By Laci Williams, Commentary | Rocky Mountain Voice
For 65 years, Bandimere Speedway provided a safe haven for adrenaline junkies chasing speed over a quarter mile.
Yesterday, we said goodbye. The multi-generational Bandimere family welcomed multi-generational racers and the public to a “Surrender the Mountain” final event, including a final burnout from John Bandimere Jr., a speech from John “Sporty” Bandimere, the removal of the lighting system, and a final public walk down the raceway.
John Bandimere Jr. explained during his farewell that with houses being built around the racetrack and the growing popularity of the sport, it had outgrown the space. He noted that it was time for a new chapter.
It is indeed the end of an era of racing for Colorado, as the track is set to close officially today, Oct. 21, 2024, with a new location proposed in Hudson. While there is hope for the future, the reality is that, according to a Bandimere family member, they are still in the early stages of construction and have just completed soil sampling.
The Bandimere family aims to bring the same spirit of family, hard work, and faith to this new location, ensuring racers can continue to enjoy high speeds safely. This time, there will be less county intrusion, as they move from Jefferson County to Weld County.
John Bandimere, Jr., concluded the event with a prayer, saying, “The Mountain never belonged to us. It belongs to God. After all, it is just dirt.”
The spirit of racing will live on in a new decade and a new location, sustained by the same freedom-loving, God-fearing family that has bound the community with a common thread: the love of testing the limits of speed.
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