Bandimeres Explore Relocation to Hudson, Colorado for New Expanded Facility
Bandimere Speedway, a legendary track in drag racing, is eyeing its next facility location in Hudson, a small town in Weld County. This potential new site, which spans 1,100 acres, is more than seven times the size of the former Morrison location. This expansion could bring significant upgrades to the beloved dragstrip, including a mile-long track and additional amenities.
According to John Bandimere Jr., the expanded space provides an opportunity to explore features they’ve always envisioned. “The size of the property has made it so we can look at a lot of things we’ve always wanted to do,” he shared. “There are opportunities for a lot of our sponsors and other people to do things they’ve always wanted to do, too. One simple deal is we definitely would like to have a go-kart track.”
The new Hudson site would also include a quarter-mile racing strip, addressing limitations that the previous three-quarter mile track had with today’s faster cars. “That extra space gives you a quarter mile to race and three-quarters to shut down,” Bandimere noted. He emphasized that cars now reach speeds of 200 mph within a quarter-mile, making additional stopping space a necessity.
While the Bandimere family is excited about the potential move and expansion, the process is still in its due diligence phase. During this inspection process, the team discovered a wetland issue on the property. However, Bandimere considers it a “fixable” challenge.
The family-run speedway, now led by Bandimere Jr.’s son, John “Sporty” Bandimere, hopes to have the new facility partially open by 2025, with full operations by 2026. While a partial opening may not be profitable, Bandimere Jr. emphasizes that maintaining the racing family’s legacy is the top priority: “It’s about keeping this racing family together.”
Meanwhile, the Morrison location will be repurposed by global auto company Copart, which plans to build a vehicle auction center on most of the site. In a move to preserve Morrison’s growth potential, the town annexed the 125-acre site, with 16 acres transferred for potential retail or commercial development. This agreement was made in partnership between Copart and Bandimere, who shared the costs.
Bandimere Speedway, founded by John Bandimere Sr. in 1957, closed its doors at the end of the 2023 season, bringing an end to a historic era.
The final tree removal took place at Bandimere Speedway on October 20, 2024. John Bandimere Junior and his wife, Lorraine, made the final pass down the track before the tree was removed during the “Surrender the Mountain” ceremony. In a recent post on Bandimere’s social media stated, “It’s time to say farewell… for now.”
This story was originally published on October 29, 2024.
The post Bandimeres Explore Relocation to Hudson, Colorado for New Expanded Facility first appeared on Drag Illustrated.
