Truck Fest 2023 kicked off on Sunday, June 11th, 2023 and the event was almost rained out. But then the weather subsided and left contestants and attendees in an overcast and slightly windy environment. The thing is, the overcast vibes and lighting made for some great photos. The trucks making passes down the drag strip benefited from the “boost weather” too. It was a cold day for June.
The truck show and drag racing event went down at Bandimere Speedway outside Morrison, Colorado.
2023 was the last year for people to race and spectate at the legendary track, as the Bandimere family decided to close the speedway after 65 years of hosting motorsport events. It’s sad but there is hope for a new and even larger facility to be built outside of the Denver area.
Truck Fest 2023 was sponsored by Five-R Custom Trucks, Transwest Truck Trailer RV, and Summit Hauler.
Paul Walker’s 2004 GMC Sierra
One of the coolest trucks at Truck Fest was Paul Walker’s 2004 GMC Sierra. This was formerly Paul Walker’s truck and has been completely modified to match the Nissan Skyline R34 that he drove in the movie 2 Fast 2 Furious, the second film in the franchise.
I really enjoy the earlier Fast and Furious movies, especially before they became centered around sci fi, supercars, and fighting terrorism. These movies were special when they were about late 90s and early 2000s car culture, racing at race wars, and of course family. All that is to say, this truck tickled my fancy and I thought this build was a great way to honor the man.
Paul Walker was an iconic actor known for his passion and talent in the film industry. With a career spanning over two decades, he left an indelible mark on audiences all over the world. While he gained much of his fame through his roles in the Fast and Furious movies, Walker’s love for acting extended beyond just action films. He showcased his versatility by taking on various roles in movies like Pleasantville, Varsity Blues, and Eight Below.
The actor’s untimely death occurred in November, 2013. Walker was actually the passenger in the tragic wreck. He and his business partner, Roger Rodas left a charity event in a 2005 Porsche Carrera GT. Rodas lost control near 100 mph, the car crashed and burst into flames. (Let this be a reminder to have a fire extinguisher in your sports cars and modified vehicles. And that life is short!)
Paul Walker’s impact as an actor continues to be remembered and celebrated by fans around the globe. This truck is a great example.
A Rivian R1T Made a Pass Down the Dragstrip
The Rivian R1T is an all-electric pickup truck that has gained significant attention in the automotive industry. The EV truck uses four electric motors, one for each wheel. As a result, the truck zipped down the track for an impressive 11 second quarter mile run at Truck Fest.
You can watch more drag racing videos from Truck Fest 2023 on our YouTube in addition to our Instagram Reels.
Rat Rods & Classics
Here are a few of the impressive trucks that attended:
Semi Trucks At Truck Fest
This was one of the most impressive displays of show quality semi trucks and big rigs I have seen. Firstly, there were Peterbilts in every direction. Just lines and lines of them. Secondly, many of the big rigs were of serious show quality. Participants showed up with freshly polished chrome and ready to take home a show award. Here are some of my favorites:
Truck Show Winners:
- Big Rig: Specialized Service: Curtis Beaver
- Big Rig: Low Milage/Show Only: Mark Aragon (The Green Peterbilt)
- Big Rig: Company Owned: Grant Walker
- Big Rig: Work Truck: Jeremy Reater
- Big Rig: Bobtail: Austin Victor
- Big Rig: Antique: Alex Segovia
- 2WD Full Size Street: John Foster
- 2WD Full Size Modified: John Morkunas
- 4WD Full Size Modified: Marcus Archuleta
- Special Interest: Mike Hope
- 4WD Full Size Street: Alexis Tornquist
- Mini Modified: Alisha
- Mini Street: Landin LeBlor
- SUV/Jeep/ Crawler: Modified: Chad Warrington
- SUV/Jeep: Street: Timothy Wentz
Diesel Trucks
Cummins, Duramax, Powerstroke. There were awesome examples of each. Most of the diesels were lifted, in other words there wasn’t a heavy presence for the lowered trucks. I would have liked to see some lowered dually diesels too. That’s a pretty cool vibe.
Broncos & More Broncos
After a hiatus of over two decades, Ford reintroduced the iconic Bronco to the market. Ford struck a homerun with these off-road SUVs. They look great and Ford has sold over 248,000 of these 4X4s from 2021 to 2023. Consequently, I can’t drive to the grocery store without seeing one. They are wildly popular.
And they were also popular at Truck Fest. The aftermarket support and options are looking solid too. For example, check out these photos:
Special Release Brew: Thunder Mountain By Tommyknocker Brewery
A special beer was released for the last year of the track being open. It commemorated 65 years of drag racing history at Bandimere and was brewed by one of my absolute favorite breweries in all of Colorado, Tommyknocker Brewery. Located in Idaho Springs, CO, the brewery and pub is a great pit stop on your way to or from the Front Range Mountains.
When I get the chance, I swing by Tommyknocker after a day on the slopes and grab a brew and an elk burger. They don’t always have the elk on the menu, but when they do it’s on point!
Tommyknocker only sells a few select beers in Colorado grocery stores. Most of their beers are only available at their Idaho Springs location. And I rather like it that way.
The Thunder Mountain release was an American lager in a 19 oz tall boy can and was only available at Bandimere Speedway.
Bandimere is known as “Thunder Mountain” because the track is built into the side of Hogback Mountain in Morrison, CO and when the NHRA top fuel drag racers come to town, it sounds of thunder. Moreover, it literally shakes the locality.
In conclusion, Truck Fest was both enjoyable and memorable. I took my wife and kid, and it was a nice outing for the family. It was one of the best events at Bandimere in 2023. The track will be missed.
You can see more photos of Truck Fest 2023 on the Motor Speed News Instagram in addition to our Twitter.
Read More Articles Featuring Bandimere Speedway
Founder and Executive Editor for Motor Speed News.
Current Garage:
2002 Subaru Impreza WRX Wagon (302 whp)
2005 Toyota Tundra Limited
1986 Yamaha Virago XV1100
