BATESVILLE — With the rev of engines and breeze-blown checkered flags mounted around the property, onlookers could probably guess that some kind of racing event was happening April 16 at 1100 N. St Louis St. in Batesville. Those guesses would be correct, because sitting in a tent next to the Southern Tire Mart building was racing legend Mario Andretti, signing autographs and telling fans how much they mean to him.
With people lined up around the tent to meet Andretti, antique cars presented by the River City Cruisers and free lunch for visitors, Southern Tire Mart manager Sky Clark said he hopes the community felt appreciated at the event.
Every year, Batesville’s Southern Tire Mart hosts a customer-appreciation day. The practice started four years ago with the grand opening of the shop, and Clark said it is an important day for him each year.
“I just feel like we should, as a community, give back to those who stand by us and support us throughout the year,” he said. “This is just one way of giving back.”
In the past, some of the main attractions have been Bridgestone’s Formula One car and the monster truck Bigfoot, but Clark decided to go out on a limb this year to see if he could get a bigger name to visit Batesville.
“We’re a Bridgestone/Firestone dealer, and we asked through that channel if we could have Mario Andretti come to our event,” he said. “We put in a request in October or November. About eight weeks out, I got an email that said he was coming. I was surprised because I had all but given up.”
Andretti is a retired world champion racing driver. He is originally from Italy and moved to the Untied States in 1955 when he was 15 years old, according to his official website. After the move, Andretti found a race track near his new home in Pennsylvania. He and his twin brother built a car and raced it for the first time in March 1959.
Since then, Andretti has become one of the most successful Americans in the history of racing. Over the course of his career, he was a four-time Indy Car National Champion, a Formula One World Champion, a Daytona 500 winner and an Indianapolis 500 winner, to name a few accolades. Now, after his retirement from racing, he serves as an ambassador for Firestone tires.
At the Batesville event, Andretti said that in his retirement, he continues to find enjoyment in meeting fans.
“It makes my day in so many ways,” he said. “You see smiles. You see people who have been watching racing for years. There’s no bigger compliment than people coming to you and saying, ‘I’m interested in what you’ve done.’”
Andretti said Batesville’s own Mark Martin probably understands that, and the fan base for racing sports in Batesville is strong because of the drivers and teams who have come out of the city.
“Sporadically, I’m invited to these kinds of events on behalf of Firestone,” he said. “I always find it a pleasant situation for me. I was wondering if I would really enjoy my life after driving, and I’m still living the dream. It’s a good thing. There’s a certain warmth I’ve found right here in Batesville.”
Clark said he believes 1,000 or more people came to the customer-appreciation event, and many of them have been to the store before.
“Of the people that came — we estimate about 1,000 to 1,200 — I would say most of those I could call them by their first name or at least recognize them as a customer,” Clark said.
Staff writer Angela Spencer can be reached at (501) 244-4307 or aspencer@arkansasonline.com.