Justin Ashley and Ron Capps arrived at Texas Motorplex as potential favorites with Ashley leading the Countdown points in Top Fuel and Capps only ten points down to Robert Hight in Funny Car. Moreover, both drivers won their respective nitro class at the 2021 NHRA FallNationals.
Each year, the Stampede of Speed is the fastest ten days in Texas. Hosted by the historic Texas Motorplex, the Stampede of Speed is a hoedown that is filled with amazing fan experiences including lots of music and the world’s fastest cars and drivers. Located thirty minutes south of Dallas in Ennis TX, each day at the Stampede is packed full of fun for racing fans of all ages. The multi-use racing facility features some of the fastest and most nostalgic race cars of the past four decades.
In true Texas tradition, local cowboys drove over a dozen head of cattle (along with many of the week’s most special guests) through an area of downtown Waxahachie. As the “Crape Myrtle Capital”, the unique parade made its way around the Ellis County’s historic courthouse to kick off the Stampede of Speed at high noon on the Friday a week before racing action begins at Texas Motorplex. The Funny Car Chaos Series crowned their national champions over a two-day spectacle of speed. In addition, racers in the popular Outlaw Fuel Altereds battled it out in their championship finals.
Ron Capps Won Second Straight at Texas Motorplex
Defending FallNationals champ Ron Capps and Matt Hagan came to Texas Motorplex looking to make up ground on Countdown points leader Robert Hight. Both Capps and Hagan are driving for first year NHRA teams, Capps eliminated Jeff Diehl, John Force, and Hight in his Dean Antonelli and John Medlen tuned NAPA Auto Parts Toyota enroute to the 139th final round of his career. Behind the wheel of Tony Stewart Racing’s Dodge Power Brokers Charger, Hagan defeated Terry Haddock and Tim Wilkerson before a very fast pass at 338.02 mph eliminated Bob Tasca III.
When the dust cleared, it was Capps who gained the most ground on Hight at the Texas NHRA FallNationals. After sending Hight's team owner John Force home in the quarterfinal round, Capps grabbed the holeshot in his semifinal matchup with Hight and took the win when the JFR driver smoked the tires on his Auto Club Camaro SS. The Final in Nitro Funny Car at Texas Motorplex featured "the quickest" over "the fastest". After a dead heat off the tree, Capps posted at 3.911 ET at 327.18 mph over Hagan’s 3.923 elapsed time at 331.32 mph. Capps moved to within 10 points of Hight with Hagan trailing by 78 points in third with two Countdown races to go.
Justin Ashley Extended His Points Lead at FallNationals
Justin Ashley, the driver of the Phillips Connect Vita C Shot Top Fuel dragster, came to Texas with one goal. As the leader in Countdown to the Championship points, he wanted to leave the NHRA FallNationals still on top of the class standings. Unfortunately, after a tenth place performance in qualifying, he knew it would be an uphill battle on Sunday. To get the ball rolling, Ashley made two passes above 331 mph with a 3.699 ET to eliminate Doug Kalitta and 3.677 ET to take down Kebin Kinsley. In the semifinal, a .020 RT and 3.686 ET eliminated Shawn Langdon.
The Number One qualifier Austin Prock eliminated Alex Laughlin in round one of eliminations and sent Leah Pruett home with a holeshot win in round two. In the semifinal, Prock and a red-hot Antron Brown left the start together with .045 reaction times but Prock advanced with a quicker 3.81 ET to Brown’s faster 329.72 mph run. In the final, drivers were off the tree together but Prock was out of the power at the 60-foot marker and Ashley's 3.688 ET was second quickest of the event to his 3.686 elapsed time in his semifinal pass against Langdon. It was the points leader’s third victory of the season and extended his lead over Brittany Force to 82 points.
UP COMING:
NHRA Nevada Nationals
The Camping World NHRA Drag Racing Series heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway on October 28-30 for the penultimate event of the 15-round championship for the NHRA Nevada Nationals (Fall) at The Strip.
