MORRISON — As Bandimere Speedway hosts its final Mile-High Nationals this weekend ahead of its closure later this year, the family that owns the track is intent on building a new facility on a plot about 10 times its size.
Speedway owner John Bandimere Jr. said his hope is to take a year off in 2024, then open up a new facility in 2025 that will likely be located somewhere near Denver International Airport.
“Everybody thinks that we’re being pushed out by houses,” Bandimere said Wednesday. “Of course, there’s no question, they’re building a lot of houses around us. But that’s not why we’re leaving. We really feel comfortable with why we’re leaving: We need more space.”
The current speedway sits on about 100 usable acres, and Bandimere said the 65-year-old facility’s parking is about to become a major issue beyond 2023. The family is looking at two different sites near DIA, where Bandimere said the plan is to build on around 1,100 acres.
“Most (racing) facilities need about 350 acres,” Bandimere said. “Consequently, we haven’t had any room for parking. We’ve been renting our neighbors’ lots for parking, and they’re under contract to sell also, because there’s so much development happening in the valley.”
Bandimere declined to say who is buying the speedway land, citing a confidentiality agreement, but called it a “phenomenal use for the property” and that the deal is on pace to get done this year.
His comments indicated that the current buyer is not a housing developer, but instead a company that will maintain a connection to the automotive industry.
“I want the people to understand that the use of this property in the days to come, if the (current deal goes through), really won’t be any different than what it’s been for 65 years,” Bandimere said. “Because there definitely will be vehicles here. You look over here to the mountain, and you see trucks and trailers and campers, you name it. It will be very similar to that.
“Everything is moving along in a timely fashion (with the deal). Whether this goes through from where we’re at right now (is always a variable), but we have a backup offer. So there’s no question, this will be the last year here.”
While the Bandimeres won’t be able to replicate the unique beauty of Thunder Mountain on Denver’s eastern plains, Bandimere said the new facility will have all the modern-day amenities the current one lacks — such as restrooms, running water and grandstands with backs — while also carrying over some of the track’s unique infrastructure such as downhill staging and an uphill shutdown.
Bandimere said he envisions the new facility also including a go-kart track, which the current track has, and ample parking. Plus, possibly a road course for racing car enthusiasts, garages for individual auto storage/work, and industrial buildings on the property’s edges so the track can’t get hemmed in by Denver’s suburban sprawl, as happened with the current track.
“We’ve been looking for a long time, and we feel now is the time to be proactive, rather than reactive (to outside circumstances),” Bandimere said. “It’s been 65 years of no water, no sewer out here. We haul water in, and we haul stuff out… It’d be really nice to have a facility where you can invite mom and the kids to come out and have a real restroom.”
Since Bandimere Jr.’s father opened the track at its current location in 1958, it came close to officially selling just one other time. In 1996, Bandimere Jr. said his family was planning to sell the facility and move out by DIA, where they were going to build a NASCAR track/drag strip called Whirl Park.
But those plans fell through, leading to 27 more years of speed on Thunder Mountain.
“I’m glad that didn’t go through, because (upgrading) this facility has given us many years of many great opportunities and memories,” Bandimere said.
Bandimere Jr.’s son, John “Sporty” Bandimere III, indicated the new facility might not necessarily have the Bandimere name on it. Or, it could just have the family’s name associated with it, but the facility would officially be named something else.
Outside investors will more than likely be involved. Meanwhile, the purchaser of the current property is working on re-zoning Thunder Mountain to meet its needs before the deal is finalized.
“Racing is what we do, but it’s not who we are,” said Sporty, who is a member of the track’s executive team. “Whether we own the new facility or not really doesn’t matter to us. We want a place for this (racing) community to go — to watch events, to compete in events, to be a part of it.”
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