Last year's Race for Hope 71 at Batesville Motor Speedway drew more than 130 of the nation's top IMCA modified drivers, but track promoter Mooney Starr knew there were more out there.
So this year, he set out to get them.
At a glance
WHAT Third annual Race for Hope 71
WHERE Batesville Motor Speedway, Locust Grove
WHEN Today-Saturday. Gates open at 5:30 p.m. each night.
PURSE Main event pays $15,000 to win and $2,000 to start. Saturday’s other mains: B-Main ($4,000 to win, $1,000 to start), C-Main ($3,000 to win, $600 to start), D-Main ($2,000 to win, $400 to start).
SCHEDULE
TODAY Practice (6:30 p.m.-8 p.m.), time trials (8 p.m.). Grandstand admission is free. Pit passes are $20.
WEDNESDAY-FRIDAY 15 heat races, 30-lap preliminary feature (top 10 advance to Saturday’s main event). Four non-qualifiers races. Racing starts at 7:30 p.m. Grandstand admission is $20. Pit passes are $30.
SATURDAY Main event (71 laps), plus three other mains. Racing starts at 7:30 p.m. Grandstand admission is $25. Pit passes are $40.
The third annual Race for Hope 71 will be held tonight through Saturday night, featuring a format that will include IMCA racing's richest purse and will put money in the pocket of more racers than ever has been seen in the sport.
"Here's what I say: If they've got an IMCA modified and don't come to this thing, they've got issues," Starr said. "Nobody anywhere has ever paid like this for an IMCA modified race."
Saturday's 71-lap main event will pay $15,000 to win and $2,000 to start in a portion of motor sports that typically pays less than $500 to win for a weekly race.
But the event is unique in its purses aside from the main event. Drivers will earn points throughout the week in heat races and preliminary features. If they do not earn a starting position in the main event, they will have a spot in one of three other mains that also will pay significant purses.
Saturday's B-Main will pay $4,000 to win and $1,000 to start; the C-Main will pay $3,000 to win and $600 start; and the D-Main will pay $2,000 to win and $400 to start.
"When it's all said, 120 guys will leave here with money," Starr said. "I've been getting calls from guys all over the country, so I believe we're looking at a pretty good field of cars.
"And the weather looks good for all week. The weather is always a factor on your car count because it's hard for a guy in South Carolina or Nebraska or Wyoming to pull out when they're looking at 70% chance of rain at the racetrack. But we're looking at 20% or less for the week."
The event opens tonight with practice and time trials. Wednesday through Friday will feature a complete card each night with the top two finishers from each of the 15 heat races advancing to that night's preliminary feature. The top 10 finishers from each prelim will earn spots in Saturday's main event, which will have 30 starters.
Drivers who do not advance to the nightly prelim can earn points in one of four nonqualifier races.
Kyle Strickler of Mooresville, N.C., won last year's event, a victory he has since parlayed into a spot on a national late model touring series.
Top drivers expected to be on hand include 2017 winner Ricky Thornton Jr. of Chandler, Ariz.; Jordan Grabouski of Beatrice, N.C.; and Ethan Dotson of Bakersfield, Calif., who won this year's IMCA Super Nationals at Boone, Iowa.
Top Arkansans include Cave City's Jeff Taylor, the 2012 Super Nationals champion, and Benton's Drew Armstrong, who finished sixth in last year's event and has more than 20 victories this season.
Sports on 09/24/2019