2009 News

NEW BELLEVILLE FORMAT OFFERS THURSDAY “ALL-STAR” RACE

The 32nd Annual Speedway Motors “Belleville Midget Nationals” July 30-August 1 marks 99 years of the famed Belleville High Banks in Kansas and this year’s installment should offer an exciting new look to one of America’s richest and most revered short-track events.

 

A total purse of $90,000 has been posted, with Saturday night’s 40-lap race winner earning a paycheck of $12,500. Each Saturday night feature starter is guaranteed $1,000 and each participant in the three-night program is guaranteed a minimum of $700.

 

Brad Sweet of Grass Valley, Calif. earned his first Belleville title last year and joined a list of prestigious winners of the race which debuted in 1978 at the high-banked half-mile dirt oval.

 

The atmosphere at Belleville is unique, with the North Central Kansas Free Fair underway, and race fans from across the country have been jamming the grandstands there for years to thrill to some of the most intense competition on the USAC calendar.

 

Former winners Jerry Coons Jr. (2005 and 2007), Josh Wise (2003 and 2006), Bobby East (2004) and Dave Darland (1999 and 2002) are also expected to compete in this year’s classic.

 

The new wrinkle this year has a dozen of the top participants competing on Thursday night, July 30, in a special “All-Star” race, from which four will earn automatic transfers to Saturday night’s “pole dash” and 40-lap championship feature.

 

Friday night’s event will encompass all participants not involved on Thursday night, with another four automatic Saturday transfers determined.

 

On Saturday night, all participants will once again compete in heat races, feeding into the semi and the 40-lap finale.

 

Sanctioned by USAC since 1996, the Belleville event started in 1978 with Eddie Jackson’s victory and winners since have included drivers Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Jason Leffler, Billy Boat, Stan Fox, Sleepy Tripp, Johnny Parsons, Jack Hewitt and Chuck Gurney.

 

Sweet’s victory last year actually marked the third triumph for Kahne, who owned Sweet’s winning car.

 

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