Ennis, TX – Stampede of Speed / Stars of Texas Media Day – Kicking off the 40th year of the Texas Motorplex, featuring the 10-day “Stampede of Speed” event, which includes the Stars of Texas country music festival and 40th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, October 9-12. Media will have the opportunity to witness a Funny Car burnout up close, drive down the iconic all-concrete track and interact with multiple former Texas Fall Nationals winners. They will also hear about many exciting announcements related to the 40th anniversary, including announcing the 2025 Texas Motorplex Legends: John Force, 16-time Funny Car world champion, Joe Luebano and TJ Bailey, two Texas Motorplex employee who tragically passed away earlier this year.

“The Texas Motorplex’s 40th anniversary is an exciting time not just for my family and the drag racing community, but for the state of Texas at large. Our Stampede of Speed event is packed with unforgettable moments for the whole family and celebrates everything that makes Texas,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. Continue reading →

ENNIS, TX – The fifth year of the Stampede of Speed will bring big names and incredible family fun to the Texas Motorplex, October 3-12. The Stars of Texas Music Festival, October 3-5, will once again fire up country music fans from across the country. The Saturday line-up will feature Chris Young, Ashley McBryde, Ned Ledoux and Coffey Anderson. Tickets for the Stars of Texas Music Festival kicking off the iconic Stampede of Speed are on sale now. The Friday and Sunday line-ups will be announced in the coming weeks, but fans can secure their tickets to this unique event at a great price today.  Single day and weekend tickets are available.  There is even a ten-day ticket option that allows fans to join us for all the unforgettable moments of this historic event.

“We are thrilled with the three-day line-up of acts that we think will be fun for the entire family, especially for the ticket value,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. “The Saturday line-up brings a great group of country music talent to the stage and fans will be equally as excited about the Friday and Sunday line-ups as well. There will be three full days of family friendly entertainment on top of the amazing music. When my family built the Texas Motorplex 40 years ago, we never could have dreamed that we would be hosting country music festivals. Now that we are five years into putting on the Stars of Texas, I can’t imagine us not having it in our yearly lineup of events.”

The Texas Motorplex is celebrating 40 years of racing and entertainment with the Stampede of Speed and 40th annual Texas Fall Nationals, October 8-12. Fans will be thrilled by the biggest names in drag racing competing for the Mission Foods Drag Racing Series world championships as well as the JEGS All-Star Race. Continue reading →

ENNIS, TX – Under a star filled night the superstars of the NHRA rewrote the Texas Motorplex record books and gave the tens of thousands of fans in attendance some amazing rivalry battles. The John Force Racing combo of Top Fuel’s Brittany Force and Funny Car’s Austin Prock each took the $15,000 low ET bonus cash. In Pro Stock Greg Anderson unseated rival Erica Enders for $7,500 while Pro Stock Motorcycle’s Gaige Herrera knocked off Jianna Evaristo in a classic Vance and Hines versus Matt Smith Racing tilt for the $5,000 bonus cash.

“The fans saw a great show and with record runs,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. “The Battle for the Saddle is quickly becoming one of the ‘must-see’ races within a race. Seeing the fun emotion from drivers and riders as they relinquish their seats on the top end saddle is great for our fans.”

Force ran 3.667 seconds at 338.19 mph, the second fastest speed of the season in Top Fuel to secure the provisional No. 1 qualifier spot. She jumped from No. 15 to No. 1 on a spectacular full pull with eight-foot header flames shooting out of her HendrickCars.com Top Fuel dragster. Continue reading →

ENNIS, TX – For the second year in a row veteran Funny Car driver Terry Haddock took the win light at the Stampede of Speeds signature exhibition event, the Texas Invitational. Through two days of eliminations rounds that saw Haddock take on Arlington, Texas’ Kebin Kinsley and his War Wagon nitro fuel altered on Saturday and tonight outrun Pro Mod superstar Frankie Taylor to win the coveted Texas Invitational champion’s belt. Haddock took the race seriously both days and was overjoyed to be the only Texas Invitational winner to date.

