Batesville celebrating 50th season with new IMCA Stock Car sanction, rich special events

BATESVILLE, Ark. – IMCA Modified and IMCA Sunoco Stock Car drivers will be big winners all season long as Batesville Motor Speedway celebrates an event 50 years in the making.

The newly sanctioned Stock Car division joins IMCA Modifieds on Friday nights during the IMCA Speedway Motors Weekly Racing point season that runs from April 2 through Sept. 17.

Batesville then puts the finishing touches on its 50th anniversary season with the $50,000 to win Race For Hope 71 for IMCA Modifieds Sept. 23-25 and the $50,000 IMCA Stock Car spectacular Oct. 14-16. 

“My wife Connie and I have promoted this track since 1993 and we want the 50th anniversary season to be really special,” said Batesville boss Mooney Starr. “These events pay a massive amount of money, especially for the Stock Cars.”

This season marks the 22nd that IMCA Modifieds will race weekly at Batesville while the IMCA Stock Cars replace a local street stock class.

“That had been a great class and we’d get 100-120 cars at the end of the season for a $10,000 to win special. Costs got out of hand and then we were getting 40-60 cars,” explained Starr. “The IMCA Stock Cars are going to be a lot better fit here. They’re a lot more affordable and the guys who race here can race at other tracks because the rules are the same.” 

“I hope to have 10-12 Stock Cars weekly this season and that will be great for the first year,” he continued. “We’re really out to get a bunch of them here in October.”

Stock Car points earned at Batesville also figure in IMCA’s EQ Cylinder Heads Southern Region and toward KMJ Performance Arkansas State standings. 

“Mooney has always been go big or go home,” said IMCA Vice President of Operations Jim Stannard. “He’s going big again this year and the big winners will be IMCA Stock Car drivers because of it.”