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Friday Night Drags opens tonight at Texas Motor Speedway

by Mike Haag | Posted on Friday, June 22nd, 2018

Courtesy of Texas Motor Speedway Media Relations

FORT WORTH, Texas – Do you have a need for speed in a competitive atmosphere where you can drag race your personal vehicle, whether it be a Lamborghini, vintage Volkswagen Beetle or a Chevrolet pick-up truck?

Texas Motor Speedway is the place to visit the next six weeks as the ever-popular Universal Technical Institute Friday Night Drags returns for its 10th anniversary season of head-to-head, street-style drag racing on the speedway’s 1/8-mile pit road. The six-week schedule will run every Friday evening beginning this week through July 27.

Since its inception in 2009, the primary mission behind Universal Technical Institute Friday Night Drags was to reduce the amount of illegal street racing that is taking place in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex by providing a safer alternative off public roadways. With recent studies indicating that street racing-related accidents account for an average of 135 deaths annually in the United States, Texas Motor Speedway is offering a safer and more organized setting for racers to showcase their vehicles and driving talents.

Over those nine previous seasons, Universal Technical Institute Friday Night Drags also has proven to be a unique evening of summer entertainment for novice racers who may want to see how fast or competitive their personal vehicle can be in a head-to-head matchup.

Open to any automobile, excluding back-half cars or trucks, and any driver over the age of 18, Universal Technical Institute Friday Night Drags will feature racers from across North Texas who will compete for weekly honors and a six-week championship across seven different divisions that consist of:

  • Reunion Tower GeO-Deck Bandit Division
  • Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Division
  • Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Modified Division
  • Snap-On Tools All-Wheel Drive Division
  • Texas Harley Super Cars Division
  • Texas Born Performance Black Smoke Warrior Division
  • Summit Racing Equipment Outlaw Division

The divisions vary from a stock domestic or foreign vehicle with three to five cylinders to others where the vehicles have modifications or upgrades. The vehicles are inspected prior to competition and classified accordingly to level the competitive field.

UTI Friday Night Drags are open to any novice racer that wants to see if their personal vehicle has what it takes to win a head-to-head matchup.

Drivers will accrue points throughout the six-week competition, with three points going to each weekly division winner, two points to the weekly runner-up and one to all other registered competitors. Racers that compete in all six weeks will receive an additional two bonus points toward their overall total. At the conclusion of the six-week competition, division champions will receive a Snap-on Epiq Beverage Dispenser and a one-of-a-kind Snap-on RC Truck.

Others that may not be interested in competing for the full six weeks have the ability to race as many weeks as they like and win weekly prizes and trophies. In addition to the championship prizes, participating racers will be able to win prizes courtesy of Snap-On Tools at a weekly drawing held during the drivers’ meeting.

For car enthusiasts that like to show off their cherished rides rather than race them, they will be able to do so at the Hills Air Support Show-N-Shine that accompanies the drag racing each of the six weeks of competition. The Show-N-Shine competitors also will have the opportunity to partake in a parade lap around Texas Motor Speedway’s 1.5-mile track and earn weekly awards in four different categories: Best of Show, Best Classic (1972 or earlier), Best Current Custom (1973 to current) and Best Motorcycle.

Each week will feature a different theme, starting with Universal Technical Institute Night this Friday. For the opening week, all UTI teachers will be half price while UTI students will be free. The other themes will be Fireworks Night (June 29), Harley Davidson Night (July 6), Jeep Night (July 13), First Responder Appreciation Night (July 20) and Fan Appreciation Night (July 27).

The gates will open each week at 6 p.m. with inspection, practice and the Hills Air Support Show-N-Shine beginning at 6:15 p.m. Drag racing competition begins at 9:15 p.m.

The cost is $20 to participate in the UTI Friday Night Drags or Hills Air Support Show-N-Shine competition each week. General admission grandstand tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under. Tickets are available in advance at www.texasmotorspeedway.com or day of at the Gate 6 ticket booth. Parking is free in the PSL lot outside of Gate 6 and available for $20 in the infield (with admission included in the pricing). Coolers are permitted in both the grandstands and infield.
For more information and official rules regarding Universal Technical Institute Friday Night Drags, please visit www.texasmotorspeedway.com.

About the Author

Mike Haag has covered motorsports in San Antonio and South Texas for more than 35 years. In addition to covering motorsports for the San Antonio Express-News for nearly 28 years, Mike also has co-hosted TrackSmack with Dawn Murphy for 18 race seasons. In addition to being a writer, Mike taught high school English and Journalism for 30 years before retiring in May, 2020.