By Bryan Gapinski
Belleville, Kan., July 27—Posted purses of nearly $120,000 for five divisions, highlight three days of nationally sanctioned auto racing events during the North Central Kansas Free Fair at the Belleville High Banks on July 30-August 1.
The main event of focus will be the “The 38th annual Belleville Midget Nationals”, one of midget auto racing’s crown jewel events, featuring the USAC Honda National Midget Dirt Series.
Action kicks off on Thursday July 30 for the midgets with qualifications heat races and a 25-lap midget feature race. A record preliminary night purse for the event has been posted. The popular Crusier division will hold a race on the quarter-mile track.
The “3rd annual Hustle on the High Banks” is slated for Friday Night July 31, featuring a 50-lap feature for the USAC Silver Crown Cars. The JayHusker Mini Sprint Series will compete on the track’s infield quarter-mile track.
Saturday Aug. 1 will feature last chance races, along with the trophy dash to set the 40-lap feature. A check of $12,500 awaits the winner, with $1,000 minumum for each feature starter. The United Rebel Sprint Car Series again returns for the “3rd annual 305 Sprint Nationals”.
Five former Belleville Midget Nationals Champions Rico Abreu (2014), Christopher Bell (2013), Jerry Coons Jr. (2005, ’07, ’12), Bryan Clauson (2009-10), and Dave Darland (1999, 2002) are entered. Leading the list of drivers looking for their first Nationals Title include: USAC National Midget points leader Kevin Thomas Jr., one-lap midget track record holder Tracy Hines, and last year’s Thursday Night feature winner Zach Daum.
Defending Series Champion and winner of last year’ s “Hustle on the High Banks” Kody Swanson leads the USAC Silver Crown Series points after last week’s event at Brownsburg, Ind. Coons, Shane Cockrum winner at Terre Haute, Ind. in July, C.J. Leary, and “Little 500” winner Chris Windom, headline the list of drivers hoping to defeat Swanson.
General Admission tickets for all events are sold first-come first-served on race day at the ticket gate. Reserved seating tickets are available for the event. Tickets can be ordered by going to the tracks website, or logging onto The TicketForce website (direct link to Belleville events) http://tickets.ticketforce.com/eventperformances.asp?evt=1271
The track ticket window opens daily at 3:00 pm, with grandstands opening two hours later. Practice begins at 6:30pm, with racing to follow each evening.