Belle-Clair Speedway

[David Bogard]

Anytime you are around the Southern Illinois/St. Louis area, try to catch a race at Bell-Claire Speedway in Belleville, Illinois. Great old track, wooden grandstands, terrific food, the whole nine yards. This clip is from late July 2019 and the track got away from them a little (weather has been real funky this year!) but as you can see, never a dull moment!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dug88fexchU

[Lefturns75]

That sorta makes me think of Riverside in KC.  Never been to Belle-Clair Speedway but I would go if I was up that way.  Is the Beer as cold as what Riverside used to have?

[TarheelRick]

Neat little track and some good racing.  What size is it - 1/8, 1/5 mile?

[Olderndirt]

Man, that track looks like Lakeport before they paved it. These super short tracks are there own kind of racing. It’s as easy to have too much horsepower, as it is to have too little. I love it. Having barely enough straight to get her straightened out is real racing. These guys get really clever when it come to making a car work. Long track racers are lost when they race their first bull ring.

  Olderndirt

[Olderndirt]

O.K. David put the pill under your tongue, and sit down. I agree 100%. You can ramrod a long track with mediocre driving skills, and a butt load of money, but you can’t on a bullring. The action is better, you get to see more of the race, and I think the fans are more dedicated. I know the day is coming when our track in the middle of town gets shut down, it will change the whole personality of the town.

  Olderndirt

[TarheelRick]

Got to agree on the small tracks.  My local one, Bowman Gray Stadium aka "The Madhouse", is a 1/4 mile around the outside of a football field.  The season ends early because a local college uses the field for home games.  Haven't been in years, primarily because I miss the coupes and sedans, these Whelen style cookie cutters just do not appeal to me; neither do the "supposed to be" Ford, Chevy, Toyota street stocks.  Another reason I do not go is the location.  Not trying to be political, racist, or whatever, but, it is on the side of town which is well known to the police.

[Olderndirt]

I think Lakeport is a 1/4 mile track, with high banks, and concrete walls. Ukiah speedway thirty miles away is 1/5 mile and is low banked, and almost no walls at all. The guys that run on these tracks regularly have to really stay on their game. I love the whole aspect of local hero’s. These guys are mostly unknown outside of the two or three little tracks they run on. But, some are legendary in their home town. Some of the most innovative mechanical techniques I’ve ever seen happen on local tracks. A few of these guys would make Mc Giver look lame.

   Olderndirt

[Olderndirt]

Fensler, Philpot, and Brazil, all sound familiar. I think Philpot ran here quite a lot.

  Olderndirt