Stampede of Speed
Stars of Texas Music Festival Line-Up Loaded with Country Superstars
ENNIS, TX – For the fourth year in a row the Stampede of Speed will bust out of the gate with a mega line-up of country music talent during 
the Stars of Texas Music Festival, October 4-6. Tickets are on sale now for this year’s Stars of Texas Music Festival that has expanded to three days and nights of country music sure to thrill and excite music fans from across the country at Texas Motorplex. The Stars of Texas Music Festival daily headliners will include Wade Bowen, Tracy Lawrence, and Lady A plus a deep list of opening acts.
“We have been building the Stars of Texas Music Festival every year and now we are thrilled with the three-day line-up of acts that we think is one of the best in the state of Texas,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. “We announced Saturday night’s headliner Tracy Lawrence at the end of the Stars of Texas Music Festival last year and now adding Lady A on Sunday night is amazing. We are thrilled to have Stampede of Speed and Texas Motorplex fan favorite Wade Bowen kick off Friday night.” Continue reading
Torrence, Tasca, Kramer and Herrera Take Big Money at Texas Fall Nationals Friday Night Live
DALLAS, TX – With spectacular conditions and a historically quick race surface, multiple track records were set tonight at the Stampede of 
Speed Friday Night Live event part of the 38th annual Texas Fall Nationals. Top Fuel and Funny Car No. 1 qualifiers Steve Torrence and Bob Tasca III grabbed the $15,000 top prize cash, respectively. Deric Kramer grabbed the Pro Stock No. 1 qualifier spot along with the $7,500 prize and Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera continued his domination of the class winning $5,000 with the quickest run of the second session and day. Each of the cash winners also won a custom pair of CORRAL boots.
Torrence made the quickest and fastest run of his career, 3.636 seconds at 336.62 mph to run to the top of a stacked Top Fuel field. In Funny Car Bob Tasca III ran 3.822 seconds at 335.55 mph, both career best marks for the driver from Rhode Island. It also established Tasca as the quickest and fastest Ford Mustang driver in the history of the manufacturer.
“The is a special night because I am a Texan and this is the premier track in Texas,” said Torrence, a four-time Top Fuel world champion. “I have to thank the Meyer family for all they have done with the Stampede of Speed and the Texas Fall Nationals. This is a critical time in the playoffs and this race is a great event top to bottom. These Capco Boys are awesome. You always want to do well in front of your hometown fans. At the end of the day, we were the most consistent car across the board. This race is important, and we had a great day today.”
FUNNY CAR’S TERRY HADDOCK OUTDUELS TOP FUEL’S MITCH KING FOR INAUGURAL TEXAS INVITATIONAL TITLE
ENNIS, TX – Veteran Funny Car driver Terry Haddock took the win light over Top Fuel driver Mitch King tonight during the inaugural Texas 
Invitational match race to kick off the opening weekend of the 3rd annual Stampede of Speed. Haddock outran fellow Funny Car competitor Jeff Diehl on Saturday in the opening round of the Texas Invitational to set up the monster tilt with King for the Texas Invitational championship belt. King advanced to the final by outrunning a tire smoking Buddy Hull on Saturday. After the win Haddock was thrilled to have put on an exciting show for thousands of concert goers as well as drag racing fans.
“Any win is awesome, and I am super proud of my guys,” said Haddock, surrounded by his crew. “I am super grateful and thankful to the Meyer family for putting this event together. They are trying to grow the sport of drag racing and we need more people like them out here. This Stars of Texas event with the concerts, bull riding, drag racing is just awesome. We had so many people come up to our Funny Car that had never seen anything like it and now they are fans. This was a great two days of racing and music. I can’t wait to get to the Texas Fall Nationals.”
