No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

I just found out the 40th running of the Belleville Midget Nationals was very possibly the last one. USAC isn't sanctioning it in 2018 and the fair grounds will not be holding the event. I am thankful I was able to scratch it off my bucket list the past two years.

USAC didn’t even discuss this with the track the track found out from second hand information as of October everything was still in place for 2018 according to Levi

Sad to see with all the hard work the fans and track put in the last couple of years. Another big event gone just like the Hut

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

I first attended the Belleville Midget Nationals in 2013 and 2017 was by far the best crowd I'd seen at The Highbanks. If the Nationals go completely by the wayside it will be very sad day.

Let's have POWRI put one on at little Belleville LOL

So USAC doesn’t sanction it. Why not have it anyways?

If the money is right, sponsors are on board, etc. You can still put on a show without USAC’s blessing no matter what the track.

BOSS routinely draws more cars than the USAC Sprints, been to plenty of shows where POWRi draws more cars than USAC.

Granted, I don’t know what the track’s situation is as far as finances and so on but it would seem possible

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Without USAC or POWRi, they will draw about 9 cars. If that.

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Originally Posted by Nate:
So USAC doesn’t sanction it. Why not have it anyways?

If the money is right, sponsors are on board, etc. You can still put on a show without USAC’s blessing no matter what the track.

BOSS routinely draws more cars than the USAC Sprints, been to plenty of shows where POWRi draws more cars than USAC.

Granted, I don’t know what the track’s situation is as far as finances and so on but it would seem possible

They tried that before they got USAC. It did not work. I don't know if you read the Bellevile recap article a while back in SprintCar and Midget, but I had a feeling after reading it this would happen. Wish I could have made it there with the old SWIMS series.

Why don't you do everyone a favor and think before you post next time

I did. I'm disappointed there might not be a Belleville Midget Nationals and think it sucks how USAC didn't communicate with them. What's your point?

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Originally Posted by Nate:
So USAC doesn’t sanction it. Why not have it anyways?

If the money is right, sponsors are on board, etc. You can still put on a show without USAC’s blessing no matter what the track.

BOSS routinely draws more cars than the USAC Sprints, been to plenty of shows where POWRi draws more cars than USAC.

Granted, I don’t know what the track’s situation is as far as finances and so on but it would seem possible

Have a big D2 race!!! Would be huge for those guys!:32:

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Originally Posted by Puppy:
Have a big D2 race!!! Would be huge for those guys!:32:

...on the little track...! (Like the Foci did years ago)

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Stop the childish insults IndianaSprintFan

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

One thing that race fans tend to have that racers don't ? They have thin skin, some race fans tend to remind me of the rest of the sorry world. They believe every comment and thought has to be sanitized, completely safe and clean. God forbid if you happen to say whats on your mind even if it is probley true. Sometimes you learn more of a person and a situation when they say whats on their mind instead of having to sugar coat your thoughts like you might be inclined to do on this site due to peer pressure.
By thinking first they mean polish it up so its politically correct and not a single feather gets ruffled. I say theres more truth in speaking what you feel, not what you THINK.

I thought the BC slam probably could have been left out. I don't think there was a need to go there but to each their own

.

My children and I raced the Nationals for the past two years. We are a underfunded team from Colorado compared to some of the other teams. But, the people from that area and fans always treated us like family. I feel horrible for them because of the loss of this historical race. The race has brought them everlasting friendships and a large amount of economic growth. For 2018 we had planned on coming back to Belleville but not to race the other two nights at Fairbury and Beloit. Whatever the reason for USAC to pull out I hope to see it get figured out and this great race come back bigger and stronger than recent years. If this means the track needs to be shorter or something needs to be done to slow the cars down I'm fine with that. Last year 24 cars started the A main but less than 1/2 of them finished. Some of that was caused by mechanical failure but a lot was because of the minimum speed rule. The fans really didn't get to see the best show. I will be back if the situation ever gets resolved.

Midgets are pretty much dead on tracks larger than a 1/4 mile anyway, yet the Belleville has the history and the local backing to support a big time non-winged race.

