The thundering sound of high-octane NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series competition returns to the state of Texas for the Texas Fall Nationals.
With only three races remaining in the Countdown to the Championship, the pressure to perform is at an all-time high at the Texas Motorplex.
Beginning last season, the Fall Nationals introduced unique approach to NHRA drag racing, one that has never been seen before.
They call it the Stampede of Speed, a 10-day festival to celebrate drag racing and promote the upcoming event. From concerts, bull-riding, barbecue, to the smell of nitro, the Stampede of Speed has given fans a new way to connect with the sport.
For Texas Motorplex co-owner Christie Meyer Johnson, the unique Stampede of Speed event brings an opportunity to showcase not only the sport, but the heart of Texas.
“The whole goal with the stampede, obviously it’s the 10 days and to promote drag racing, but we also wanted to give the people the Texas experience where they come in, everything is branded with Texas, everything is about hospitality and Southern charm,” Johnson said.
“I feel like we really hit the mark with that. People have been so complimentary of just their fan experience, concert experience. We try to just give people the show of a lifetime and also treat people with that good Southern hospitality.”
Johnson, the daughter of Funny Car legend and Motorplex founder Billy Meyer, has been on staff at the track for years, working her way to the top.
“I never dreamed this would be my career,” Johnson said. “I always wanted to be a teacher and follow in my mom’s footsteps. I got my teaching degree. I taught for a couple years and realized it just wasn’t what I wanted to do. About 15 years ago, I came to the track to start learning. My dad had me start working in souvenirs, selling T-shirts, and working on merchandising.”
Since she started working at the track, Johnson’s father has shown her every element of the facility. Now, Johnson and her husband co-manage the track, while she balances being a co-owner alongside her father.
“It’s been super special to be able to be raised here, and then to be able to follow my dad’s footsteps and to continue to build these relationships with people and sponsors, and also just to promote drag racing. Now, my husband and I have two children who are here with us, for this whole experience, and all they want to do one day is work at the Texas Motorplex.”
That tight-knit atmosphere built by the Johnsons has bonded the family while living out their passion and love for drag racing.
“It makes me emotional thinking about my dad, what he did in drag racing, and then his love for the sport,” Johnson said. “He quit racing in the 80s when I was probably four.
“His core memories, the people that have meant the most to him are people from drag racing. It’s been such a huge part of our lives. It’s so special, every October to come back and the suites be filled with these people from generations and decades of friendships.”
Among the many activities planned at the Ennis, Texas facility this weekend, is the presentation of the legends award. Publicist Dave Densmore, who was the PR manager for Johnson’s father for many years, will be inducted alongside Pro Stock driver Greg Anderson.
“It’s so special to have people like that, that we get to now honor, because of their hard work in drag racing,” Johnson said. “Once a year, we get to all get together and see each other, even though we all live across the country from each other.”
For the Johnsons, the ultimate goal of the Stampede of Speed is to grow the sport of drag racing. Johnson’s father Billy had a clear vision when building the track in the 80s. He wanted drag racing to have a major sporting event feel when the series arrived at the quarter-mile.
“He built the track in 1986 because he felt like it was a big-league sport playing in minor-league facilities,” Johnson said. “So, he ended up building the track in ’86 with the suite towers, the concrete quarter-mile. Since the beginning of the Motorplex, he’s always been trying to be ahead of the curve, be innovative. We’ve always tried to do new things and help the sport of drag racing.
“Just over the past few years, we’ve been trying to figure out how we could make a bigger impact on the sport and bring in new fans,” Johnson continued. “That’s what we’ve noticed, the fan base in a lot of ways is not necessarily dying out, but the fan base is getting older. We’re trying to figure out how to introduce the sport to the next generation.”
As the Motorplex gained traction, a major step forward in creating the Stampede of Speed, was being recognized as a major event in the state of Texas.
Last year, the track went through a process with legislation to get a bill passed in order for the facility to receive money from the Major Event Reimbursement Fund.
The trust fund was created to help with larger events in Texas, such as the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four and NASCAR.
“The more out of a state tourism we can bring into Ellis County and to Dallas, the DFW market, we can get reimbursed for some of the things that we do here,” Johnson said. “Once we were able to do that, we realized we had the ability to do something much larger than just the four-day Fall National event. So we decided to try to have the largest drag race in the country, and do 10 days.”
Attempting a 10-day event is no easy task. Though for Johnson and the Texas Motorplex team, 10 months worth of planning, discussion and execution have helped make the Stampede of Speed a major success.
“Our statement here at the Motorplex is, ‘Anything or everything or nothing at all.’ Because, as a team, we are only as strong as the person next to us,” Johnson said. “So, we all try to work together and help each other. If we see somebody struggling and having a rough day, then we jump in to help. Whether it’s selling tickets, picking up trash, it doesn’t matter who’s position it is, we come together.”
The tough days are natural, and the exhaustion has already kicked in for Johnson. However, the family atmosphere has given the Motorplex a strong foundation.
A foundation that perseveres, no matter the obstacles.
“As a team, we’re just dedicated to each other, and committed to working together so that way, when things do fall apart or when we make mistakes, that we can rely on each other to help pick up the pieces and move on.”
As the NHRA Fall Nationals approaches, Johnson looks to her team as the reason the event has been a success.
“I’m just super fortunate for this team. I can’t take credit for any of this. My husband and I have the honor to be able to lead them, but they’re an incredible group of people who are so dedicated,” she continued. “The majority of the people on our team have been here most of their lives. Several of them are local to this area and have worked here since they were teenagers. Several of them have been here 20-plus years. It means a lot, we’re a big family.”
Follow @DHoffmanMedia22