If you're feeling the need for speed this Memorial Day, get to Bandimere Speedway for the annual Pepsi All-American High School Drags. The showdown is open to high school students between the ages of sixteen and nineteen with a valid driver's license and a release form signed by a parent or guardian.
"We're expecting over 700 racers, so it is definitely a big deal," says Bandimere's Jeff Sipes. "We'll see everything out there, from beat-up old trucks to Dodge Neons to kids who bring out Dad's Corvette or Viper."
Two drag-racing classes are offered -- one for street vehicles and the other for those with slicks, or special drag-racing tires. Competitions for Best Appearing Car and Crew and a Sweetheart and Heartthrob contest will add to the day's competitive spirit.
Fees are $25 to participate and $10 to watch (kids under twelve admitted free). Gates open at 8 a.m. this morning; time trials also start at 8, and eliminations begin at 2 p.m. Bandimere is on Morrison Road just off C-470; for more information, visit www.bandimere.com. -- Julie Dunn
Well, Sink Me!
SAT, 5/29
Avast, ye buckos! The season fer swimmin' the briny deep's upon us, so get ye down to Englewood, where they're flyin' the Jolly Roger o'er Pirates Cove Family Aquatics Park. And ahoy, mateys: Don't be forgettin' ta remove yer bilge-sucking peg legs before jumpin' in! In truth, the City of Englewood's sparkling new water park, which opens for the summer today with giveaways and music by the Beloved Invaders, is totally eye-patch-optional. It won't cost you a precious piece of eight to get in, either -- just $4.50 to $7 for the day. With its three pools -- a six-lane lap pool, a leisure pool with play area and a "Lazy River" feature with a vortex and water slides -- Pirates Cove has something for water-lovers of all ages, from swim-diaper-clad sprinkler-runners to serious swimmers. The park, at 1225 West Belleview Avenue, is open daily from 10:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. through September 6; call 303-762-2680. -- Susan Froyd
In the Loop
Georgetown Loop keeps on keepin' on
SAT, 5/29
This is no great railroad disaster; the Georgetown Loop Historic Railroad isn't quite hanging by a thread. But the narrow-gauge train that's been chugging its way between Georgetown and Silver Plume each summer, loaded with tourists, has come to a crossroads -- and at present, there's no one yet named to man the switch in 2005. After reaching an impasse in contract negotiations with current loop operators, the Colorado Historical Society, which rebuilt the original 1877 mining-camp shuttle and reopened the tracks in 1975, announced earlier this year that it was in the market for a new engineer. For now, though, the mobile history lesson is intact. The railroad opens for business today, offering trips several times daily through October 3, from starting points in either town. The highlight? The precarious Devil's Gate Bridge, which spans Clear Creek at a height of nearly 100 feet. Whoa, Nelly!
For tickets, $11.25 to $16.50, call 1-303-569-2403 or stop by the Old Georgetown Station, 1106 Rose Street in Georgetown. And by the way, reservations are being taken for 2005. -- Susan Froyd
