Accelerating the dreams his parents realized decades ago, John Bandimere Jr. now envisions a new era for his iconic Colorado drag racing venue.

After operating in Jefferson County since 1958, Bandimere Speedway is poised to build a new drag racing venue after purchasing land northeast of Denver in unincorporated Weld County, according to Bandimere Jr.

“Most of you understand that while our family hasn’t been operating a schedule of races in Colorado, we have been working to continue the legacy of automobile racing that is started by my parents back in 1958,” Bandimere Jr. said on Thursday in a YouTube video titled “the first piece of the puzzle.”

The Bandimere family has long owned of the historic Bandimere Speedway in Morrison, 15 miles west of downtown Denver. The site was built before many of the local roadways were built and the nearby U.S. 285 was just a dirt road.

“Believe me when I tell you this has not been an easy undertaking, nor has it been a quick process,” Bandimere Jr. said of moving on.

In the video, Bandimere said the family has greenlighted the purchase of land located near the Weld County town of Hudson.

Bandimere didn’t specify what exact plot of land was purchased.

The family is the likely purchaser of a $3 million, 114-acre site near the northwest corner of Interstate 76 and Colorado 52, land previously owned by Rocky’s Autos Inc., according to BizWest reports.

A larger site could allow for more venue amenities, according to reports.

“This highly anticipated transaction is the first piece in a complex puzzle of a planned timeline for anticipated future negotiations for surrounding property zoning and annexation,” Bandimere Jr. said.

Bandimere Jr. said timelines are unclear for when zoning and annexation plans will face Weld County commissioners.

Back in 1957, the Bandimere family purchased land in Jefferson County, decades before C-470 was built adjacent to the speedway, at 3051 S Rooney Road. A year later, the quarter-mile-long racing strip, known as the “Thunder Mountain” racing strip, opened to the public.

Dragsters at Thunder Mountain accelerated to speeds over 300 mph.

Throughout its 65 years, Bandimere Speedway increased its spectator capacity from approximately 8,000 to over 23,500, according to its website.

The racing venue hosted many popular events, including the Mopar Mile-High National Hot Rod Association Nationals.

Final races took place in October 2023, before the race course fully closed in October last year.

But for Bandimere Jr., he hopes to continue accelerating the dream his parents envisioned long ago.

“This speedway was the fulfillment of a life-long dream of dad and mom’s,” Bandimere Jr. said on the website, adding he “looks forward to many more years in the business.”

During his announcement, Bandimere Jr. thanked those in Weld County and the drag racing community for supporting his family’s racing legacy.

“We want you to know how much we appreciate the fact you have been praying for us,” Bandimere Jr. said. “It does make a difference.”