Race to Read

For the past 26 years, Bandimere Speedway has been conducting a reading program in local elementary schools. Started during the '95-96 school year, at Rooney Ranch Elementary School in Lakewood, Colorado. The program continues to thrive, with 39 schools participating in 2022, the program has been in 291 different Colorado schools since 1996. The support from racers and businesses through a variety of innovative ways have helped the program in its growth while further stating Bandimere Speedway’s commitment to the community, young people, education, and families.

** Your school must be registered in order to participate in Race to Read. **

As we enter our 27th year encouraging preschool and elementary-age students to read through a fun race theme and prizes, the Race to Read Program has taken on a different look. While the program still provides incentives for at-home reading, the new format has shifted much of the effort required by participating schools back to Bandimere Speedway in order for school participation to continue to be strong.

In 2020, Race to Read started off with 71 participating schools and once it was determined that in-person schooling would not taking place after Spring Break, the program was shelved in hopes that the following year would be back to normal. Unfortunately in 2021, many schools were still operating with a combination of online and in-person learning and for the first time in 25 years, Race to Read took on a completely different format - one that was easier for schools to implement while still giving students the opportunity to earn some fun prizes for their reading accomplishments.

Because Race to Read has always been an at-home reading program, a BINGO sheet was composed with students returning their completed reading sheets directly to Bandimere Speedway. Tickets/wristbands for the NAPA Auto Parts 'Night of Fire & Thunder' were mailed directly to qualifying students earning tickets to the race. This new format was continued in 2022 and will also be the format for 2023. And while there is no longer a registration fee for schools to participate, a school must be registered in order for their students to be able to participate in the program. (Registration information will be sent out in February.)

 "Race to Read"®, is a six-week reading program, designed to encourage literacy by providing an exciting race-themed incentive for preschool and elementary-age students. The program can also be customized by schools to fit most any special education requirement for participating students.

"Race to Read"® starts in March and ends in May, two weeks prior to the speedway’s season-opening event, the NAPA Auto Parts "Night of Fire & Thunder", scheduled for a Saturday, May 20. In 2023, the dates for the program are March 27 through May 5. Complimentary tickets for the reader and one accompanying adult to the NAPA Auto Parts "Night of Fire & Thunder" event are offered as prize incentives during the reading program.

"Race to Read"® has its roots at Jefferson County’s Rooney Ranch Elementary School in Lakewood, Colorado, where it helped kick-off the school’s inaugural year in 1995/1996. The response by the school community was tremendous and prompted many contacts from other schools interested in establishing the program for their students. In 1997, the program was expanded to eight schools with the same positive response and has grown approximately 50 schools participating each year.