Latest news with #dragRacing
CBS News
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Bandimere eyes property in northeast Colorado for new speedway
A new era of racing cars at a speedway in Colorado may be just down the road. John Bandimere Jr. told CBS News Colorado last week, "We also promised you that when we had news, we would share it with you. Well, we have some news." Bandimere Speedway CBS Bandimere Jr. said that the organization, with partners, closed on the first parcel of land near Hudson in Weld County. He said this is the first piece of a "complex puzzle" that would also include acquiring property around it. Bandimere Jr. did not give the exact location of the property. "Zoning and annexation will now be taking place, with the exact timing not really sure, and we're not really clear as to how that will all work out," Bandimere Jr. said. "I know, most of you understand ... we've been working to continue the automobile legacy," John Bandimere Jr. said in a YouTube video. Bandimere Speedway stopped 65 years of drag racing on Hogback Mountain in October 2024. Bandimere Speedway regularly hosted nearly 130 events each year and had more than 1,700 registered races each season. Since leaving the location in Morrison next to C470, the family said it would continue to look for a new location. Bandimere said his parents started the car racing facility back in 1958.
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Horrifying moment car crashes into crowd of spectators at Polish drag racing event - leaving at least 17 injured
This is the horrifying moment that a car crashed into a crowd of spectators at a drag-racing event. Four people have reportedly been left in a life-threatening condition following the incident in Krosno, south Poland. Footage posted by Polish outlet Remiza shows a 27-year-old driver losing control of a green BMW shortly after pulling away from the start line for the quarter-mile race. The vehicle can be seen swerving to the left before skidding in the opposite direction and heading straight for a crowd of spectators before the driver managed to bring the car to a halt. At least 17 fans have been injured as a result of the accident, which saw more than 10 rescue teams called to the scene at 12.30pm local time. Firefighters and an air ambulance crew from Krakow have also arrived at the scene. Co najmniej 14 osób zostało poszkodowanych w wypadku podczas wyścigu na 1/4 mili na lotnisku w Krośnie. — (@remizacompl) May 25, 2025 A post from the local fire service on social media read: 'Nearly 30 firefighters (9 deputies) from the Krosno district fire department are providing assistance to the victims of an accident that occurred on the apron of the Krosno airport during a car race. 'PRM rescuers and firefighters provided assistance to 14 people.' Polish media report that there have been no fatalities so far, with investigators currently attempting to determine the cause of the accident.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ron Capps Shares His Passion for Racing—and Hawaii
Ron Capps, one of the most recognized names in NHRA drag racing, has enjoyed a long and successful career fueled by speed, passion, and a strong connection to his sponsors and fans. A key part of that journey has been his relationship with NAPA Auto Parts, which has backed him for many years. 'NAPA has been with me through so many chapters of my racing life,' Capps says. 'They're more than a sponsor—they're family.' he told John Veneri in an interview on Living808. In 2021, Capps took a bold step and launched his own team, Ron Capps Motorsports. 'Starting my own team was a dream come true,' he shares. 'It's been a lot of work, but incredibly rewarding.' His website, details the team's accomplishments and the vision that drives them forward. Beyond the track, Capps has formed a deep bond with Hawaii. 'I've been coming to the islands for over a decade,' he says. 'Whether it's making appearances at NAPA stores or visiting local tracks, I've always felt the aloha spirit from fans here.' As for racing, Capps describes the thrill of hitting speeds over 330 mph as 'something you never quite get used to—it's an adrenaline rush every time.' Preparation is key, both mentally and physically. 'Staying focused, staying fit, and respecting the car—that's how you stay safe and competitive.' Looking ahead, Capps is focused on climbing the NHRA standings and adding more championships to his resume. 'I still have goals I want to chase, records to break. And I hope to keep sharing that journey with fans—especially in Hawaii.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- CBS News
Drag racer Brittany Force hopes for redemption at Route 66 NHRA Nationals
