KHAS TV 5 News Report from Belleville
KHAS TV 5 out of Hastings did a news story about the Klatt team racing at Belleville.
Video Link:
Story Transcript:
http://khastv.com/modules/news/print.php?storyid=10531
(7/30/2007) By Ed Littler A freak accident during Friday night's racing at the Belleville Nationals cost the Klatt racing team their best chance of winning the championship "A" feature Saturday.
A flat tire after a collision made the championship night an uphill fight.
Owner Terry Klatt takes his car to the Midget Nationals in Belleville where he has been close to winning the checkered flag.
Crew chief Evan Avant is in charge here in the pits. The car is polished and ready to go.Veteran Driver Don Droud is behind the wheel Saturday and Don performs well. He wins his heat race.A flat tire the night before prevents the #4 car from starting the "A" feature in the front row. Terry's car with Don behind the wheel finishes sixth.
“It did not go quite as planned. We wanted to at least run in the top 3 if we could and try to win it,” said Klatt. “We finished 6th out of 50 cars that showed up here, so I guess all in all you cannot say it is a bad night.”
“Terry and Bob East and the guys did a great job with the car. I was a little loose, and I was struggling keeping it up on the cushion, and I think that was more driver than anything else,” Droud said. “I thought the car was good, and I just need to thank the Ford performance and all the great sponsors on this deal.”
Racing at Belleville is the ultimate for these midget cars. Each year the last weekend in July provides the backdrop for a great two nights of racing where some of the greatest drivers of all time have performed.
“Oh, I mean it is awesome, all of the great drivers that have driven for Bob East and Terry Klatt over the years, I mean, it is incredible all the way back to Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart and stuff like that, so just to be considered to drive the car is way cool,” said Droud. The Klatt racing team makes stops at tracks nationwide. They have seen just about every scenario. They know what is at stake at Belleville.
They know after a rough Friday night recovering to finish 6th had been helped by an experienced driver.
“I think Don did all right, did a tremendous job in the heat race from what we had to do in the competition, we're in to win, start as far up as we could. I think he did a great job,” said Klatt.
The Belleville Nationals have truly become a racing extravaganza which will be featured on the Speed Channel. This track in the northern part of the Sunflower State of Kansas has, thanks in part to the Klatt racing team, truly become a very popular destination.
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