Ten-year-old Jonathan Bates Jr. has a fearless personality just like his father and grandfather. It is why he has a love of racing cars and why he is not afraid to keep racing against better competition.
Bates started racing go karts a few years ago, but he has done so well that he is already moved up to race against grown adults.
Last weekend at the Gumbo Nationals at Greenville Speedway, Bates was in the passenger seat of local driver Chris Showah’s Hot Shot race car. While driving with Showah, Bates received an up close view of what it is like to race at much higher speeds. Next season, he will be in the driver seat.
“My goal is to go out and win every race I can,” Bates said. “I am learning a lot right now, and I believe that I can do it.”
Bates said his father and grandfather have taught him so much about racing already, and he is still learning every day
At the Gumbo Nationals, Bates’ grandfather, Jimbo Wrinkle won first place in the Outlaw Hobby Division, while his father, Jonathan Bates competed in the Factory Stock Division.
The family, from Pine Bluff, Arkansas, comes to Greenville each weekend to the track to race.
“I do not know what it is about Greenville, but these people really like to race,” Wrinkle said.
“There is no racing like this in Arkansas. That is why we make sure that we always come back. It is the best.”
While Bates father and grandfather are teaching him how to race, his mother and grandmother say they are doing their best not to worry.
“When I am watching him out there, all I am thinking is ‘Don’t run over my baby,’” said Lisa Wrinkle, Bates’ grandmother. “But, I am also very proud of my grandson and I love him so much.”
Incredible turnout at Gumbo Nationals
Carl Kilgore, the new manager of the Greenville Speedway, said this year’s Gumbo Nationals were a total success.
“This event was huge this year,” Kilgore said. “We had more than 170 cars compete this year, and I think we had more fans than we ever have had.”
Kilgore said the Washington County Board of Supervisors deserved a lot of credit for the large turnout this year because of the money the board put into fixing the bleachers.
“We learned a lot this year, and we plan to make it even better in the future,” Carl Kilgore said.
