Four Great Gearhead Getaways in Arkansas! | McLarty Daniel CDJR of Bentonville

Here at McLarty Daniel Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Bentonville, we don’t just sell and service cars, we love ‘em! A lot of the folks who work here are gearheads through and through, people who can reel off endless statistics about muscle cars, model years, NASCAR racing, quarter mile drag racing and more.

When you’re into cars like that, you tend to seek out places where you can immerse yourself in automotive history and culture. We’ve got a big list on those places in Arkansas: museums, drag strips, diners and drive ins where we can sniff gasoline and oil to our hearts’ content. If you’re somebody who loves cars, be sure to check out our list below, which features some of our favorite gearhead destinations in the Natural State. Next time you’re out and about in that great new Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep or Ram you bought from your friends at McLarty Daniel, be sure to make time for one of the following great car-related stops here in Arkansas!

Kenda Drive-In
100 Westwood Drive,
Marshall, AR
Though there was a time when drive-in movie theaters were nearly as common as dandelions across America, changing tastes have seen most of the outdoor, watch-from-your-car theaters disappear from the landscape. If you’re one of those who remembers the joy of watching a film at the drive in, there’s still a place in Arkansas to introduce a whole new generation to that simple pleasure: Kenda Drive-In in Marshall, Arkansas. First opened in 1965, the Kenda is one of three drive-in theaters left in Arkansas, and is still screening first-run movies to great crowds with an old-school snackbar, window-mounted speakers and weekend double features. Admission is $6 for adults, $2 for children ages 6 to 11.

Museum of Automobiles
Petit Jean State Park
8 Jones Lane, Morrilton, AR
While the lofty natural splendor of Petit Jean Mountain and Petit Jean State Park might seem like an odd place to find one Arkansas’s best collections of classic automobiles, the Museum of Automobiles is definitely one of the best, with over fifty vehicles on display, ranging from the dawn of internal combustion through the 1960s. Founded by former Arkansas governor Winthrop Rockefeller in 1964, the museum includes a host of rare vehicles, including Rockefeller’s 1951 and 1967 Cadillacs, a 1914 Craetor’s popcorn wagon, former President Bill Clinton’s classic Ford Mustang convertible and the only known example of the Arkansas-made Climber automobile, seen above. Admission for adults is $10, while children 6-17 years are $5.  

George Ray’s Wildcat Drag Strip
485 AR-135, Paragould, AR
Another institution that was once common but which has largely disappeared from the American landscape are small, mom-and-pop dragstrips. One of the last great American dragstrips turns out to be right here in Arkansas, with George Ray’s Wildcat Dragstrip in Paragould. Built in 1961 by owner George Gray, the dragstrip is open every Sunday, with heads-up, run-what-you-brung drag racing every Sunday on the eighth-mile concrete drag strip, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. It’s just as primitive and fun as you might imagine, with seating consisting of bare aluminum bleachers and races started by hand-flagging. With enthusiastic crowds and fast-paced action, it’s one of the best times to be had in that part of the state. Admission is $5.  

Grable’s Slot Car Raceway
1720 Highway 65. S, Clinton, AR
Not all our favorite gearhead destinations aren’t about full-size cars. Having learned to love cars while playing with toys as kids, we love the little ones too! Which brings us to Grable’s Slot Car Raceway in the small, Van Buren County town of Clinton. Yes, we’re talking about the tiny, electric cars that run in slots on a plastic track, like the ones you may have played with as kids. And yes, it’s still all kinds of fun, even for an adult. Open since December 2017, Grable’s has since become a real road trip destination for the tight-knit community of slot car racing fanatics, with two giant slot car tracks, and a slot car dragstrip with working lights and timers. If you don’t have a car, no problem. They offer controller and car rentals, plus a pro-shop where you can buy finished cars (starting at $40), parts, and even a paint shop where you can paint your car.  Grable’s is open Wednesday through Saturday, from noon to 8 p.m. Admission is $5 to use one track, or $10 for all three. For more information, give them a call at 501-757-3651.

We love it here in Arkansas, because there’s so much to see and do, and that includes plenty of things for those who love cars as much as we do here at McLarty Daniel CDJR of Bentonville. If you need a great new or used car, truck, van or SUV to help you get out there and find the off-the-beaten-path attractions here in the Natural State, stop in and see us. With cars and trucks for every price range and deals no one else in the area can match, we’re sure to have one that meets both your needs and your budget.

McLarty Daniel CDJR of Bentonville is a new and used vehicle dealership that is proud to serve the people and communities of Northwest Arkansas, including Tontitown, Farmerville, Pea Ridge, Bentonville, Springdale, Rogers, Fayetteville, Siloam Springs, Eureka Springs, West Fork and all points in between.  

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