Epic Stampede of Speed Delivers 10 Days of Excitement
10 days of racing and concert action includes total purse in excess of $1.5 million
ENNIS, TX – For the third year in a row the historic Texas Motorplex, located between Ennis and Waxahachie on Highway 287, will host the 
premiere National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) drag racing event in the state of Texas — the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals as well as a multitude of motorsports and concert events across Ellis County. Millions of fans have experienced 330-mph races and have witnessed historic races between John Force, Ron Capps, Justin Ashley, Erica Enders, Greg Anderson, Steve Torrence and many more as they set records and amazed crowds. This year the Stampede of Speed, October 6-15, 10 days of racing events, plus two major concerts and a full day of professional testing will pump more money into the wallets of race teams from across the country than ever before.
“Every year we try and make the Stampede of Speed bigger and better and I think this year’s event will be amazing,” said Texas Motorplex Co-Owner Christie Meyer Johnson. “The opening weekend concerts headlined by Sawyer Brown and Clay Walker on Saturday and Sunday’s headliners Ian Munsick and Midland will set the tone for the whole Stampede. We will be paying over $40,000 in low-qualifier bonuses on Friday night during the Friday Night Live event and on Sunday our race purse for the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals will be over $1.5 million for all the classes combined, including the largest payout for the Camping World Drag Racing Series.”
CATTLE DRIVE, NITRO SIDE SHOW AND FOOD DRIVE KICK START STAMPEDE OF SPEED
ENNIS, TX – The 3rd annual Stampede of Speed will once again mix Texas traditions with music and motorsports from October 6-15 at the 
famed Texas Motorplex, culminating with the 38th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, October 12-15. Highlight country music with a two-day concert, bull riding, drag racing, BBQ and some of the biggest personalities in drag racing the ten-day event will entertain fans from across the country while also giving back to the local and regional community through a number of charitable endeavors.
“We start the Stampede of Speed with one of Texas’ most traditional events a cattle drive through historic downtown Waxahachie at high noon on Friday and then cap the day with one of the most unique motorsports shows in the country, the Scott Palmer Nitro Side Show,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. “The Nitro Side Show brings a wide variety of high-powered race cars to the track in head-to-head match races that drag racing fans don’t see anywhere else. We also have fans from across the region donate food to the Race to Feed the Finish Line which supports the food banks in Waxahachie and Ennis, our two largest neighboring cities.”
Located in the middle of Ellis County and building on one of the state’s strongest rivalries between Ennis and Waxahachie, Texas Motorplex is driving awareness about food insecurity with the Race to Feed the Finish Line. Fans who bring a canned and/or non-perishable food item to the Texas Motorplex will receive $10 off admission to the Nitro Side Show. Continue reading
Darrell Gwynn, Antron Brown and Mickey Prestridge Named Texas Motorplex Legends
ENNIS, TX – The Texas Motorplex today announced drag racing Hall of Famer Darrell Gwynn, three-time Top Fuel world champion Antron Brown and long-time NHRA volunteer Mickey Prestridge have been named Texas Motorplex Legends in advance of the 2023 NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at the Stampede of Speed. The trio has made significant history at Texas Motorplex both on and off the track since 1986 when the first NHRA super-track held its inaugural event.
“These three individuals highlight what it means to be a Texas Motorplex Legend. It isn’t always about winning the most races. Darrell, Antron and Mickey have made a positive impact on Texas Motorplex’s fans, sponsors and the history of the facility,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. “Darrell was the first driver to make a pass down our all-concrete racetrack and helped put our facility on the map. Antron won his first professional race here and has continued a winning legacy. Mickey has been a supporter of DRAW and has had a universal presence at events for decades.”
Ashley, Capps, Enders and Arana Jr. to be Celebrated at NHRA Texas Fall Nationals Champions’ Dinner
ENNIS, TX – Texas Motorplex will host a Champions’ Dinner on Wednesday, October 11, in their upscale Champions Club for 2022 NHRA 
Texas Fall Nationals professional winners Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Ron Capps (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Hector Arana Jr. (Pro Stock Motorcycle). All four winners will be in attendance to celebrate their 2022 accomplishment as part of the 3rd annual Stampede of Speed festivities. The event will feature a cocktail hour, plated dinner with entrees and desserts selected by the drivers themselves, individual photo opportunity with the drivers, Q&A hosted by NHRA announcer Joe Castello and post-dinner concert on the lawn behind the luxury suites.
