Colorado National Speedway facts for kids
| CNS | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Location | 4281 Speedway Boulevard Dacono, Colorado |
| Time zone | UTC−07:00 (UTC−06:00 DST) |
| Coordinates | 40°3′34.85″N 104°58′27.71″W / 40.0596806°N 104.9743639°W |
| Opened | 1965 |
| Major events | Current: ARCA Menards Series West (1995–1996, 2001, 2004, 2007–2021, 2025) Former: NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Colorado 250 (1995–1997) NASCAR Southwest Series (1992–2006) NASCAR Midwest Series (1999–2006) |
| Oval (1965–present) | |
| Surface | Asphalt |
| Length | 0.375 mi (0.604 km) |
| Turns | 4 |
| Race lap record | 0:17.173 ( Trevor Huddleston, Ford Fusion NASCAR, 2025, ARCA Menards) |
| Website | https://www.coloradospeedway.com/ |
Colorado National Speedway, often called CNS, is a cool race track in Dacono, Colorado. It's a paved oval track that is about 0.375 miles (0.604 kilometers) long. This exciting speedway is part of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series.
Every year, CNS hosts several big racing events. These include the ARCA Menards Series West and the thrilling King of the Wing Sprint Car Series. You can also see the North American Big Rig Racing Series here!
Discover Colorado National Speedway
A Look Back: History of CNS
Colorado National Speedway was started in 1965 by Gene and Gerda Heffley. It's located right at the base of the beautiful Rocky Mountains. You can find it easily off I-25 at exit 232.
Every summer, CNS becomes a hub for amazing local racing. It also welcomes national racing series. Beyond races, the speedway hosts fun car and motorcycle shows. There are also swap meets and a special Father's Day Sunday Super Show. This show features giant Monster Trucks and awesome Stunt Bikes!
The racing season at CNS kicks off with practice in April. Races then begin in May and continue all the way through October. People in the area love CNS for its tasty food and affordable tickets. It's also famous for having the best fireworks displays in Northern Colorado during holidays and special race events.
Exciting Races and Events
CNS has hosted many famous racing series over the years. The NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series raced here for its first three seasons, from 1995 to 1997.
One of the most memorable races was the 1995 Total Petroleum 200. In this race, Butch Miller won by a tiny margin of just 0.001 seconds! He beat Mike Skinner right at the finish line. This was Miller's only win in the series. It's known as one of the closest finishes ever in the series' history.
In the 1996 Colorado 200, Mike Skinner showed his skill. He led for the last 220 laps and won by 0.7 seconds over Miller. The final NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race at CNS in 1997 was won by Ron Hornaday Jr..
After 1997, the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series moved to Pikes Peak International Raceway. This track is in Colorado Springs. Pikes Peak hosted the series until 2002.
The ARCA Menards Series West has raced at Colorado National Speedway many times. As of 2021, they had raced there 19 times. Chris Eggleston holds the record for the most wins in this series at the track, with three victories.
In 2019, the track got a fresh new surface when it was repaved. Other racing series have also competed at CNS. The NASCAR Midwest Series ran nine races from 1999 to 2006. The NASCAR Southwest Series held 20 events at the track between 1992 and 2006.
