MORRISON — Following a one-year hiatus, Bandimere Speedway is back hosting the world’s fastest racecars for the 41st Mile-High Nationals.

The National Hot Rod Association event begins its traditional three-day weekend with qualifying Friday and Saturday and elimination-rounds Sunday.

“Being back online and having the event is kind of like having Christmas all over. The family all comes. We all get to be together,” said John “Sporty” Bandimere III, the track’s general manager. “People outside of our world don’t get it — we always call it family and they don’t get that. But this really is a family.”

The popular speedway etched on the side of what is known as Thunder Mountain hosted its first national NHRA event in 1978, and it has been held every year except 1988 and 2020. In 1988, Bandimere began a $4 million facelift during the construction of highway C470 that parallels the track. COVID-19 postponed the July race last year and efforts to stage it in the fall failed.

Sporty Bandimere said Dodge renewed its longtime title sponsorship during the pandemic and 2021 ticket sales for most of the track’s events have exceeded 2019.

The track also kicked off a public drag racing program called Take it to the Track last spring, just months after being embroiled in a dispute with Jefferson County Public Health over COVID-19 restrictions.

“In all honestly, 2020 probably made our sport stronger,” he said. “Difficult, but probably stronger because it opened us to new fans — new fans who maybe would have never would have tried this. We just did our Fourth of July event and literally had to turn cars away. People wanted to come. People wanted to be out. People wanted to be part of events and try new things, which is awesome. So it really is exciting to be back online.”

Bandimere spoke at Thursday’s kickoff event that included Dodge drivers Leah Pruett of top fuel and Matt Hagan of funny car. Pruett (formerly Leah Pritchett) won the 2018 top-fuel race at Bandimere, which is unique to the sport because of its 5,800-foot elevation.

“Sporty and his family allow those special memories to be made and it’s just up to your own imagination,” Pruett said. “So I’m very grateful to be back on the mountain and looking forward to competing and looking forward to more memories which has made this track my special track.”

Hagan, who won the 2020 11-race funny car championship, is looking for his first win at Bandimere.

“I was really, really disappointed that we weren’t able to be here last year. It truly bummed me out,” Hagan said. “We’re here now and we’re going to make a great show out here for these fans. I don’t if my crew chief is going to like it, but I’m going to do long smoking burnouts and have fun. It’s just a really special place.”

For more information about the Mile-High Nationals, visit Bandimere.com.