The Champ Car World Series left Denver race fans in the dust when it ended its five-year stint in the Mile High city last August. Without a tile sponsor, a scheduling conflict with the looming 2008 Democratic National Convention sealed its fate. This happened at a time when regional race fans were still reeling from the 2005 closure of Pikes Peak International Raceway in Fountain.
There is still much to cheer about as drivers race on in Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, and western Kansas and
Nebraska, with the venerable Mopar Mile High Nationals at the top of the list. Parts & People has compiled a list of regional tracks, highlighting this season's premier events.
Colorado
The Mopar Mile High Nationals highlight the schedule for Bandimere Speedway, an NHRA-sanctioned dragstrip in Morrison, scheduled for July 13-15. Other notable events for the season that runs from April through mid-October include: ATS Diesels on The Mountain, July 21; and All Star Chevy Weekend, presented by Stevinson Chevrolet, Aug. 18-19. For additional tickets or schedule information, visit www.bandimere.com.
Colorado National Speedway in Erie features racing every weekend from March until early October on a 3/8-mile oval paved track. Notable events include: Coors Light Summer Shoot-Out 100, July 28; International Drift Championship Racing, Aug. 12; United Power/Touchstone Energy 150 Stock Car Racing League Tour Series, Aug. 18; and Snap-on Tools Challenge Cup XXXIII, Sept. 29. Other Divisions include: Late Model, Pro Truck, Grand American Modified, Sportsman, Figure Eights, Trains, Legend Car Series, Super Stock, and Super Modified. For more information on divisions, schedules, or ticket prices, visit www.coloradospeedway.com or call 303-828 0116.
I-76 Speedway is a dirt track in Fort Morgan that features four to six divisions every Saturday night through October. The divisions include Late Models, Midgets, E-mods, Street Stock, Econos, Outlaw 1200s, 600 Mini-Sprints, Dwarfs, Mod-lites, Mini-Stocks, and Sprints. The 19th annual Fall Classic on Oct. 6-7 features Modifieds, E-mods, Street Stock, Econos, Open Dwarfs, Mod-Lites, and Mini Stocks. For more information, visit www.I-76speedway.com or call 970-867-2101.
The Pikes Peak International Hill Climb is a unique event that challenges drivers and vehicles. The "Race to the Clouds" course is a 12.4-mile sprint that starts at 9,400 feet above sea level and finishes at 14,110 feet, with 156 turns without guardrails, and 2,000-foot drop-offs. The course is partly paved and partly gravel. The race includes 19 divisions, everything from motorcycles with sidecars to truck tractors. This year's climb is scheduled for June 21. For more information, visit www.ppihc.com or call 718-685-4400.
Colorado Hill Climb Association: The summer schedule, which includes five climbs, starts at Temple Canyon on May 12-13, and ends in early September. For information, visit www.chcaracing.com.
The Colorado Cog Rally, an off-road event, is scheduled for Sept. 22-23 in Steamboat Springs. The two-day event is part of the Rally America National Championship Series, who has nine events scheduled throughout the country this year. For more information, visit www.coloradocogrally.com.
I-25 Speedway, located in Bragdon, just eight miles north of Pueblo, is an banked quarter-mile paved oval. Classes include Late Model, Grand American Modified, Sportsman, Street Stocks, Mini Stocks, Hornets, Figure Eight, Legend, Dwarf, Mini Sprint, Midget, Mini Cup, and Street Drag. Visit www.i25speedway.com for more information.
Pueblo Motorsports Park features a drag strip, road course, and a motocross track. Visit
www.pueblomotorsportspark.com or call 719-543-7747 for more information.
Hayden Speedway is a quarter-mile oval dirt track in Hayden. Several classes run during May and August. For schedule information, visit www.haydenspeedway.com.
Julesburg Dragway in Julesburg is a quarter-mile strip. Special events include NHRA Castrol GTX Jr. Drag Racing League and the NHRA Summit Racing Series. For more information, call 970-630-1756 or 970-474-9999.
Prowers County Motorsports Park, formerly known as May Valley Speedway, is a 1/3-mile clay oval track in Lamar. Visit www.pcmp.org for more information.
Western Colorado Dragway, supported by the Western Colorado Drag Racing Association in Grand Junction, runs Super Quick, Super Prom, Pro ET, and Sportsman Classes April through October. Visit www.western-colorado-dragway.com for schedule information.
Western Kansas
Airport Raceway in Garden City runs Full midgets, Jr. Sprints, and Mini-Stocks from May through September. Schedule information is available at www.airportraceway.com.
Other western Kansas tracks include Goodland's Sherman County Speedway, which is a 3/8-mile dirt track that runs Bombers and IMCA modifieds; and Colby's Thomas County Speedway that runs IMCA modifieds, Cruisers, Bombers, and Super Stocks.
Western Nebraska
Alliance Speedway runs Saturday races on a quarter-mile, slightly banked asphalt track. Races feature Super Stocks, Cruiser, and Quarter-Mile Sprint Karts; for information, call 308-432-5421.
McCook Speedway is a 3/8-mile clay dirt track that runs regular Friday night events featuring IMCA Modified, ICMA Stock Car, IMCA Hobby Stock, Classic Modified, Mini Trucks, Mini Sprints, and Micro Sprints. For more Information, visit www.mccookspeedway.com or call 800-346-8341.
New Mexico
Hollywood Hills Speedway, located at Casino Hollywood in San Felipe Pueblo (between Albuquerque and Santa Fe), features special events through the year on its 3/8-mile clay oval track. Local drivers have the opportunity to compete in the 10,000-seat arena in classes ranging from Sprint Car to Hobby Stock. For more information, visit www.sanfelipecasnio.com and click on The Speedway button, or call 505-867-6700, ext. 600.
Sandia Motorsports Park near Albuquerque is a complex of various ovals, a road course, and a dirt motorcross course. The oval tracks feature Stock Car racing on Saturdays from May through October. The other tracks feature a variety of series and events. For schedules and more information, visit www.sandiamotorsports.com or call 505-352-8888.
Arroyo Seco Raceway in Deming features a drag-racing series as well as a road course with AMSA and SMRI motorcycle races and sports car events for the SCCA. For more information, visit www.arroyosecoraceway.com or call 505-544-3440.
Albuquerque National Dragway is a NHRA Division Seven track that adheres to all NHRA rules and regulations. Drivers must register with NHRA for membership and ET number. For more information, call the event line at 505-323-7077 or the track at 505-873-2684.
Aztec Speedway is a 1/3-mile, high-banked clay oval track that hosts Dwarf, Mini Stock, Modified, Stock and Thunder Bomber racing events in Aztec. For more info, call 505-334-2023.
Southern New Mexico Speedway in Las Cruces is a 5/16-mile oval clay track with a track featuring 4 degrees of banking at its bottom and 12 degrees of banking on the outside. For more information, visit www.snmspeedway.com.
Wyoming
Big Country Speedway in Cheyenne hosts racing every Saturday night through September. The track's weekly program consists of Late Models, Super Stocks, Mini Stocks, and Pure Stocks. For more information, visit www.bigcountryspeedway.com or call 307-632-2107.
Casper Speedway located in Casper, runs through May and ends Sept. 29. The track is a semi-banked half-mile clay oval. For more information call 307-473-1016.
Douglas Motorsports Park is a NHRA Division five-member track founded in 2003. The season for the quarter-mile track culminates with the Speedway Superstop Race Weekend on Sept. 29-30. Visit www.douglasmotorsportpark.com for more information.
