The land was originally intended to become a multi-sport spectator venue, but the project was redirected toward motorsport after a hill climb event was staged on the property, demonstrating its natural suitability for racing. The completed facility offered three distinct racing surfaces: a 2.802-mile (4.509 km) road course, a 0.500-mile (0.805 km) oval, and a 4,200-foot (1,300 m) drag strip. That combination of configurations under one roof made Continental Divide Raceways one of the more versatile and comprehensive motorsport venues in the American West at the time.
The track's most active and celebrated period was the 1960s. During this decade Continental Divide Raceways hosted rounds of the USAC National Championship — the premier open-wheel racing series in the United States at the time — as well as major sports car races and rounds of the Trans-Am Series. The Trans-Am events in particular drew large manufacturer-backed factory efforts and star drivers, establishing the track in the national spotlight of American road racing. The presence of all three series gave the venue a diversity of programming uncommon for a facility of its era and geography.
On July 30, 1972, stunt performer Evel Knievel used the Continental Divide Raceways facility for a motorcycle jump over 11 Dodge vehicles. The stunt was successfully completed and added a memorable non-racing chapter to the venue's history, reflecting the variety of spectacle events that American motorsport venues hosted during the early 1970s.
The track closed in 1979 following a fatal accident. It did not remain closed permanently, however; the facility was reopened in 1981 and resumed hosting events. A separate motocross area on the property, known as CDR Tech Track, hosted AMA Motocross National rounds in both 1981 and 1982, expanding the venue's disciplines during its final operating years. In 1982, the main circuit held a NASCAR Winston West Series stock car race, the national touring series for stock car racing in the western United States. Despite the return of competition, the venue's long-term future was not secure: the property was sold to real estate developers in 1983, bringing motorsport activity at Continental Divide Raceways to a permanent end.
Continental Divide Raceways holds a notable position in American motorsport history as a facility that, across two decades, hosted the full range of American professional racing disciplines — USAC championship cars, sports cars, Trans-Am, drag racing, stock cars, and motocross. Its location near Denver made it the most prominent racing venue in the Rocky Mountain region during its peak years, and its history was documented in Pete Hylton's 2007 work Ghost Tracks.
Gallery · 2 related images
