04/27/2026
PETTY STRIKES FIRST WITH LEGENDS LATE MODELS AT BATESVILLE
The 2026 season for the Legends Late Models presented by Rush Race Gear officially got underway Saturday night at Batesville Motor Speedway, and it was Chandler Petty of Cabot, Arkansas parking the #47 in Victory Lane after a hard-fought feature.
Petty started the night strong, picking up the win in Heat Race #1, while Bryan Glaze topped Heat Race #2, setting the stage for a front row showdown between the two.
At the drop of the green in the feature, Glaze wasted no time jumping to the lead. The #1 machine showed serious speed early, pacing the field for the first eight laps and beginning to stretch his advantage when he hit his marks.
But on lap nine, the race took a turn.
A caution flew for a driveshaft failure on Glaze’s car, ending his strong run and handing the lead over to Petty.
From there, the battle was on.
Petty was immediately challenged by Brandon Smith of Floral, Arkansas, as the two drivers went to war trading slide jobs corner after corner in one of the most intense stretches of racing all night. After several laps of door-to-door action, Petty secured the lead and never gave it back.
Petty drove a smooth, controlled race the rest of the way to capture the opening night victory.
“Nothing ever comes easy for this 47 team,” Petty said. “We had to change a radiator after the heat race just to make the feature. Bryan got out front early and we battled hard, but once we got the lead, the car was really good. Glad to start the season off with a win.”
Despite the early exit, Glaze remained encouraged with the performance of his car.
“We were able to get out front early and felt like we could pull away,” Glaze said. “The car was really good with the new Penske shocks from PRP Suspension. When I hit my marks, I could stay in the gas and gain ground. The track got rough, and that ended our night but there’s a lot to build on.”
A moisture-heavy, “cowboy up” racing surface tested drivers and equipment throughout the night which is something rarely seen at Batesville Motor Speedway, which is known for its smooth, raceable conditions.
That challenge made the effort behind the scenes even more notable.
“What Mooney Starr and his team were able to do this week shouldn’t go unnoticed,” said Series Director Justin Newman. “With the amount of rain this entire region has taken, they worked tirelessly to give us a surface we could race on and they were the only facility in the state able to do it. It may not have been the typical Batesville surface we’re used to, but that speaks to just how much they put into getting this race in. Our teams were able to compete, and that’s a credit to them.”
HEAT RACE RESULTS
Chris Reed Logging Heat 1:
1. 47 Chandler Petty
2. 1B Brandon Smith
3. 7 David Payne
4. T2 Terry Henson
5. 77 Cody Calhoun
6. 51 Andrew Howard
7. 41 Bryce Clark
O'Reilly Auto Parts Heat 2:
1. 1 Bryan Glaze
2. 4PLAY Edward Hoyer
3. 17H Vic Holdcraft
4. 823 Stormy Derryberry
5. 97 Jeff Perry
6. 8C Jeff Cloninger
7. 24 Heath Stephens
FEATURE RESULTS – A MAIN
1. 47 Chandler Petty
2. 1B Brandon Smith
3. 4PLAY Edward Hoyer
4. 7 David Payne
5. 77 Cody Calhoun
6. 51 Andrew Howard
7. 17H Vic Holdcraft
8. 1 Bryan Glaze
9. 24 Heath Stephens
10. T2 Terry Henson
11. 823 Stormy Derryberry
12. 8C Jeff Cloninger
DNS: 97 Jeff Perry, 41 Bryce Clark
The season is officially underway—and the target is clear.
All eyes turn to May 16, when the Legends Late Models roll into Trent and Brenda Francis’s famed Crowley's Ridge Raceway on May 16th.
If Batesville proved anything it’s that nothing will come easy in 2026.
📞 (954) 707-3701
🌐 www.LegendsLateModels.com
📧 [email protected]
The Legends Late Model Series is proudly supported by its 2026 partners including Rush Race Gear, Five Star Airbags, Chris Reed Logging, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Derrick Nichols Land Management, and VP Racing Fuels.
Additional support provided by Shaw Race Cars, Products, Dominator Race Products, My Race Pass, and 501 Scale Replicas.
📸 Sam Rogers Photography - SRP
