namars: Highbanks Hall of Fame ground breaking report

Ground Breaking Ceremonies Held For Highbanks Hall Of Fame And National Midget Auto Racing Museum

BELLEVILLE, Kan. (July 5, 2001) - After four years of pursuing this historical project, ground breaking ceremonies were held on Thursday, July 5, to kick off construction of the National Midget Auto Racing Museum and High Banks Hall of Fame in Belleville, Kan.

A grant of $50,000 from the State of Kansas was recently awarded to the High Banks Hall of Fame, Inc., to assist in construction for Phase 1 of the three-phase structure.

The first phase of the construction project is a 50 x 75 sq. ft. poured concrete structure faced with brick. The arched windows will mimic the historic limestone grandstand on the famous Belleville High Banks.

The grant, added to what has been accumulated through donations and fund-raising projects, will help enclose the building. An additional sum of $100,000 will need to be raised in order to furnish and complete the interior of the project.

The ground breaking ceremony took place at 1 p.m., just south of the Kansas Travel Information Center, which has 30,000 visitors per year, located on Highway 81 on the west edge of Belleville.

On hand were Kansas State Senator Janis Lee of Kensington; 1999 Belleville Midget Nationals Champion Dave Darland of Lincoln, Ind.; four-time I.M.C.A. Modified National Champion Johnny Saathoff of Beatrice, Neb.; veteran Kansas late model and sprint car driver Shelby Steenson; and Jay Woodside of Wichita, a recent inductee into the High Banks Hall of Fame.

Fans and competitors are encouraged to inquire about items to be given away by the Museum during the 24th Annual Belleville Midget Nationals presented by WhoWon.com, Aug. 2-4.

Superior Outdoor Power Center of Superior, Neb., has partnered with the Hall of Fame to offer a chance of winning a Yamaha Kodiak 4-wheeler, a portable Honda generator or two tickets for four nights of the 2001 Amoco Ultimate Knoxville Nationals.

Proceeds from this project will help fund the new Museum construction in Belleville.

The Grand Opening of Phase 1 has been set for May 25, 2002.

More information about the Highbanks Hall of Fame and National Midget Auto Racing Museum can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.highbanks-museum.org .

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, which is transformed into a racing Mecca of more than 30,000 people each August.

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.

Reserved tickets for the 24th Annual Belleville Midget Nationals presented by WhoWon.com are available by calling (785) 527-5179, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.

-www.highbanks-museum.org