In a new feature appearing regularly on DirtonDirt, senior writer Kevin Kovac will offer readers five things worth mentioning from around the Dirt Late Model landscape (index to previous Take Fives):

No. 1: So what were my impressions of Batesville Motor Speedway upon my first-ever visit to the well-known Mooney Starr-promoted track in Locust Grove, Ark., for the Ace Doran Topless 100? From a general standpoint, I was very impressed with the facility — that big ‘ol concrete grandstand is quite a sight from the road, and the grounds appear well manicured. I like the multi-tiered drive-in section behind the pit area on the backstretch; it’s a heck of a view from up there. The infield looked good, too, with the new pond inside turns one and two (dirt dug out to create it was used to resurface the track) and several concrete-floor pavilions around it that are available for rent adding a neat touch. I was somewhat surprised with the steepness of the banking in the turns as well as just how circular the 3/8-mile oval’s shape is; both are difficult to fully appreciate on video. And it’s definitely a fast place.

No. 2: And what did I think of the atmosphere for the Topless 100? I’ve now covered every acknowledged crown jewel Dirt Late Model event after adding the Topless to my list, and I have to say that I didn’t feel the same type of electricity running through the air all across the grounds that the other majors exhibit. The steamy conditions certainly didn’t help — the high temperature each day approached 105 degrees with the heat index exceeding 110 degrees — nor did the 40-car field (likely the smallest in the event’s 34-year history). Two days of racing filled with flat tires (the marathon 100-lapper had 15 of its 17 caution flags caused by flats) also sucked away a lot of the vibe. I couldn’t help but notice that, while the grandstand crowd looked pretty solid, the pit area didn’t seem to have many fans after the race visiting winner Dan Ebert and other drivers, which is an integral part of what makes a race feel big and important. The Topless 100 remains the most unique crown jewel with its no-roof hook, but after experiencing it in person, I’d say it needs an injection of more juice — and racing that’s not hampered so much by cut and worn tires — to stack up better on the major-event list.

No. 3: I thought it was pretty cool to see a couple of places in the town of Batesville — a few miles from the speedway — offering some daytime activities to keep visiting fans busy. One was at Mark Martin Ford, the dealership co-owned by the former NASCAR star and Jonathan Davenport’s Double L Motorsports team owner Lance Landers, who are both Batesville residents. The No. 49 Dirt Late Model that Davenport has driven to so much success at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, was on display with J.D.’s Eldora trophies in the business’s showroom, which also includes a museum detailing Martin’s 40 years in racing with cars, trophies, journals and other memorabilia from his career. Also, over the weekend, Batesville’s Dirt Late Model Hall of Famer and four-time Topless 100 winner Billy Moyer opened up the jam-packed trophy room of his shop for fans to check out before Saturday’s action at the track.

No. 4: Speaking of Moyer, the 68-year-old opted to keep his Keith Lawson Motorsports machine in the shop rather than enter his hometown track’s marquee event. It marks the second straight year that Moyer hasn’t entered the Topless 100, which he won in 1995, 1997, 2002 and 2005 and has started 27 times overall. Interestingly, though, aside from 2020, when his last-lap bid for the win fell short and he settled for a fourth-place finish, his results over the past two decades have otherwise been surprisingly poor. In his first 15 Topless 100 starts from 1993–2007, Moyer ran up his four wins among eight top-five and 11 top-10 finishes; since then, though, his ’20 run is his lone finish better than 18th in 12 feature starts.

No. 5: During the Topless 100 weekend, I had the opportunity to chat with Chris and Jack Sullivan, the brothers from Greenbrier, Ark., who are always fun to engage in conversation. They’re no longer operating the Comp Cams Super Dirt Series, and Jack, who made 10 Topless 100 starts from 2003–19, doesn’t race regularly, but they’re still active in racing with Jack’s ownership of Cadillac Chassis. “We’re sort of a big deal around here,” Jack Sullivan said with a laugh, describing his business that offers open-wheel modified and stock car chassis. Jack’s Cadillac modified house car was driven in Friday’s IMCA modified program at Batesville by 1998 Topless 100 winner Wendell Wallace, but his night ended early due to mechanical trouble.