[Mud Packer]

Originally Posted by illiNOISE It may seem odd to hear someone who works at another Friday night track say this, but for anyone making their first trip to Belle-Clair next year for one of the Sat. night POWRi shows, you might wish to check out Belle-Clair's Friday night stock car program as well. There's probably not too many tracks in America where you can see TWO drivers (Ed Dixon and Don Klein) with over 500 career feature wins each going at it each week. The races are co-sanctioned by UMP and the Allied Auto Racing Association. AARA has been sanctioning races for litterally a half-century, and it shows, as they run a very timely program each week.

You are absolutely correct. Belle Clair was my Friday night track when I lived in the Belleville area. The AARA was THE sanctioning body at that time. They always ran a very quick and timely show and had folks on their way home at a decent hour. They ran three divisions at that time and each and everyone of them provided great racing week in and week out.

The cars pitted on the infield and the announcers booth was right there in the middle of the track. I remember the funky looking light tree with the siren on it. They called the drivers to the track and sounded the siren while a series of lights started flashing every fifteen seconds. When the three minutes were up the top light (red) came on and the siren sounded again. If you weren't on the track, they started without you.

That of course was back when Don Klein was a young man. Ed Dixon was just coming up and some of the other stars of that time were, Carl Springer, Kenny Schrumm, Mike Hamerlee, Wib Spaudling, Charging Charlie Johnson and so many others that escape me now. They used to have the best fish sandwiches ever. Man, do I miss that place. I need to take a Friday off next year and just plan on being there for a doubleheader of racing.