TEXARKANA, Ark. The 7th annual Factory Stock 50 at Texarkana 67 Speedway has been dedicated to the memory of a driver and racing supporter who died earlier this spring.
The event has been renamed the Mike Parker Memorial Races. Parker died on Memorial Day, and his last race was Friday, May 22, just three days before his passing.
"This event was previously the Factory Stock 50, but because of Mike's passing and his support of racing, we decided to rename the race to the Mike Parker Memorial," said Donna Whitehead, one of the event's organizers.
The 3-day event begins Thursday with the public getting a free opportunity to see racers and their cars.
Neal Kemp will drive Parker's car in the race. Parker's son, Maguire Parker, has been racing in his late father's No. 15 car, but is having Kemp, a veteran driver, take the wheel for this weekend's event.
"Mike was always a big supporter of this race; he always helped them out," Donna said. "It's gained a lot of local support with our sponsors, and we're having cars from about five or six states come in. We're expecting a good crowd with anywhere from 125-150 cars."
Drivers and their cars will be coming from Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, including as far as Houston, and other states, to compete in the Mike Parker Memorial.
The grandstand gate will open at 5 p.m. each day Thursday through Saturday with entry free on Thursday for practice runs from 6-9 p.m. and Time Trials at 10:15 p.m. Pit passes for Thursday are $20 each.
Friday the racing begins at 7:30 p.m. and there will be a fireworks show, and Saturday's start time will be 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday the grandstand admission is $20 each, and the pit passes are $35 apiece.
"Mike was not just a fellow racer, but a good friend, a true friend," Donna said. "Some of our old-timers, from Stateline Speedway, will be racing this weekend, also."