Continental Divide Raceways
LocationCastle Rock, Colorado
Coordinates39°20′0″N 104°53′05″W / 39.33333°N 104.88472°W / 39.33333; -104.88472
Broke ground1958
Opened1959
Closed1983
Road course (1959–1983)[1]
SurfaceAsphalt
Length2.8 miles (4.51 km)
Turns10
Race lap record1:44.700 (United States Al Unser, Colt 70, 1970, USAC IndyCar)
Oval
Length.5 miles (.805 km)
Turns2
Drag strip
Length.8 miles (1.3 km)

Continental Divide Raceways was a race track located in Castle Rock, Colorado, about 30-mile (48 km) south of Denver. Built in 1959, it featured a 2.8-mile (4.5 km) road course, half-mile (.805 km) oval, and 4,200-foot (1,300 m) drag strip. The land was intended to be used for a multi-sport spectator venue, but a racing complex was built after a hill climb was staged on the property.[2] The track saw its most active time in the 1960s, hosting the USAC National Championship, major sports car races, and Trans-Am. On July 30, 1972 Evel Knievel successfully jumped 11 Dodge vehicles on his motorcycle at the track. The track closed in 1979 due to a fatal accident but reopened in 1981, holding a NASCAR Winston West Series stock car race in 1982 before being sold to real estate developers in 1983.[3] There was a motocross track called CDR Tech Track on the property where an AMA Motocross National was held in 1981 and 1982[4]

Lap records

The fastest official race lap records at the Continental Divide Raceways are listed as:

Category Time Driver Vehicle Date
Road Course: 4.510 km (1959–1983)[5]
USAC IndyCar 1:44.700[6] Al Unser Colt 70 1970 Rocky Mountain 150
Formula 5000 1:48.700[7] Jerry Hansen
Tony Adamowicz		 McLaren M10A
Eagle Mk.5		 1969 Castle Rock F5000 round
Sports car racing 1:55.500[8] Bud Morley McLaren-Elva Mk II 1967 Continental Divide SCCA Regional race

Race results

USAC Champ Car "Rocky Mountain 150"

Year Date Driver Team Car
1968 July 7 United States A. J. Foyt Sheraton-Thompson Coyote-Ford
1969 July 6 United States Gordon Johncock Gilmore Broadcasting Eagle-Ford
1970 June 28 United States Mario Andretti STP Oil Treatment McNamara-Ford
[9]

Sports car races

Year Date Driver(s) Team Car Championship
1960 June 26 United States Carroll Shelby Meister Brauser Scarab-Chevrolet USAC Road Racing Championship
July 17 United States Bob Holbert Porsche 718 RSK SCCA National Sports Car Championship
1961 July 2 United Kingdom Ken Miles Crandall Industries Incorporated Porsche 718 RSK USAC Road Racing Championship
1963 August 18 United States Augie Pabst Meister Brauser Scarab-Chevrolet United States Road Racing Championship
1965 August 15 United States Hap Sharp Chaparral Cars Inc. Chaparral 2A-Chevrolet United States Road Racing Championship
[10][11]

Trans-Am

Year Date Driver Car
1967 August 27 United States Jerry Titus Ford Mustang
1968 August 25 United States Mark Donohue Chevrolet Camaro
[10][11]

References

  1. ^ "Castle Rock". Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  2. ^ Galpin, Darren. "Continental Divide Raceway Track Info". The GEL Motorsport Information Page. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  3. ^ "Continental Divide Raceways". North American Motorsports Pages. Archived from the original on 8 September 2011. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  4. ^ "CDR Tech Track".
  5. ^ "Continetnal Divide - RacingCircuits.info". Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  6. ^ "1970 Castle Rock Indycars". Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  7. ^ "1969 Castle Rock F5000". Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  8. ^ "SCCA Regional Continental Divide [CSR+ESR+FSR+AP+BP+AS+BS] 1967". Retrieved 30 January 2023.
  9. ^ "Continental Divide Raceway". Champ Car Stats. Archived from the original on 4 October 2012. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  10. ^ a b "Continental Divide - List of Races". Racing Sports Cars. Retrieved 14 July 2011.
  11. ^ a b "Continental Divide Raceways". Ultimate Racing History. Retrieved 14 July 2011.


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