Bandimere Speedway owner John Bandimere Jr. has mixed feelings about the National Hot Rod Association’s unprecedented move to shorten the race course by 320 feet for top fuel dragsters and funny cars.
Bandimere applauds the NHRA for “doing something” in the wake of the June 21 accident that killed funny car driver Scott Kalitta, but he isn’t sure reducing his track’s course length from a quarter-mile to 1,000 feet is the answer.
“I’m more than interested in safety, but for the life of me I do not understand what it really does, especially at our track, where we’re at 5,080 feet (above sea level),” Bandimere said. “When you get to sea level, they’re making so much more horsepower, and I can understand taking 320 feet out gives you the possibility of slowing the cars down.”
Next weekend’s Mopar Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere marks the first time the NHRA will use 1,000-foot tracks. The grandstands at the Morrison track stop well before the 1,320-foot finish line, so no spectators will be shortchanged.
“I guess the positive thing is this: We’ll be making 1,000-foot records next week,” Bandimere said.
Bandimere was happy to learn Thursday night that the NHRA today will take the “interim” tag off its unprecedented move and run the rest of the season on 1,000-foot tracks while the investigation of Kalitta’s crash continues.
Kalitta, a three-time top fuel champion at Bandimere’s national event, is the third NHRA driver in the past four years to suffer fatal injuries.
Kalitta’s car exploded after exceeding 300 miles per hour, catching fire and crashing into a concrete post beyond the turn-off zone in Englishtown, N.J. His parachutes did not open.
The NHRA reports nine deaths during national events since its first race in 1955.
Legendary funny car driver John Force escaped death in September after a spectacular crash in Ennis, Texas.
“I support the NHRA decision, for now,” Force said of the shortened track. “It was one of several options they considered, but it’s one of the few things that could be done immediately to reduce speeds.”
Bandimere, 70, has been in the drag-racing business since he was 18. He is in favor of reducing speeds by limiting horsepower, but not by using a shorter track that diminishes the appeal for fans.
Bandimere’s speed record is 331.45 mph, set by top fuel’s Tony Schumacher in 2005. Racers might not exceed 300 mph next week.
“But it doesn’t make a difference; (the cars) still are what they are,” Bandimere said. “They still make noise. They’re still the fastest cars in the world. So it probably won’t change anything as far as the excitement and how the thing really works.”
Mike Chambers: 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com
