Bandimere Speedway Races Toward New Era.

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Bandimere Speedway in April launched its 42nd season at its renowned Morrison drag strip, and the countdown begins.

Countdown? In December, President John Bandimere Jr., son of the speedway's founder, announced that Bandimere had sold the 145-acre site to developer Chris Fellows for a projected $200 million office-retail development. In April, Minneapolis-based Opus Northwest Development said it would develop the office portion of the project.

Meantime, Bandimere and Fellows are searching for a new drag strip site "somewhere out east," said spokeswoman and third-generation Bandimere family member Tami Shrader.

"We will be here this year and next year. The only thing that would keep us from rebuilding by 2002 would be if we run into a problem with a piece of property, and we're not able to get zoning fast enough," Bandimere said.

"I'm dead serious," he said. "If God is willing and things work out, we will rebuild. If not, we won't. The stars need to line up, but things really look good and I'm excited."

Bandimere won't be building another drag strip, however. "I want to build something unique...