Before zooming to Joliet for this weekend's Route 66 NHRA Nationals, a crew of drag racers — including "fastest female on earth" Brittany Force — made a pit stop in downtown Chicago. As Force looks for some redemption at Route 66, she is fueled by her historic run in Charlotte, North Carolina last month when she shattered the top fuel speed record at over 340 mph. "We did that in Charlotte a couple weeks ago. Very proud of that. It's such a team effort to do that, and it's just something we hope we hold onto for a long time," Force said. It was a rough year last year for Force in Chicago. Force, a two-time world champion, failed to qualify for the first time in 187 races. She's looking for redemption now. "We have this extra motivation, incentive to win, just because, our performance was not there last season," said Force. "We didn't qualify, and I can't remember the last time that we DNQ'd." Brittany Force's dad, the legendary drag racer James Force, is cheering on his daughter from the owner's seat. He has not been back behind the wheel since a horrific crash last June in Virginia, when his Funny Car engine exploded. James Force suffered a traumatic brain injury in the crash. But the 76-year-old said he is amazingly well down the road to recovery. "I'm doing good. You know, I was in the hospital for four or five months, and then now, I'm in rehab," said James Force. "But it's exciting for me to get back out here with my teams, to watch [Jack] Beckman and [Austin] Prock, and of course, my daughter, Brittany." James Force said he does not want to talk about retirement just yet. "Right now, because I've had seven or eight crashes and I just turned 76 a week ago, my doctors are asking me why. You've got enough money. You've got drivers that are winning. But I love driving. So if a doctor wants to hold me out, they can do that. There's certain things that have a value, but there's nothing like driving — NHRA drag racing," he said. "God looks down on you, and I think He does, He's going to say: 'Why are you praying all the time? You're the one that gets in those things.' But they're really built safe. We build our own cars, and safety is really good." The Route 66 Nationals will be held Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at Route 66 Raceway in Joliet.
The Drive
09-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Drive
This Big Block-Powered Chevy Spark Ran a 9.99-Second Quarter Mile
It's safe to say this tiny econobox nicknamed Crouton is the quickest Chevrolet Spark in the world. YouTuber Cleetus McFarland and his team have been preparing for the Burnout Rivals competition, and this wicked red hatchback was the basis for it. However, things took a turn when they decided to throw drag radials on it and attempt to make it the quickest (and fastest) Chevy Spark through the quarter-mile. And it seems they pulled it off, smashing a 9.995-second run. They may call it a Chevy Spark, but it's as much of one as Toyota's NASCAR racer is a true Camry. The Spark had most of its unibody chassis cut out and replaced with custom-built tubular steel and subframes. The seat is pushed back much further than in the standard car, since the subcompact now needs to accommodate a longitudinal big-block Chevy V8 and Turbo 400 sequential gearbox, which now power the rear wheels instead of the stock car's fronts. The big block was originally quoted as a 632 cubic-inch an earlier video about the build, which would make it a 10.3-liter Chevy V8 crate engine with an astonishing 1,004 horsepower and 876 lb-ft of torque right out of the box. However, in the newest video of the track run, it is quoted as an 8.8-liter, which would make it a 540 cubic-inch block. We're unsure what happened there, but either way, it's enough to power the roughly 1,500-pound Spark, given that it's little more than a bare chassis and an engine. It's no wonder it's an absolute drag strip missile with all that power sending it down the strip. After a few runs in the low 10-second range, McFarland finally broke the nine-second barrier, which likely makes it the most capable Spark on the planet. According to the YouTuber, the previous Spark quarter-mile record was 18.1 seconds. There's no guarantee, of course, as you never know what kind of wild contraptions people without massive YouTube followings have built. However, it seems unlikely that anyone else has had the desire to build such an absurd dragster out of one of the least-interesting hatchbacks in recent memory. Got tips? Send 'em to tips@ Nico DeMattia is a staff writer at The Drive. He started writing about cars on his own blog to express his opinions when no one else would publish them back in 2015, and eventually turned it into a full-time career.
