LOCUST GROVE, Ark. — The American Sprint Car Series is back in the state where it all started.
The top drivers of 360 sprint car racing travel to Arkansas, which first welcomed the series in 1993, for a Saturday night duel at Batesville Motor Speedway on June 13.
The high-banked three-eighths-mile will see drivers contest for a $4,000 payday.
Back Home Again
The Natural State was the first state to welcome the American Sprint Car Series with its introductory race at I-30 Speedway in 1993.
Batesville hosted the series for the first time in 1996, with Mike Ward winning the first two races. The track hosted the National Tour from 1999 to 2004, and there was a 17-year wait before it returned to the annual schedule in 2021.
Ward, Gary Wright, and Tim Crawley own the most series wins at the track with three apiece. Last year, two-time series champion Blake Hahn drove to victory at the track for the first time.
Needing A Spark
As the American Sprint Car Series reaches the second quarter of the 2026 season, Sam Hafertepe Jr. needs a pitch of momentum to contain his points lead at Batesville.
Hafertepe has held the point lead for most of the season, but his last few starts have caused him to lose a little grip.
At Benton, he was leading until contact with a lapped car forced him to settle for ninth. Then, at Creek County, he suffered an engine issue halfway through the feature while running in third place.
While he recovered at 81 Speedway with a runner-up finish to keep the lead (22 points over Matt Covington), he’s looking for luck to turn his direction at Batesville. The six-time series champion has finished second and fifth, respectively, in his last two track appearances.
Striking Distance
Matt Covington has been one of the most consistent drivers in the last eight races, earning an average finish of 4.8. He was the first full-time driver to win this year and has scored eight top 10 finishes in a row, including three top fives in the last three races.
Those results have helped him close in on Hafertepe’s points lead, currently 22 points back.
That streak could continue this weekend as the Glenpool, Okla., native has never finished worse than ninth in four starts at Batesville. He earned top five in his 2021 debut at the track and a podium in 2024.
Grind Never Stops
Seth Bergman’s recent strong runs, including a win last weekend, have him back in the fight for his second series title – sitting 23 points back from the lead.
The 2024 series champion has proven to be the hottest driver on the circuit by maintaining a streak of five consecutive top fives, including wins at Benton Speedway and 81 Speedway.
While the Snohomish, Wash., driver finished 18th in his 2025 visit, he owns the track record (12.429 seconds) and finished in the top five at the Arkansas facility during his championship season. Winning on Saturday will make him the first three-time winner in the 2026 campaign.
Every Point Matters
After 11 races, ASCS enters Batesville with points battles throughout the top 10 in points.
The top three are separated by 23 points. Behind them, fourth-place Kyler Johnson and fifth-place Whit Gastineau sit three points apart. Sixth through eighth sees Brogan Carder, Ryder Laplante, and Austyn Gossel separated by 28 points. Then, six markers split Terry Easum and Cole Schroeder to determine ninth and 10th.
Eight drivers are still hunting for their first win this season, and among them (Johnson, Carder, Laplante, Gossel, and Schroeder) are looking for their first overall series win.
