Denton offers more than a fast getaway to Texax Motor Speedway.
he saying around Denton is that Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) is just seven laps away.
TMS, home to three major races a year each drawing well over 100,000 fans for the IRL races and well over 200,000 fans for both NASCAR races, is 12 miles south of Denton, which makes the city a prime staging area for a weekend at the track.
But there’s plenty to offer in sports and recreation outside of all that paint swapping at the TMS 1.5-mile track. Here’s a quick guide:
:: THE COLLEGE SCENE
Optimism abounds around the University of North Texas’ football team now that Todd Dodge has a year under his belt as head coach. Growing pains nicked the 2007 season as the highly successful former high school coach took charge at Fouts Field.
Despite a 2-10 record, things were always exciting in Dodge’s pass-first offense. Best example: a 74-62 loss to Navy in Denton that set NCAA Div. I records for points (136) and total offense (1,315 yards). The Mean Green is sure to evolve once again into a Sun Belt Conference threat.
UNT’s men’s basketball team had another strong season in 2007-08, posting a 20-11 record. Head Coach Johnny Jones’ team is particularly strong inside the 10,000-seat Super Pit, where UNT posted a 15-2 record last season. Area residents know the Super Pit as a premier regional venue for checking out great college basketball.
In total, UNT has 16 athletic scholarship programs. The Mean Green Athletic Village is home to the soccer, softball, volleyball, and tennis programs.
The focus is on gymnastics at nearby Texas Woman’s University. The Pioneers have been crowned USAG Collegiate National Champions nine times since 1993. The school of 11,000 has five varsity sports: basketball, soccer, softball, volleyball, and gymnastics.
:: ROAD RAGE
The 200,000-seat oval at Texas Motor Speedway should fill up for two major NASCAR events this year and one in the IRL series. NASCAR races in April and November get most of the attention, but a variety of events dot the TMS calendar throughout the year.
If you enjoy watching cars scream around those 24-degree banked turns, Denton’s selection of restaurants and hotels makes it the ideal base for your weekend.
:: REC AND ROLL
Denton doesn’t just have spectator sports. The city hosts a variety of recreational sports.
UNT recently christened a $3-million tennis facility: Waranch Tennis Pavilion. Twelve courts surround a clubhouse that houses a lounge, office space, and locker rooms. It was the 2007 Sun Belt Conference tennis championships host site.
More than 2,000 young basketball players will show off their serious skills during the annual Great American Shoot-Out in July. Players from California to Florida land in Denton for games all over the city, including feature contests inside UNT’s Super Pit.
For hikers, bikers, joggers, and walkers, Denton’s 9-mile Greenbelt Trail begins just north of the city. Or, there’s canoeing along the Trinity River that runs parallel to the biking and running trail.
Various organizations offer soccer, softball, baseball, and other youth and adult sports. Got an adventurous streak? Try the Denton Rugby Club, one of the region’s top teams in the sport. They field adult men’s and women’s teams.
BY STEVE DAVIS