ENS of thousands of fans have poured through the gates at Bandimere Speedway , and they ’ re all on their feet as 16-time NHRA Funny Car world champion John Force addresses the masses from the top end . After NHRA on FOX reporter Amanda Busick asks Force what makes this Morrison , Colorado , facility so special , the iconic Funny Car driver gives an impassioned response that sends vibrations through the facility not unlike those created by his 3.92-second , 320-MPH blast down the Bandimere 1,000-foot dragstrip just moments earlier during Friday night qualifying .
“ It ’ s Mount Rushmore ,” says Force , the winningest professional driver in Bandimere history with eight wins spanning 24 seasons . “ They built this in the side of a mountain . How do you do that ? I sat on that hill in ‘ 79 with my dad and [ John ] Bandimere Sr ., and they ’ re gone now , but we love this place . I won it because I had great crew chiefs – Austin Coil , Bernie [ Fedderly ], and others that are with me now , but at the end of the day , this place is important to us .
“ I understand how the world changes , but look , we packed ‘ em in here and we ’ ll pack ‘ em in on Saturday and Sunday ,” Force continues . “ I know the world ’ s changing and everybody needs room and they ’ re building homes , but this thing is something special . This is God ’ s gift . This is mythical shit up here .”
Force is referencing the rapidly growing housing development on the other side of Colorado State Highway 470 , one of the reasons fans have speculated that Bandimere Speedway is closing at the end of the 2023 season . But for one reason or another , the track is destined to close after celebrating 65 years of drag racing at one of the most picturesque dragstrips in the world . Fans and racers from nearby towns like Golden and Littleton and from around the world have made the pilgrimage to Bandimere for one final NHRA Mile-High Nationals . They ’ re here to reminisce , create new memories , and show their appreciation for the Bandimere family , and Force is right there with them .
“ I love racing ,” Force says , “ and I love this hill , and I want ‘ em all to know it .”
THE 43RD ANNUAL Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals begins bright and early on Friday , July 14th with time runs for NHRA Lucas Oil Series sportsman classes like Super Street , Stock , Super Comp , Super Stock , and Super Gas . Later , Top Dragster and Top
Sportsman will join the fold . Unlike most other national events on the NHRA Camping World Series tour , the fans have already started to file into the grandstands to watch racers like nearby Golden ’ s own Scott Burton , who will go on to win his fourth national event Wally in Super Stock on Sunday .
“ The atmosphere is always different here because the fans watch every run of every class ,” says Brian Lohnes , the lead broadcaster for NHRA on FOX . “ Even during the early part of the weekend , you ’ ll see people actively watching Super Gas the same way they would watch the fuel cars or Pro Stock . That has always impressed me about this place . The fans are dedicated to basically watching all of it .”
As the nitro pits start humming with action , a large crowd gathers around Antron Brown ’ s Matco Tools Top Fuel dragster pit area . Fans who follow the NHRA news cycle closely know sixtime NHRA world champion Kenny Bernstein is set to warm up Brown ’ s Top Fuel machine , marking the 69-time national event winner ’ s first time back in the seat of a nitro car since his final Funny Car campaign in 2007 .
The choice to have Bernstein do this warmup at Bandimere wasn ’ t an accident . The International Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee met his wife here 42 years ago , and he ’ s won
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