fans' experience.  A concrete service allows a scrubber to be used for spills, which is much quicker.  "We can get the track back to optimum condition right away."

Although the pros come and go with the national events, it's the regional racing lovers that are the mainstay of the track, Bandimere said.

"They're our backbone when they compete here week in, week out," he said.  "The new track will give them the consistency they seek out."

Just as the concrete surface aids the performance of the drivers, the consistency of the timing system holds equal weight.
"Reaction times are huge," Sipes said.  "That's what the sport is built around."

The Compulink Timing System, developed by Bob Brockmeyer, a racer, was upgraded with fiber optic cables for quicker data transfer, Sipes said.  Sagera then devolped a way to aggregate the raw data for live timing and personal racer data that can be found on several Web sites, including bandimere.com and 1320go.com, a site that displays the results of several tracks nationwide, he said.  Live data aids race teams, as the system can record several years of data and is a great feature for fans who are tracking events on the Web, he said.

"It aggregates data for a racer, keeping it in one area," Sipes said.  The system eliminates the arduous task of data entry after every event, Sipes said, which could include 15-16 classes any given weekend.  This allows all drivers' data to be displayed, not just the top 10, as in years past, he said.  Information on the event, series, car number, and even wind and barometric pressure are included.

In addition to the resurface and timing system, Bandimere now has 30 more Musco lights on its east side to eliminate shadows and increase visibility, Sipes said.

Bandimere is carrying on his father's philosophy of giving back to fans and drivers with the track upgrades, not expecting an immediate return on his investment.

"You need to give back to the customer and appreciate them," Bandimere said.  "A lot of times you do that not knowing how quickly you'll recoup the investment.

"We're investing in the future and want fans and racers to desire to come here," he said.  "It's part of the cost of doing business."