New models race at Belle-Clair Speedway during the 2014 DIRTcar Summernationals. (Don Figler photo)
BELLEVILLE, Ill. – Racing could return to Belle-Clair Speedway as early as next season.
The Belleville News-Democrat reported June 1 that St. Clair County plans to use some of its COVID-19 relief funds to rebuild the racetrack and make improvements to the adjacent Belle-Clair Fairgrounds & Expo Center.
Working with the City of Belleville, county officials previously spent $2.3 million to purchase the Fairgrounds & Expo Center where the track is located.
According to the News-Democrat, the St. Clair County Board voted May 30 to allocate an additional $14 million in state and local coronavirus stimulus funds to rebuilding the facility’s infrastructure.
“The route in its current form is incapable of handling any events,” County Board Chairman Mark Kern told the News-Democrat. “It’s really crashing. It’s not safe and would put the county in a liability position if we put a race there before we can go in and rebuild it.
“It’s really going to be a complete overhaul of this facility and possibly an expansion to allow us to host other events there as well. The exhibition center will be the center of many activities in the district. We are excited.”
Kern said his goal is to resume racing in 2024.
Originally a half-mile horse race track on the fairgrounds, Belle-Clair Speedway hosted its first automobile race in 1921. The track began operating as a five-mile dirt track in 1948 and has operated as a special events-only track since POWRi sanctioned when racing was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since then, no more races have been held there.
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