“Last year the Texas Fall Nationals Champions’ Dinner was amazing,” said Justin Ashley, who defending his 2021 Top Fuel title with a 2022 Top Fuel win. “Everything the Texas Motorplex does is first-class and this is no different. It will be an honor to return this season and celebrate with Ron, Erica, Hector and all the previous Texas Fall Nationals Winners in attendance. I can’t wait.”
Midland to Headline Sunday Night at Stars Over Texas Music Festival
ENNIS, TX – Award winning and wildly popular country trio Midland was announced today as the Sunday night headliner of the Stars Over 
Texas Music Festival at Texas Motorplex and the Stampede of Speed on October 7-8. In addition to Midland, Sunday will feature a line-up of current and rising stars filling the sky with music including Ian Munsick, Wade Bowen, William Beckmann, and Tyler Halverson. On Saturday, fans will be transported to the 90s country music scene as headliner Clay Walker along with Sawyer Brown, Diamond Rio, Black Hawk, and Ricochet take to the Stars Over Texas Music Festival stage.
“Adding Midland as our Sunday headliner to an already amazing line-up of country stars makes the final day of the Stars Over Texas Music Festival the must-see event of the fall,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. “Saturday will be all nineties acts and hits and then our Sunday line-up with Midland, Ian, Wade, William and Tyler will thrill our fans and get the Stampede of Speed off to a roaring start.”
The two-day music festival continues to grow in fan activities and unique true to Texas events. Saturday will have a host of family friendly supporting events including a professional cornhole tournament, junior bull riding, and match racing featuring Top Fuel, Funny Cars and Jet Dragsters. The evening will be capped off with a choreographed drone show. Sunday will include pro bull riding, more drag racing match races, a huge beer expo, a bbq contest, and the mystical lantern festival as the sun goes down.
Medley of Country Artists Light Up Stars Over Texas Music Festival
ENNIS, TX – The Stars Over Texas Music Festival returns to Texas Motorplex and the Stampede of Speed on October 7-8. On Saturday, fans 
can travel back in time with music from headliner Clay Walker along with Sawyer Brown, Diamond Rio, Black Hawk, and Ricochet. Sunday will feature a line-up of current and rising stars filling the sky with music by a soon to be revealed Texas country music headliner supported by Ian Munsick, Wade Bowen, William Beckman, and Tyler Halverson.
“We are thrilled with our two-day line-up, and we still have one major act to announce in the coming weeks,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. “Saturday will be all nineties acts and hits and then our Sunday line-up with Ian, Wade, William and Tyler plus one more great Texas act will thrill our fans.”
Saturday will have a host of family friendly supporting events including cornhole tournaments, junior bull riding, match racing and additional exciting events on the horizon. Sunday will include pro bull riding, drag racing match races, a huge beer expo and the mystical lantern festival as the sun goes down.
Tickets on Sale Friday for Stampede of Speed Events
Racing, music, bull riding, beer expo, lantern release highlight 10-days of excitement
ENNIS, TX – The return of the Stampede of Speed, a ten-day festival of music, drag racing and amazing fan experiences in advance of the 
NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, was officially announced today with the release of the special event schedule on www.stampedeofspeed.com. Tickets for one of the biggest motorsports events in the country go on sale this Friday, March 31, for the mega-event hosted at Texas Motorplex, the multi-use facility located just 35 minutes from Dallas and Fort Worth, which will feature non-racing activities, concerts, educational, media and business events for fans and sponsors from across the country.
“We are continuing to expand the entertainment value and economic impact of the Stampede of Speed and thanks to the support from Waxahachie and Ellis County over ten days we will host some of the most exciting racing and entertainment events in North Texas,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. “We will be unveiling new events, a major country concert line-up, fan contests and additional elements making the third annual Stampede of Speed even bigger than last year. Our goal is to continue to welcome visitors to the great state of Texas and introduce them to our facility, the NHRA playoffs and high-quality family-friendly events.”
The Stampede of Speed event calendar will once again feature ticketed and non-ticketed events leading up to the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals. Fans can visit www.stampedeofspeed.com for more information.