Is it a terrible idea to have the 1st annual Belleville Sprint Nationals?

The URSS has been running 305 sprints at Belleville during the Nationals.

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

IF... midget at Belleville, KS does go away, the Bellieville (IL.) Midget Nationals really would be good

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Moving the Belleville Nationals to another venue probably would be a case similar to the Hut 100. It'll never be the same.:13:

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Originally Posted by GYATK94:
I love coming to IOW and finding such valuable social commentary. People diagnosing their own world's problems and extending them to the entire world, that of which each one of us has very little understanding of.

In my world, filtering out unnecessary words in the name of decency and being kinder is cool with me. I'm not saying limit the first amendment. By all means, you can say whatever you want, but people are going to view you based on those actions.

Was the BC comment necessary? I don't see how it could be, didn't seem to add anything. We all know it happened, and it's a painful thing to be reminded of. God forbid any of the Clauson family being on here to randomly see that.

I don't see how political correctness was dragged into this. Do you really think he said to think about posting about what happened to Bryan in the name of political correctness? I don't know sprint fan, but I'd say it was probably more in the name of just being a decent person.

I'll save you some work in your response. I know these thoughts are the problem with my generation, I'm a snowflake, more unoriginal thoughts, etc.

On Belleville, that's definitely a bummer. Wish I could've made it out there some time. Midgets are steadily becoming my favorite cars to watch, excited for Du Quoin.

Agree with just about everything you said. There is a difference between "political correctness" & common decency...
Midgets are also becoming my fave....

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Originally Posted by grader47:
USAC didn’t even discuss this with the track the track found out from second hand information as of October everything was still in place for 2018 according to Levi

Anyways.... back on topic:

Assuming this info is TRUE, which I am not countering, it makes the whole scenario odd. By not holding the event, I would immediately assume it was the promoter's decision. The promoter/track pays the USAC sanction fees, hopes a lot of cars show up, drums up the purse to pay all, and hope to get it all back with ticket sales, concessions, etc. If the promoter took a bath last time out, I could see why the brakes were put on for 2018.

But if USAC pulled the plug...... why? Start the head scratching. They are getting their money. They are out nothing. Maybe they raised the sanctioning fees beyond what the promoter felt fair and manageable?

Too bad either way for fans of this event.

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Low car counts and low car quality make your series look bad. PR.

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Originally Posted by revjimk:
There is a difference between "political correctness" & common decency...

It would be nice if people learned the difference so as to not confuse the two...

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Originally Posted by Puppy:
It would be nice if people learned the difference so as to not confuse the two...

Politically correct is the watering down of your words so that no one could be offended or hurt, and softens your opinion so that you can waffle and take it back if some how it did.

Common decency is changing your words because you know they are offensive, and that's not what you mean to be. But you still have a strong opinion.

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

I will be really sad if the Midget Nationals has ended. I always looked forward to this weekend. Belleville had an energy about it that no other track has. Watching the drivers go as fast as they were, running inches away from each other and the wall, and then throwing extreme sliders separated it from all other tracks. Midgets are my favorite class, and I have never seen anything like them at Belleville.

I think we need to start separating what we know as fact, and what we are just speculating on.

Facts: BC lost his life at Belleville in 2016. in 2017, Ryan Robertson was in a crash that caused him vision problems and he had to miss some races because of it. Both of these drivers were in the best equipment in the business.

The community has done a great job of raising the purse to increase the car count of the event which should be applauded. However, many of the teams that they are attracting do not have the equipment/experience to be competitive. Thus, as another poster stated that many cars in the A-Main could not remain the minimum speed.

USAC worked with three other promoters in this area to re-arrange the heartland schedule. All of these promoters would have known that USAC was not going back to Belleville.

Belleville knew that they did not have a signed contract with USAC.

POWRi had disassociated itself with Belleville many years ago and had been actively scheduling it against for several years.

One of the new venues (Sweet Springs) is a tiny facility with a tiny grandstand, but they can afford the sanction fees.

