Belleville Midget Nationals - Did You Know?
26TH ANNUAL BELLEVILLE MIDGET NATIONALS PRESENTED BY WHOWON.COM BELLEVILLE HIGH BANKS, BELLEVILLE, KANSAS THURSDAY-SATURDAY, AUGUST 7-9, 2003 ---------------------------- DID YOU KNOW? ---------------------------- BELLEVILLE MIDGET NATIONALS CHAMPIONS (by state): California - 7 (1985-87, 89, 93, 96-97) Arizona - 4 (1982, 84, 92, 95) Indiana - 4 (1983, 90, 99, 2002) Illinois - 3 (1988, 94, 98) Wisconsin - 2 (1979-80) Washington - 2 (2000-01) Colorado - 2 (1978, 81) Ohio - 1 (1991) ================================= BELLEVILLE MIDGET NATIONALS CHAMPIONS (by engine manufacturer): Volkswagen - 6 (1978-81, 84, 86) Gaerte - 6 (1993-98) Cosworth - 4 (1983, 85, 87-88) Ed Pink Ford - 4 (1999-2002) Fontana - 2 (1989, 1991) Barnes - 1 (1992) Dino - 1 (1982) Pontiac - 1 (1990) ==================================== MOST TOP-5 FINISHES (3 or more): Stan Fox - 8 (1979-82, 85, 90-92) Robby Flock - 8 (1986-88, 92-93, 95-96, 2001) Sleepy Tripp - 7 (1978, 81-82, 84-85, 87, 89) Steve Knepper - 6 (1988-90, 94, 98-99) Randy Roberts - 5 (1983, 85, 87-89) John Heydenreich - 4 (1987, 90-91, 95) Tony Stewart - 3 (1996-98) Mike Gregg - 3 (1979, 81-82) Kevin Doty - 3 (1993-94, 99) Jason Leffler - 3 (1996-98) Jerry Coons Jr. - 3 (1994, 98-99) Dave Darland - 3 (1999, 2001-02) ===================================== CAR COUNTS BY YEAR (winner): 1978 - 41 (Eddie Jackson) 1979 - 48 (Stan Fox) 1980 - 61 (Stan Fox) 1981 - 65 (Mike Gregg) 1982 - 72 (Dave Manes) 1983 - 74 (Johnny Parsons Jr.) 1984 - 73 (Mark Passerrelli) 1985 - 84 (Ron "Sleepy" Tripp) 1986 - 73 (Tommy White) 1987 - 81 (Ron "Sleepy" Tripp) 1988 - 68 (Steve Knepper) 1989 - 65 (Chuck Gurney) 1990 - 82 (Jeff Gordon) 1991 - 65 (Jack Hewitt) 1992 - 58 (Lealand McSpadden) 1993 - 56 (Page Jones) 1994 - 36 (Kevin Doty) 1995 - 39 (Billy Boat) 1996 - 44 (Robby Flock) 1997 - 42 (Jason Leffler) 1998 - 38 (Steve Knepper) 1999 - 60 (Dave Darland) 2000 - 47 (Kasey Kahne) 2001 - 48 (Kasey Kahne) 2002 - 62 (Dave Darland) ====================================== Jay Drake is tied with Robby Flock with most consective starts in the Belleville Midget Nationals Championship feature: 9 years in a row. Flock did it from 1991 though 1999 while Drake did it from 1994 through 2002. If Drake, who is entered in 2003, makes it into Saturday night's 26th Annual Belleville Midget Nationals Championship feature it will be a record 10 straight years. ============================================================= Lealand McSpadden is the only Belleville Midget Nationals Champion who ever raced at the Belleville High Banks track in a Sprint Car race. McSpadden raced in a Sprint Car race on the Belleville track in 1980, then later returned to Belleville to race at and win the prestigous Belleville Midget Nationals in 1992. Other notables who have raced in the Bellevile Midget Nationals and raced Sprint Cars on the same track: Tommy Estes Jr., John Backlund, Ron Shuman, Randy Roberts, Rick England, Billy Shuman, Jerry Stone, John Johnson, Dave Strickland Jr. and Ricky Hood. ============================================================== 1996 Belleville Midget Nationals Champion Robby Flock is the only driver to receive the "Key to the City." ============================================================== The average age of a Belleville Midget Nationals Champion is 30 years old. The youngest to win was Jeff Gordon at 19 years of age (on his birthday). The oldest Champion was Eddie Jackson, who won at 47 years of age. =============================================================== There have been two drivers to compete in both Stock Cars on the Belleville High Banks and compete in the Belleville Midget Nationals: Darrick Klima of Belleville and Dean Ward of Hastings, Neb. Ward finished 6th in the 1985 Belleville Midget Nationals Championship feature, and is still active as crew chief for the Terry Klatt/Durst Team. ============================================================= Over the past five years, the driver with the best average finish in the Belleville Midget Nationals Championship feature is California's Steve Paden. Paden has compiled a 7.6 average finishing position over the last five events. He finished 3rd, 18th, 4th, 6th and 7th in his last five attempts. Only three other drivers have been able to qualify for Saturday's Championship during each of the last five years: Scott Hatton (8.0 average finish), Dave Darland (9.4 average finish) and Jay Drake (15.6 average finish). ============================================================= Current NASCAR drivers' best finish at the Belleville Midget Nationals: Ken Schrader - 3rd place in 1983 Jeff Gordon - 1st place in 1990 Ryan Newman - 18th place in 1996 Tony Stewart - 2nd place in 1997 Jason Leffler - 1st place in 1997 Kasey Kahne - 1st place in 2000 and 2001 ============================================================= There have been 9 different father-and-son combinations that have competed at the Belleville Midget Nationals: Jack & J.J Yeley Dave & Dave (Jr.) Strickland Gene & Steve Gennetten Bob & Terry and Bob (Jr.) Wente Mike & Chad and Steve Farmer J.D. & Jeff Jackson Tim & Jim McVey Sammy & Scott Sauer Jack & Chris DeShon ============================================================= Arizona Midget Champion Dave Manes was the first driver ever to win the Belleville Midget Nationals in his very first trip to Belleville in 1982. The Belleville High Banks, located in Belleville, Kan., is managed by a volunteer racing committee that host 10-12 racing events annually. "The World's Fastest Half-Mile Dirt Track" allows drivers the rare opportunity to run "wide open" the entire track, and the sweeping oval is one of the most demanding test of endurance and skill for drivers. The track's mainstay is the annual Belleville Midget Nationals, held every year during the first weekend in August. As the nation's most prestigious midget car race of the year, the best equipment, owners and drivers flock to the small rural community of 3,500 transformed into a racing Mecca of more than 40,000 people each August. RESERVED TICKETS: 1309 18th St. Belleville, KS 66935 Phone: 785-527-5179 FAX: 785-527-2876 Office hours: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday. For more information on the Belleville High Banks, write to: Belleville High Banks, P.O. Box 349, Belleville, KS 66935, or call (785) 527-6050. Sponsorship inquiries may call or fax (402) 761-3676 or via e-mail at wdake@alltel.net. Information is also available on the World Wide Web by logging on to http://www.highbanks.org or http://www.whowon.com.