Located 30 minutes north of Denver, just off Interstate 25, rests the last asphalt short track in the state of Colorado.
The facility, Colorado National Speedway, has taken many forms since Gene and Gerta Heffley first conceived the idea of building a race track on what once was 80 acres of farmland at the foot of the Rocky Mountains.
Located in Dacono, Colorado, the track opened for business in 1965 as a one-mile dirt oval and was later reconfigured into a high-banked, half-mile dirt track. Colorado National Speedway took its current form in 1989, when the racing surface was again reconfigured and paved to create the current 0.375-mile asphalt oval.
Brian Laurence, who has served as general manager of Colorado National Speedway since 2014, knows better than anyone the challenges that come with running a race track.
One is the constant questioning of the future of the venue, which is the only NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series track in the state.
“Having been here as long as I have, I got used to the fact that at least once a month someone would knock on the door and ask if the property was for sale,” Laurence said. “Our former owners (Jim and Sue Nordhougen) would always ask the exact same question: What do you want to do with it? Sometimes it’s condos, sometimes it’s warehouses, sometimes they’re going to store garbage trucks. You never knew what the answer was really going to be.
“The owners’ response was always, ‘Sorry, it’s only for sale to someone who wants to run a race track.’ It’s been here too long, and it’s got too much tradition behind it to just bulldoze it and say goodbye.”
Enter Chad Andersen and Stacy Bivona-Andersen, who took ownership of the facility in 2025 and gave it a much-needed refresh.
“They have infused some cash into the place, which has allowed us to put in some new bleachers and some new concrete all through the pits and dress that up,” Laurence said. “Everything out here has gotten a coat of paint. Sanded down, primed up and painted up. I don’t want to say it looks brand new, because one of the things they focused on was not destroying the nostalgic value of the place.
“They came to understand no one wants the place to be completely reinvented. What they’re looking for is the same old place they’ve always come to, just fixed up a little bit. That’s been their focus, to bring things back to a level where you go, ‘Boy, they’ve really put some effort into this.’”
The efforts by the new ownership group haven’t gone unnoticed by competitors. Dan Alamaa, who competes in the Late Model class, was once a regular at I-25 Speedway in nearby Pueblo, Colorado.
That track, like all the other asphalt short tracks in the state beyond Colorado National, has closed.
“There are times you want to complain about calls or officiating or this or that, but at the end of the day, this is the only asphalt track in the state now, and you have to embrace it,” Alamaa said. “It’s the only place to be if you’re into this. You’ve got to love it.”
From a driver’s perspective, Alamaa said there is everything to love and nothing to hate about Colorado National Speedway.
“It’s wide enough to pass and race without tearing each other up,” Alamaa said. “They say if you can win up here you can pretty much run anywhere, and I think a lot of guys have really proved that. (Jace) Hansen, (Jerry) Robertson, those kinds of guys that go to different race tracks and they’re a threat.”
Colorado National Speedway typically hosts NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series competition from May through October, with Super Late Models serving as the headlining division alongside a variety of other classes including Late Models, Pro Trucks, Super Stocks, Legends, Bandoleros and more. The track also hosts other events such as annual visits by the ARCA Menards Series West and CARS Tour West, Figure 8 racing and car meets.
A major focus for the team at Colorado National Speedway is to make sure the track and amenities are always family friendly. That includes everything from the cost of concessions to making sure there is a family section in the grandstands.
The goal is simple: Make sure the entire family has fun, and if they all do, they’ll be more inclined to come back.
“At the very basic level, my statement to everybody and anybody who has never been here before is this is still a place where a family of four can drive in, park, get in the gate and feed the family of four for $100 or less,” Laurence said. “That’s to get them in the door. Once you’re here, the thing that seems to surprise most people is that it is so family centric. We have a family section that is no alcohol and no smoking.
“My security team feels unnecessarily small until you realize the crowd basically polices itself. The moms and dads all know each other. They all sit in the same seats every weekend. Typically, people that get out of line are basically scolded and put in their place by some of our race moms long before security ever even gets there.”
Despite the challenges that come with operating a race track, Laurence says Colorado National Speedway continues to thrive. There were challenging times, like during the COVID-19 pandemic, but the facility continues to thrill fans and competitors alike on a weekly basis.
The track was repaved in 2019 shortly before the pandemic. That, combined with the upgrades being made by the new ownership group, has Laurence excited to find out what the future holds for the last asphalt short track in Colorado.
“We’re thrilled to be where we are and with where things are going,” Laurence said. “We read the news. We see unfortunately a lot of our sister tracks shutting down. We’re the last ones here in Colorado.
“People need a place to get away from the real world and enjoy a hobby. So, we’re committed to working like hell to keeping this place here, keep it open and continue making improvements.”
Colorado National Speedway will host its Advance Auto Parts Night at the Races on Saturday, Aug. 9. Full details and ticket information are available by visiting www.coloradospeedway.com.
