Colorado National Speedway was established in 1965 and has evolved into one of the more enduring short tracks in the American West. The facility hosts a racing season that runs from May through October, with practice opportunities beginning in April. Beyond racing, the venue has become known for its accessible atmosphere, affordable ticketing, and family-oriented programming including car and motorcycle shows, swap meets, and holiday fireworks displays. A Father's Day Sunday Super Show featuring Monster Trucks and Stunt Bikes has become an annual tradition.
In 2019, the track surface was fully repaved, refreshing the facility for another generation of competition.
Colorado National Speedway achieved its highest national profile during the inaugural three seasons of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series, hosting races from 1995 through 1997.
The 1995 Total Petroleum 200 produced one of the most memorable finishes in the series' history. Butch Miller edged out Mike Skinner by just 0.001 second in a last-lap battle, a margin so narrow that video replay of the race has since been cited as potentially disputing the measurement. The finish remains listed as the closest in series history. The 1996 Colorado 200 told a different story: Skinner dominated the event, leading the final 220 laps and crossing the line 0.7 seconds ahead of Miller. Ron Hornaday Jr. claimed victory at the final Truck Series race held at Colorado National Speedway in 1997.
After the 1997 season, Colorado was dropped from the Truck Series schedule in favor of the newly opened Pikes Peak International Raceway in Colorado Springs, which hosted the series through 2002.
Beyond the Truck Series era, Colorado National Speedway has maintained a consistent presence on the national touring calendar. The NASCAR Midwest Series ran nine events at the speedway between 1999 and 2006, while the NASCAR Southwest Series held 20 races at the track from 1992 through 2006.
The ARCA Menards Series West (formerly the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West) has been a recurring visitor, with Chris Eggleston establishing himself as the most successful driver in that series at the track, accumulating three victories. The King of the Wing Sprint Car Series and the North American Big Rig Racing Series also make annual appearances at the facility.
Currently the track operates as a member of the NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series, anchoring its role as a pillar of grassroots oval racing in the Rocky Mountain region.
Colorado National Speedway occupies a unique position in American short-track racing. Located where the Great Plains meet the Rocky Mountains, it has served as the primary oval racing venue for Colorado's Front Range communities for more than half a century. Its intimate 0.375-mile layout produces close, competitive racing that has drawn fans to Dacono across generations. The track's record of hosting national series events during the formative years of the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series — and particularly the 1995 finish that entered the record books — gives it a place in the broader history of American stock car racing even as it continues its role as a community-level racing institution.