“I was focused on what I was doing. I didn’t see him the whole run,” said Haddock, who took the win light at the 1/8-mile mark. “I didn’t hear him. I was just trying to win. We haven’t gotten a race in a couple of months, and we wanted to come out here and do a good job and make our sponsors happy. We are excited for next weekend and the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals. It was nice to come out and have all my friends and family here and win another Texas Invitational title. I want to thank Christie (Meyer Johnson) and Billy Meyer for putting this race on. The stands were packed and I think we made a lot of new drag racing fans this weekend.”

On Saturday night, the second night of the Stars of Texas Music Festival, in advance of headliner Tracy Lawrence, Haddock took on Kinsley and Taylor dueled against Brandon Pesz. Both races were spectacles of drag racing long smoky burnouts and header flames ruling the night. Haddock turned on his win light over a tire smoking Kinsley just after Taylor won a nail-biter of a Pro Mod race over Pesz. Continue reading →

ENNIS, TX – The Texas Motorplex today announced Olan and Judy Gotcher, long-time race operations and volunteers, and Rosalee Noble, Drag Racing Association of Women board member, have been named Texas Motorplex Legends in advance of the 2024 NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at the Stampede of Speed. The trio has made significant impacts at Texas Motorplex and across the drag racing landscape both on and off the track for decades.

“Olan, Judy and Rosalee are three people who many drag racing fans might not know but they are Legends nonetheless,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. “They represent the hundreds of volunteers and behind the scenes people who make every drag race happen and support racers in their time of need. They have supported DRAW for decades and their love of drag racing and Texas Motorplex is appreciated beyond words. Calling them Legends is the least we can do to recognize their impact on our sport and Texas Motorplex.”

Noble had a passion for drag racing that goes back over 30 years to her time behind the wheel at Coles County Dragway in her 1982 Buick LeSabre Station wagon, affectionately called the Care Wagon. She was a three-time Coles County Dragway Champion and a runner-up in the Division 3 Race of Champions, earning respect and admiration from her competitors. Continue reading →

ENNIS, TX – Once again Texas Motorplex will recognize the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle winners with a Champions’ Dinner on Wednesday, October 9, in their upscale Champions Club. This year the track will celebrate 2023 NHRA Texas Fall Nationals winners Leah Pruett (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Erica Enders (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle).

All four winners will be in attendance to celebrate their 2023 accomplishments as part of the 4th 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 opportunities with the drivers, Q&A hosted by NHRA announcer Joe Castello and a post-dinner concert on the lawn behind the luxury suites.

“The Stampede of Speed is unlike anything else in motorsports,” said Erica Enders, two-time Fall Nationals winner and 6-time Pro Stock world champion. “It’s no secret, I’m a proud Texan and it’s a unique opportunity to get to showcase Texas culture to the rest of the drag racing community. The Meyer family does such a fantastic job showcasing Texas and their love for our sport. Continue reading →

ENNIS, TX – Tickets for the 4th annual Stampede of Speed and 39th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals, October 4-13, are on sale now at www.texasmotorplex.com. The ten-day event will feature racing, country music, and family-friendly events with a special traditional Texas flair at Texas Motorplex, the famed 500-acre multi-use facility, as well as downtown Waxahachie, Texas. Single day and multi-day tickets are available for the racing and music events.

“We have continued to improve the Stampede of Speed and this year we have expanded the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals with racing starting on Wednesday for our sportsman competitors,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, Texas Motorplex co-owner. “This year the Stampede of Speed will open with three days of amazing country music at Stars of Texas Festival and then roll into more racing action culminating with five days of NHRA Texas Fall Nationals.”

The NHRA Texas Fall Nationals will kick off on Wednesday, October 9 with sportsman and JEGS All-Star qualifying during the day. A ticketed VIP Champions’ Dinner will be hosted on Wednesday night celebrating the 2023 NHRA Texas Fall Nationals winners including Top Fuel’s Leah Pruett, Funny Car winner Matt Hagan, Erica Enders in Pro Stock and Gaige Herrera Pro Stock Motorcycle winner. Continue reading →

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 →