ENNIS, Texas (Sept. 17, 2025) – As the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing
Series Countdown to the Championship playoffs hit crunch time, NHRA’s
brightest stars head to Texas for the fifth annual Stampede of Speed and
the main event of the 10-day extravaganza, the 40th annual Texas NHRA
FallNationals on Oct. 8-12 at the famed Texas Motorplex.
The NHRA FallNationals marks the 18th of 20 events and the fourth of six
playoff races in 2025. This year will be a special one, as Texas fans
will be treated to a celebration of 40 years of action at Texas
Motorplex, along with all the added intensity of the playoff race and
the incredible thrills of the 12,000-horsepower, 340-mph nitro machines.
The race has long served as a pivotal race in the Countdown and that
will continue through a can’t-miss weekend in Dallas.
Throughout its 40 years, the NHRA FallNationals have been a must-see
race and again serve as the main event and conclusion of the spectacular
10-day “Stampede of Speed” festival. The action kicks off on Friday
with two qualifying rounds and “Friday Night Live,” which offers
more than $40,000 in bonus money to drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro
Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle.
The low qualifier under the lights on Friday night will net Top Fuel and
Funny Car stars $15,000 each in bonus money, with $7,500 going to the
quickest qualifier in Pro Stock and $5,000 in Pro Stock Motorcycle. That
leads into two qualifying rounds on Saturday and eliminations on Sunday,
where winners will be crowned at the legendary facility to close out a
memorable 40th anniversary celebration of adrenaline-filled action.
In 2024, Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin
(Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won the Wally
and the coveted Texas Motorplex cowboy hat. This year’s race will
broadcast on FS1 and FOX, with eliminations taking place on FOX on
Sunday, Oct. 12 at 2 or 4:30 p.m. ET, depending on local listings.
Top Fuel’s Ashley collected his third NHRA FallNationals win last
season when he won over Clay Millican. Ashley has three wins in 2025,
including most recently at Indy. He sits fourth in points, while 2023
world champion Doug Kalitta leads the way. Motorsports legend Tony
Stewart is currently second, while Kalitta’s teammate Shawn Langdon is
third and right in the thick of the championship mix.
Hagan won his fifth NHRA FallNationals Funny Car event last season over
Ron Capps. Reigning champ Austin Prock leads the points after winning
seven races this year, but there’s a host of contenders hot on his
heels, including John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman, who sits
second in points, as well as Phoenix Paul Lee and Reading winner Cruz
Pedregon.
Five-time world champ Coughlin won at Texas Motorplex last season when
he defeated Greg Anderson, who claimed his sixth Pro Stock world title
in 2024. This season has been dominated by Anderson and KB Titan Racing
teammate Dallas Glenn, who is the points leader. Glenn has five wins in
2025, including the playoff opener. Six-time world champ and Texas
native Erica Enders has three wins at her home track.
Two-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Herrera won his second straight NHRA
FallNationals last season over the six-time champ Matt Smith, who over
the points lead in Reading following his runner-up finish to teammate
John Hall. Herrera has five wins in 2025 and will be ready to take on
Smith and his team in Dallas.
The Texas NHRA FallNationals also will feature thrilling competition in
the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which includes some of the
sport’s top drivers and begins racing on Wednesday, Oct. 8. The event
is preceded by a Division 4 race in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at
the historic facility. The weekend will include the finale of the
exciting Holley EFI Factory X category and the Jr. Dragster Shootout.
Fans will also be treated to the JEG’s Allstars event, which pits
sportsman racers from across the country against each other for the
ultimate drag racing battle, beginning on Friday, Oct. 10. The popular
competition moved to the famed Texas Motorplex in 2023, the unique
specialty race is back as a major highlight of the 2025 Stampede of
Speed as one of most highly-anticipated sportsman events of the year.
Leading into the race weekend, fans can take part in several events as
part of the massive 10-day Stampede for Speed festival. That includes
the Stars of Texas Music Festival (October 3-5), the NHRA Divisional
race (October 6-7), Stampede of Speed Shootout (October 7), and the
popular NHRA FanFest at Railyard Park in downtown Waxahachie (October
9), where fans can meet and get autographs from all the top stars in the
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and the JEGS Allstars
participants.
At the track, fans will be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage in the pits
for Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at
Texas Motorplex can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce
and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on
Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final
can’t-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner’s circle
celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans can
congratulate the event winners.
As always, fans get a pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled
motorsports attraction. They can see their favorite teams in action and
servicing their hot rods between rounds, get autographs from their
favorite NHRA drivers and more. They can also visit NHRA’s
Manufacturers Midway, where sponsors and race vendors create an exciting
atmosphere that includes interactive displays, merchandise and food.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds
at 4:15 and 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 10, and the final two rounds of
qualifying on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations
are scheduled for 10 a.m. CT on Sunday, Oct. 12. Television coverage
includes qualifying action on FS1 at 10:30 a.m. ET on Sunday, leading
into eliminations on FOX at either 2 or 4:30 p.m. ET (check local
listings).
To purchase tickets to the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex,
call 800-668-6775 or visit tickets.texasmotorplex.com [1]. For info
about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com [2].
***