St. Clair County

The oft-delayed rebuilding of Belle-Clair Speedway in Belleville, Ill., is under way with plans to host the first event this summer, according to a report today from the Belleville (Ill.) News-Democrat.

Officials hope the $13.9 million project for the quarter-mile oval — slightly larger than originally planned — on the southeast corner of the expanded St. Clair County fairgrounds property will allow for a July 30-Aug. 1 racing weekend at the dirt oval, which in updated renderings released by the county includes a covered grandstand.

The new facility replaces the former fifth-mile track, built in 1948 and demolished last March after hosting its last event 2021.

Footings have been poured with construction moving along despite winter weather delays, county board chairman Mark Kern told the newspaper.

The fairgrounds originally hoped to have the track completed by 2024, delayed that to 2025 and then to 2026. Land purchases expanded the fairgrounds footprint for the track, which cost $4.5 million in reconstruction work and is budgeted for $9.4 million for its completion, according to the report.

The former Belleville track, despite its small size, unique railroad-tie walls and on-track flagging position, was a popular weekly racing venue for DIRTcar-sanctioned Super Late Models and hosted nine DIRTcar Summer Nationals events and two World of Outlaws Late Model Series, among other specials.