ENNIS, Texas — The second annual Stampede of Speed concludes at Texas Motorplex with the main event, the 37th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals on Oct. 13-16, right in the heart of the Countdown to the Championship playoffs.
It is the 20th event of the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and the fourth stop in the six-race NHRA playoffs. The weekend commences with qualifying under the lights during “Friday Night Live,” which offers more than $40,000 in bonus money.
The quickest pass under the lights on Friday night at the famed Texas Motorplex will net Top Fuel and Funny Car stars $15,000 each in bonus money, with $7,500 going to the quickest run Friday night in Pro Stock and $5,000 in Pro Stock Motorcycle.
That leads into final qualifying on Saturday and championship Sunday, where champions will be crowned at the legendary facility to close out a memorable weekend of adrenaline-filled action. Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle) won last year’s playoff race.
Rising Top Fuel star Ashley denied Texan and four-time defending world champ Steve Torrence his second straight Dallas victory, winning a thrilling final round duel. Ashley is now the points leader in the star-studded Top Fuel ranks, but Torrence trails by just 14 points in what’s setting up to be an epic duel.
Brittany Force, who has four wins this season, is just 30 points back, while Mike Salinas and Indy winner Antron Brown trail by only 35 and 43 points, respectively. That raises the stakes in Dallas, while other top contenders include Josh Hart, Doug Kalitta, Clay Millican, Shawn Langdon, Leah Pruett, Austin Prock and Tony Schumacher.
Ron Capps went 23 years between Dallas wins in Funny Car, but he came through last year, slipping past Matt Hagan to win for the second time at Texas Motorplex. He used that momentum to claim his second world title and he’s within range of another if he can track down Robert Hight, who has eight wins this year and is the current points leader.
But there is a bevy of stars to contend with, including seven-time race winner John Force, J.R. Todd, Alexis DeJoria, Tim Wilkerson, Cruz Pedregon and Bob Tasca III.
In Pro Stock, points leader Erica Enders has enjoyed a dominant season, rolling to eight victories this season and a commanding points lead. The Texan has already won once in her home state this year and will look for a Texas two-step in Dallas with her sights set on a fifth world title.
In her way is a loaded field that includes defending event winner Greg Anderson, Dallas Glenn, Aaron Stanfield, rookie Camrie Caruso, Kyle Koretsky and Troy Coughlin Jr.
Defending Pro Stock Motorcycle event winner Matt Smith will look to move closer to his sixth world championship, claiming his first win at Texas Motorplex a year ago.
But competition in the fast two-wheeled category is tight, with the points lead changing hands each of the last six races, and Smith will have to deal with the likes of Joey Gladstone, three-time race winner Jerry Savoie, Angie Smith, Eddie Krawiec, Steve Johnson and Angelle Sampey.