Belleville Midget Nationals
 

There's an article in the new Sprint and Midget magazine written by Doug Auld thinking the Belleville race should be run on the 1/4 mile track instead of the big 1/2 mile in order to bring the car count up. He's wanting the Belleville High Banks to ask for peoples opinion?

Re: Belleville Midget Nationals
 

I said it last year. That night one should be on the Quarter and Nationals second night on the Half.

If its hard on midget motors One night is less than two, Right?

Re: Belleville Midget Nationals
 

I think that this is a two edged sword. Could you possibly have more cars if you ran on the 1/4 mile? Maybe but not guaranteed. If you ran on the 1/4 mile would you upset many of your fans? Definitely. One of the things about the Midget Nationals is the absolute amazement on how fast the cars are going right next to the wall. It is absolutely breath taking to watch them race.

If you ran them on the 1/4 mile it becomes another race and it is not the midget nationals. Also, if it is on the 1/4 mile, I do not think that you could charge a premium for the tickets like they currently do.

However with all of that said, car count for Belleville and the competition for the spending dollar is a real concern. I live three and half hours away in KC. So going to the midget nationals is a relatively easy drive, but it does require a motel room. However, I could also go to the Knoxville Nationals the following weekend and it is also roughly the same drive and the same cost. I could also go to St Louis the following month and watch the Gold Crown for roughly the same drive and the same cost. With all of this being said, I have gone to many more races at Knoxville and St Louis than I have at Belleville.

Can't wait to get back on the Belleville High Banks this year for two nights of racing on the baddest 1/2 mile in the country.

Isaac Chapple
USAC Midget #52c

In my opinion midgets were never designed or constructed for half mile tracks--neither the chassis or the motor.

Re: Belleville Midget Nationals
 

I not going if it is on the 1/4.it will be just another midget race and not the Belleville Midget Nationals, run it in one night if that would help

Are you kidding? That 1/5 mile is a joke. 1/2 or nothing is my vote.

Re: Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Originally Posted by Larry G.:
In my opinion midgets were never designed or constructed for half mile tracks--neither the chassis or the motor.

I remember when the Midgets ran on the mile at PIR.

Re: Belleville Midget Nationals
 

face the facts:

the real Hut Hundred, Phoenix, Belleville = engine killers

2 are already gone and the third is on life support :13:

Re: Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Stay on 1/2 mile for both nights.
Best Regards,
John:32:

Yep, Pike's Peak and Milwaukee too.

Re: Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Just a thought. Could they use part of the outer oval and cut through the infield area and make a shorter track that way with the same banking for the infield part? Haven't been there for several years so don't know what current 1/4 mile looks like. I DO KNOW that the last time I was there the car count was terrible, the surface abrasive and the racing was not very good. I had been there several times in the early '90's and the car counts and surface were great. What happened to the tacky surface of that time?

We ran the 1/4 mile for the 1st night in 2012. No more cars showed up for the 1st night. I even remember someone blowing an engine because I said, if we had been on the half mile, that would of been the blame for it. Even though it was fun to drive on, but there was no passing.

I've never been to the Belleville midget nationals. Was on my bucket list till car counts went so low. But if they moved it, or ran it on the quarter, it would no longer be the race I would travel from Indiana to see. The Belleville nationals that I've always read about are the little cars on the big track, anything else is an impostor! (Same for hut 100)

Re: Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Belleville is on my schedule every year. Yes some years the car counts have dropped and the Nationals looked doomed. Since USAC came back the car counts have risen a little and the racing has improved. I know the little guys cannot keep up with the big $$ engines and choose not to run, but when USAC was not involved for a few years the little guys didn't show up then either. They can't afford to blow up their engine and be done chasing the championship in their own club for the rest of the year. The problem with the small track is it is so tight that cars are constantly hitting each other and so there is no such thing as a clean race. Also with no fencing or barriers around cars go over the edge and then spin out to bring out a yellow so they don't lose a lap. Again too many yellow flags and not enough racing!!! Also, the small track is hard to see from turn one (the covered grand stands ) and that would cut down the number of quality seats to be sold. As an RMMRA fan, the 6 hour drive from Denver to Belleville is my chance to see quality drivers at a larger venue. I love our cars and drivers here in Colorado but traveling to see the top dogs race midgets is well worth the effort. Just as an aside I loved seeing midgets at US36, McCool,and Beloit. I feel Knoxville is too fast for midgets. The best track for midgets in my opinion is Eagle Raceway in Nebraska, but the track doesn't schedule them any more. Jim Bredenberg

Re: Belleville Midget Nationals
 

Originally Posted by toprowjim:
The best track for midgets in my opinion is Eagle Raceway in Nebraska Jim Bredenberg

Only got to see midgets run there once -- early '90s -- and it was a great event -- Tuesday, on the way to Belleville.