MILE-HIGH NATIONALS
wanted to come out for years , we just never made it , but now knowing it ’ s the last race , we ’ re here .’ The crowd size , the atmosphere – you can definitely tell people love this place and they ’ re sad that it ’ s going away .”
Like so many of the Bandimere employees , Arnold has fielded question after question about why the track is closing , if the Bandimere family will rebuild , and if so , where they will rebuild . While it ’ s tough to not have the answers to some questions , Arnold realizes the questions come from the fanbase ’ s passion for the track .
“ We ’ ve always felt love from the community ,” she says . “ Everybody has been very supportive . A lot of concern . I know racing in general struggles sometimes . It ’ s difficult to get the crowds and the competitors and all that together to have an event like this . So , I understand both sides of the coin . I think that everybody has really stepped up and embraced it .”
The fans who come out on Saturday are treated to two qualifying sessions that include some of the quickest and fastest passes in track history . Reigning Top Fuel world champion Brittany Force lays down a 3.724 at 337.33 in her Monster Energy dragster , setting a new track speed record .
“ We ’ re really proud of our run ,” Force says . “ I love this racetrack and I ’ ve been coming here since I was a kid . We want to leave our mark here , and to run 337 , I ’ m proud of this entire Monster Energy team .”
Enders , driver of the Johnson ’ s Horsepowered Garage / Melling Performance Camaro , joins Force as a No . 1 qualifier when her pass from Friday maintains its spot atop the qualifying order .
“ It ’ s always challenging to come up here on the mountain ,” says Enders , who ’ s also a part of the Mountain Motor Pro Stock field . “ Pro Stock cars , we ’ re down quite a bit of horsepower and our shift points come at different increments than normal . Having said all of that , I feel like we performed pretty awesome this weekend and we ’ re going to try to continue that tomorrow .”
CHRIS VANG
RACE DAY SUNDAY begins with the Sealmaster Track Walk hosted by NHRA announcer Joe Castello . The crowd returns to the starting line for driver intros and opening ceremonies , which includes emotional remarks by John Bandimere Jr . and his wife , Lorraine . They ’ re joined by Top Fuel driver Leah Pruett , the honorary starter , as well as NHRA President Glen Cromwell and Dodge ’ s Mark Whitney , who present the Bandimeres with a special edition of National Dragster with the family on the cover . Bandimere Jr ., who ’ s addressed the fans and held pre-race prayers each day , lets the weight of the moment shine through in his words .
“ What runs through my mind is relationships and family ,” Bandimere Jr . says . “ If it wasn ’ t for our family , we wouldn ’ t be here . We ’ re just a little bit fragile right now , so thank you , and may the Lord bless you .”
Thirty years after his father built the track in 1958 , Bandimere Jr . put his own stamp on the family legacy by completing a multi-million-dollar overhaul of the facility in 1988 . The second-generation track owner ’ s bet paid off , as Bandimere Speedway quickly became one of the destination tracks on the NHRA tour . The third and fourth generations of the family now work at the track , each adding their own influence on
an incredible legacy .
“ I think the Bandimere family has been one of the handful of families that have shown people the right way to do this ,” Lohnes says . “ You put them in a very small group with the Bader family [ of Summit Motorsports Park in Norwalk , Ohio ], with the New family up at Firebird [ Raceway near Boise , Idaho ], and people in that ilk because this is the gold standard of how you operate a facility . Every part of this place looks like it was put here last week , and in fact , most of it ’ s been here since 1988 when they redid it . I think the significance they have and the legacy they have at this track is that if you wanted to see how the job should be done , this is how you do it .”
As eliminations progress , numerous captivating story lines develop into unforgettable moments for the drivers and teams that will now be able to say they won the final NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway .
In Top Fuel , Clay Millican claims the second Wally of the season for second-year team owner Rick Ware and the Parts Plus team . He knocks down one of the winningest drivers in the class , Doug Kalitta , in the final round .
“ When you race Doug Kalitta , you can ’ t leave anything on the table ,” Millican says . “ Man oh man , what this group has done . We had not won a single round until Chicago . What do we do , we win the race . So , when we won first round here , I ’ m like , we ’ re winning the race .
“ It ’ s pretty amazing what [ crew chief Jim Oberhofer ] has done ,” Millican continues . “ When he gets it , he just does it over and over and over . I just can ’ t believe how good this was . It was exactly like Chicago – the only way for me to lose this race was for me to do something wrong . Thank the man upstairs , I didn ’ t do anything wrong . It ’ s just incredible what happens when the firstround win light comes on . You hold a Wally .”
The Funny Car win goes to points leader Matt Hagan , who repeats his performance from the 2021 Mile-High Nationals . It was truly like déjà vu for Hagan , as his path to the winner ’ s circle was the exact same both years – firstand second-round wins over Chris King and
DRIVING THE KRAMER FAMILY ’ S CAMARO , COLORADO NATIVE CHRIS VANG ENSURED THE FIRST MOUNTAIN MOTOR PRO STOCK MILE-HIGH NATIONALS WALLY WOULD STAY IN THE STATE WHEN HE DEFEATED FIVE-TIME NHRA PRO STOCK WORLD CHAMPION ERICA ENDERS IN THE FINAL ROUND .
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