Welcome to Colorado National Speedway
The entire staff and management of Colorado National Speedway is saddened by the recent passing of Gene Heffley. Gene created Colorado National Speedway back in 1965. Gene is a member of the Colorado National Speedway Hall of Fame as well as a member of the Colorado Motorsports Hall of Fame.
Gene Heffley moved to Denver from Missouri Valley, Iowa in 1957, after serving five years in the military. In 1951, he met and married his wife Gerda. They started a trucking company and had two daughters, Helen and Patti. By 1960 this couple was operating four trucks. A year later he began to operate a salvage business in the Denver metropolitan area and sold parts to two individuals that were building race cars. When one could not pay for the parts, they ended up with the race car. With some help from some friends, Harry McCool and Bart Manley, they ran the #70 car at Lakeside Speedway. That is when he really got hooked.
In 1964, one of their drivers was Hall of Famer, Sam Sauer. Later that year they all went to a big race at Hanford, California. It was the first time they had seen a real late model race and he and Gerda decided to build a speedway designed car for late models. But that was just part of the story. In 1965, using the money from their trucking company they purchased an 80 acre parcel of farmland. On that site they designed and built a speedway, and called it Colorado National Speedway. They worked every day possible mid-year until the track was able to run a very short season. In 1966, they raced a full season with the idea of making racing possible for anybody that wanted to participate. The track had four foot retaining walls for the safety of spectators and they continued to make improvements both on and off the track. During the years they added motorcycles, sprint cars and midgets to their racing program. In 1972, after Gene was diagnosed with cancer, they decided it would be best to sell Colorado National Speedway. They were truly pioneers in short track dirt racing.
See also... National Speed Sport News
Day and Time: Sunday April 7, 2013 at 2:00pm
Location: Platte Valley Middle School "Field House"
Address: 700 Hill St. Kersey CO 80644
On Tuesday March 12 we lost one of the brightest stars of the Rocky Mountain racing community. A family member so to speak. Chris Leaf was considered indestructible in a race car. His aggressive driving style made him a fan favorite and a highly respected driver among his peers. Chris followed in his fathers footsteps as a driver at Colorado National Speedway starting in the old “Bomber” class in the early 1980’s. He continued racing at CNS until the track was converted to asphalt in 1989 at which time he moved the quarter mile I-76 Speedway in Ft. Morgan Colorado and Rocky Mountain National Speedway in Commerce City Colorado. Chris won at least two championships at I-76 before moving back to Colorado National Speedway in the early 1990’s to compete in the new Grand American Modified division. And compete he did winning 4 modified championships in that division in 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2001. As if that were not enough Chris bought a Pro-Truck and started competing in both the Grand American Modifieds and the Pro Trucks in 2000. In his first year in the Trucks he won the Rookie of the Year and the championship as well as the Grand American Modified championship. Chris then followed than season with a sweep of the two divisions again 2001. In total Chris won four Pro-Truck championships in 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003.
NEW START TIMES!
April: Grandstands open at 3:00PM - Races Start at 5:00PM (early season)
May - September: Grandstands open at 3:00PM - Races start at 6:30PM
March:
Pit Gate & Tech Open at: 10:00
Practice Starts: 11:00
Practice Ends: 4:30
Practice price is $15 per car and driver. Every additional person in pits is also $15.
April:
Pit Gate & Tech Open at: 11:00
Practice Starts: 1:00
Practice Ends: 3:00
Drivers Meeting: 3:15-3:30
Qualifying: 4:00-4:45
National Anthem and Announcements: 4:55
Racing Begins: 5:00 Sharp
May-September:
Pit Gate & Tech Open at: 12:00
Practice Starts: 2:00
Practice Ends: 4:30
Drivers Meeting: 4:45-5:00
Qualifying: 5:30-6:15
National Anthem and Announcements: 6:20
Racing Begins: 6:30 Sharp
Friday Test and Tunes starts Friday May 3rd. (no Friday T&T June 14th)
The pit gate will open at 3PM and cars will be allowed on the track from 3 to dark. Every car and driver will be a $25 entry in to the pits and each additional crew member will only be $5.
The Beer Garden will open from 5PM to 10PM and cold beverages will be available. A great time will be had by all so don't miss out on a inexpensive and FUN way to get some extra track time at Colorado National Speedway. Entrance into the beer garden will be free.
Early registration fees for the 2013 season are discounted to $75. This price will be honored through Friday April 5th. On Saturday April 6th, 2013 registration will be $95.
We're all looking forward to a great 2013 season here at CNS. Thank you for making our short track one of the best in the country!
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