Mile-High Nationals (1 Viewer)

[none]

Leaving the 19th for a two week road trip with the wife and daughter thru the Dakotas, Stanley Hotel, Colorado etc. We`re going three days to the Denver race for the first time, staying in Lone Tree (about 20 miles from Bandimere). East Side seating on the starting line Fri and Sun, last set of East Side stands on Sat. Sherwood says I`m going to fry over there! Ponied up the $25 each day for the Preferred parking too. Have been wanting to attend this race for years, but Seattle is always so much easier for us. Looking forward to it! Who else is going?

 

[Toejam]

Leaving the 19th for a two week road trip with the wife and daughter thru the Dakotas, Stanley Hotel, Colorado etc. We`re going three days to the Denver race for the first time, staying in Lone Tree (about 20 miles from Bandimere). East Side seating on the starting line Fri and Sun, last set of East Side stands on Sat. Sherwood says I`m going to fry over there! Ponied up the $25 each day for the Preferred parking too. Have been wanting to attend this race for years, but Seattle is always so much easier for us. Looking forward to it! Who else is going?

Get in Friday night, driving! Chris, make sure you take the Coors Brewery tour! The Hospitality area is awesome!

 

[none]

I'd love to do the Coors tour, don't think it's going to happen. Driving from Mount Rushmore to Estes Park and staying at the Stanley hotel Thu night and then to the hotel in Lone Tree or straight to the track Friday morning. Driving to Colorado Springs after the race on Sun.

 

[The Swegian]

East Side seating on the starting line Fri and Sun, last set of East Side stands on Sat. Sherwood says I`m going to fry over there!

Does the sun only shine on one side of the track?

 

[santed66]

Chris,
If you have need anything while you are in the let me know. I work not far from where you are staying and live near the track. It is defiantly hotter on the East side and the shade hits it much later than on the west side. You should really enjoy the Stanley and Estes Park...beautiful little town.

 

[none]

Appreciate that Joel

 

[Chili]

Lone Tree is a really nice area. Getting to and from the track should be easy as very little race traffic heads south on c-470. Since your in the preferred lot I think they force you to exit south which will work best for you. Getting out of the lot takes some time though.

 

[Frank]

I'd love to do the Coors tour, don't think it's going to happen. Driving from Mount Rushmore to Estes Park and staying at the Stanley hotel Thu night and then to the hotel in Lone Tree or straight to the track Friday morning. Driving to Colorado Springs after the race on Sun.

Chris, you should have plenty of time to go to the hotel Friday morning if they'll give you an early check in. The pros don't make their first runs until 5. Stock/Super Stock class eliminations at 2:45, top sportsman/dragster qualify sometime around 3:30 or 4, and since I'm not a big fan of throttle stop racing, I'll probably get to the track at 1, 1:30 on Friday.

http://www.nhra.net/2015/images/NHRARacer/14-detailedrunschedule2015DC1.pdf

 

[none]

Chris, you should have plenty of time to go to the hotel Friday morning if they'll give you an early check in. The pros don't make their first runs until 5. Stock/Super Stock class eliminations at 2:45, top sportsman/dragster qualify sometime around 3:30 or 4, and since I'm not a big fan of throttle stop racing, I'll probably get to the track at 1, 1:30 on Friday.

http://www.nhra.net/2015/images/NHRARacer/14-detailedrunschedule2015DC1.pdf

Yeah, saw that Frank. Pros start late Fri and Sat. We figure on getting out there around 2 or so Fri

 

[Luke Nieuwhof]

I have great memories of Denver. Go and check out the dinosaur bones and tracks in the hills nearby, you can actually get quite a good view of the track from there too!

 

[santed66]

Our local news is saying hot (low 90s) but only a slight chance of rain!

 

[Toejam]

I have great memories of Denver. Go and check out the dinosaur bones and tracks in the hills nearby, you can actually get quite a good view of the track from there too!
View attachment 3248 View attachment 3249 View attachment 3250

Is that Dinosaur Ridge???

 

[Frank]

Is that Dinosaur Ridge???

Yes it is Joe. I'm sure you know this already but Chris Shoen might not, Red Rocks amphitheater is on the other side of the mountain from both the track and dinosaur ridge. Definitely worth checking out in the morning on Friday or Saturday since the pros don't run until the evening.

Nice pictures Luke. When I was a kid, that road used to be one of the ways you got to the track. The highway you see in the picture (C-470) didn't come until 1990 or 91 I believe. Anyway, it was a Thursday and we went to see Comp and Alcohol qualifying. My dad got out of work late so we were up on that road when Alcohol Funny Car started. We pulled over and watched two pairs (traffic guy on an ATV made us leave after the second pair). It was pretty cool seeing the cars launch but not hearing the loud sound for a couple of seconds. The cars would be somewhere around the 330' mark when the sound would come blasting into our ears.

 

[SundayNiagara]

High temps, thin air, smoke/prdal fests - No Thanks!

 

[Frank]

High temps, thin air, smoke/prdal fests - No Thanks!

Mark, when it's 90 degrees in Chicago, or Indy, or any other summer track, and the sun is beating down, the track temps will get up around 140. Because Bandimere has a cooling system running under the track (305 feet past the starting line and 40 feet behind it), the track temps are reduced by 15-25 degrees making the all important first 300 feet more accepting to the power the teams are trying to throw at it. True the cars don't run as quick and fast as they do at sea level, but the lanes are equal, the racing is close, and you still see some impressive numbers put up on the boards. Plus the oil down cleanups and rain delays are shorter because Bandimere has every machine the NHRA has so you have double the equipment/double the guys gals working on the track to get it back to race condition. Yes I have some hometown bias, but it really is a pretty neat event to attend.

 

[rckymtn3]

http://www.nitromater.com/threads/mile-high-nationals.30608/

other tips etc

 

[santed66]

It was pretty cool seeing the cars launch but not hearing the loud sound for a couple of seconds. The cars would be somewhere around the 330' mark when the sound would come blasting into our ears.

If the conditions are right I can hear the fuel cars from my house. It is pretty cool.

 

[SundayNiagara]

Mark, when it's 90 degrees in Chicago, or Indy, or any other summer track, and the sun is beating down, the track temps will get up around 140. Because Bandimere has a cooling system running under the track (305 feet past the starting line and 40 feet behind it), the track temps are reduced by 15-25 degrees making the all important first 300 feet more accepting to the power the teams are trying to throw at it. True the cars don't run as quick and fast as they do at sea level, but the lanes are equal, the racing is close, and you still see some impressive numbers put up on the boards. Plus the oil down cleanups and rain delays are shorter because Bandimere has every machine the NHRA has so you have double the equipment/double the guys gals working on the track to get it back to race condition. Yes I have some hometown bias, but it really is a pretty neat event to attend.

No thanks!

 

[T.Smith]

Denver and Bristol are the last two I haven't been to. I'm going to try to scratch them both off the list next year.

 

[Huge]

Denver and Bristol are the last two I haven't been to. I'm going to try to scratch them both off the list next year.

I scratched my last two off at Reading last year and Epping this year. The past two days the weather has been pretty nice up here on the mountain.