Stampede of Speed Celebrates 36 NHRA Texas Fall Nationals
Every track works to promote events in order to generate the best crowds and the most publicity. As you might imagine, everything is bigger in Texas, which is holding an eight-day Stampede of Speed in support of the 36th annual Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, held at Texas Motorplex in Ennis, near Dallas and Ft Worth.
The race itself is scheduled for this weekend, October 8-10, but the prelims have been going on since last Friday night, when the track sponsored a cattle drive through nearby Waxahachie. Nearly two dozen longhorns paraded through the city and around the town’s courthouse. The cattle drive was intended to create excitement for the inaugural Stampede of Speed and to give it, well, that big Texas flair.
A full day of festivals – with music, of course – took place on Sunday and was highlighted by country superstar Dustin Lynch, together with a Night Light lantern festival. A beer expo, sponsored by Armadillo Brewing, a barbecue contest and car show were only the beginning. United Rodeo treated the thousands of fans to two hours of bull riding excitement leading up to the country music festival Sunday night. The Night Lights festival closed out the evening with a lantern release ceremony inspired by Thai lantern festivals celebrated around the world.
The Stampede of Speed has some ticketed and some non-ticketed events scheduled through the week that lead up to the Friday-Sunday NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, as the NHRA’s professional and amateur racers vie for Wally winner’s trophies. Some of the highlights include a nitro side show that took place Monday evening. The intent of Monday’s ticketed event was to bring some local exotic race cars to the Motorplex to race, followed by a massive fireworks display and, of course, music.
Tuesday’s activities focused on NHRA’s sportsman racers, specifically Top Sportsman,Top Dragster and Pro Mod. They were battling in a Stampede of Speed Shootout, an inaugural event that had 16 Top Sportsman and Top Dragster competitors all battling for a winner-take-all shootout to end the day. Pro Mod entries from every association – including NHRA – were battling in a first-ever, no rules, anything goes battle to be the quickest at the Stampede.
Wednesday features an NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series Pro Invitational from 9 in the morning (central time) to 6pm. This is an NHRA open schedule test session, an opportunity for curious motorsports fans to get a taste of ground-pounding excitement that is the nucleus of every Camping World event. The professional racers are prepping for the fourth – of seven races – in the Countdown to the Championship playoffs, which will crown champions at the close of the season.
Following Wednesday’s on-track activity at Texas Motorplex, fans can join Don “The Snake” Prudhomme, sampling local brews and eateries in Waxahachie on a walking pub crawl. Following that there will be an exclusive showing of the film Snake and Mongoose, with Prudhomme available to answer questions and sign autographs. Perhaps he’ll even have copies of his great book, Don “The Snake” Prudhomme: My Life Beyond the 1320?
Thursday opens NHRA’s Texas Fall Nationals competition, with sportsman qualifying from 9-6 and a Fan Fest in downtown Waxahachie between 6-9pm. The Fan Fest will have interactive games, live music and family fun. A huge driver autograph session will be the highlight of the evening, capped off with a fireworks show.
Racing begins for the four professional classes – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – late Friday afternoon, with Friday Night Live featuring music, exhibition runs and a special guest DJ. The night will conclude with a free after-party on the start line. Saturday offers two final qualifying to set all fields, followed by the annual DRAW auction and a concert once the racing is complete. Sunday, of course, is final eliminations and the Stampede of Speed closes with the larger fireworks display of the week-long gathering.