These things are all facts. Everything is just speculation. I wonder if there is something that we have not thought of. Did the insurance company play a part in this? Did the national owners play a part in this? Did they finally agree that the cars were going to fast and the risks were too high?

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Would the Silver Crown series, champ dirt cars work at Belleville, KS?

It's just another race.races come and go.if one of you whiners want a belleville nationals go ahead and cough up the cash.

Re: to jonr
 

contract was never an issue USAC would bring it with them the week of the race unless the track asked for it earlier insurance was never problem as far as the new venues and promoters Cody Brewer started a race in Fairbury Nb 2 years ago and has been trying to get Belleville to change the track to a smaller size the volunteer race board doesn't feel they have the right to change a track that is county owned and has 107 years of history so this year USAC decides to have a 2 day race in Fairbury and the first race of the 5 race series is at a track that Cody Brewer owns and promotes in Oklahoma the race board contacted several owners and drivers they all knew nothing of USAC's decision until the PRI show

Re: to jonr
 

Originally Posted by grader47:
contract was never an issue USAC would bring it with them the week of the race unless the track asked for it earlier insurance was never problem...........

You really want us to believe that USAC doesn't have signed contracts with all of the venues on the schedule??? How do you know the status of the insurance that USAC has???

I am upset as well with the midget nationals not coming back. It was a great event that was close enough for me to attend every year. However, I am not going to buy in to all of the conspiracy theories and I am not going to buy into the victim mentality either.

Jonr
 

That was normal for USAC and Belleville

Re: No Belleville Midget Nationals
 

I find it sad to see that Tim is reading this at the same time I am, but in my mind, I "just knew" he eventually see it. I'm not being PC, just being another fan who realizes that folks can cause much pain when they do not consider the feelings of others.

Re: to jonr
 

Originally Posted by grader47:
contract was never an issue USAC would bring it with them the week of the race unless the track asked for it earlier insurance was never problem as far as the new venues and promoters Cody Brewer started a race in Fairbury Nb 2 years ago and has been trying to get Belleville to change the track to a smaller size the volunteer race board doesn't feel they have the right to change a track that is county owned and has 107 years of history so this year USAC decides to have a 2 day race in Fairbury and the first race of the 5 race series is at a track that Cody Brewer owns and promotes in Oklahoma the race board contacted several owners and drivers they all knew nothing of USAC's decision until the PRI show

Would you be willing to furnish names, including yours. Are you directly involved? What position do you hold? Were you at PRI, or did you hear it from someone who heard it from someone? Not saying your wrong. I just want to know who to ask.

Re: to jonr
 

Do not know what the business practice is today but it was not uncommon to have a USAC contract signed on race day, and when we went to Belleville we always took the contract with us.

The North Central Kansas Free Fair had 2 fair boards, I believe they referred to them as the east and west (yes 2 fair boards for 1 little county style fair). As far back as 8 years ago the board was considering ending the Nationals, but they really wanted to get to a certain year for some sentimental reason. Keep in mind that not only the fair Board but the people of Belleville looked forward to this event, it was their passion, it was their "baby".

With the 2 Fair Boards there was no room for error which made the Nationals a HUGE financial risk for Fair Board members. The members were on the hook for a $100,000 plus purse. I know this for a fact, they put up THEIR OWN MONEY and then hoped to recoup it. They did business as a solid, they paid in CASH, you got your money 1 hour after the race!!!! Now from here on I am assuming, everything prior is FACT. The members were wanting to end this event, they were tired of the yearly pressure of this event, it was a huge financial risk to them. When it is real money, and it is YOUR money, every year, with no safety net??? Maybe, the Fair Board has changed, my guess is that there are few if any left from when Belleville Midget Nationals were at their glory. It does not have to be anyone's fault that their are no Nationals. Maybe just a different group of people with a different idea of what they want to do at THEIR fair.

Re: to jonr
 

Originally Posted by ossuks:
It does not have to be anyone's fault that their are no Nationals.

I hope you know you've ruined the day for a select group that believe EVERYTHING is somebody's fault, Well done!:6::8::9: