BATESVILLE — No test drives are available in the sleekest and speediest among the host of vehicles arrayed at Mark Martin’s Batesville dealership.
These souped-up beauties are some of the stock cars that the Arkansas native steered to victories during his long and storied NASCAR career. They’re the stars of the show in the several rooms of the Mark Martin Museum, which blends almost seamlessly into the sales and service areas of the retired racing star’s auto emporium.
Located along U.S. 167 on the southern fringe of Batesville, the museum opened in 2006. There’s no charge to visit. Nor is there any pestering by sales staff to buy a new car or truck while you’re here — even in this topsy-turvy pandemic year, when selling almost anything is sometimes a challenge.
NASCAR enthusiasts can spend hours admiring the museum’s muscular cars paired with touch-screen video narrations of races Martin won in them. The trove of vehicles includes his 1989 Stroh’s Thunderbird, his No. 5 Kellogg’s car, his No. 60 Winn-Dixie Busch car, and the 2005 speedster that he drove to his record fifth International Race of Champions title.
There’s also the chance to browse a cavalcade of Martin memorabilia dating back to his teenage start racing in Independence County. Numerous newspaper and magazine clippings speak to the fact that Martin gained 49 victories in the prestigious NASCAR Infinity Series. That’s the second most of any driver, in a professional career of more than three decades ended by his retirement after 2013 at age 54.
The stature and longevity of his skills is further evidenced by brightly painted helmets and the dozens of colorful fire suits framed behind glass like works of art. Giving the collection a more personal feel is an assortment of scrapbooks and race diaries dating back to his teens.
Visitors less enthralled by speedways can chuckle in amusement or amazement at the blitz of advertising plastered from stem to stern of the high-performance machines, making them billboards for a panoply of products — including Viagra. Souvenir seekers can browse the capacious gift shop for merchandise running from miniature race cars to champagne bottles emblazoned with reminders of Martin’s best-known wins.
When Martin opened the museum, he called it “just an awesome thing to be able to bring back all of those cars and trophies to the place where it all started and the place I consider home.”
He added, “Growing up, I couldn’t wait to get out of Batesville and go out and see what I could do. I went off seeking my fame and fortune, and I was fortunate enough to work with a lot of great people and have a lot of success. Now it’s time to bring all of that back home where it belongs.”
Several vintage vehicles are also on display at Batesville’s Old Independence Regional Museum, 380 S. Ninth St., open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, with admission of $5 for adults, $3 for visitors 65 and older, $2 for children over 6. Visit oirm.org.
The mix includes a frontier-era Springfield wagon, a 1904 brougham carriage that served as a horse-drawn taxi, and a high-wheel bicycle that sold for a pricey $45.95 in 1895. A gasoline pump from the 1930s is set at 17 and 6/10th cents per gallon — a flashback to the supposedly good old days.
The Mark Martin Museum, 1601 Batesville Road (U.S. 167), Batesville, is open 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free. Visit markmartinmuseum.com or call (870) 793-4461.