In 2024, Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle), Jeg Coughlin Jr. (Pro Stock) and Justin Ashley (Top Fuel) all won the Wally and the coveted Texas Motorplex cowboy hat. For this year’s race, the winners will receive a special, one-time only navy cowboy hat to commemorate the special 40th anniversary of the event. (Photo courtesy of the NHRA)

By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio

ENNIS  – A Texas-size showdown of speed and horsepower is expected at the Texas Motorplex when the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series rolls into town for the Stampede of Speed. The 10-day extravaganza will feature the NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoffs as the track celebrates the 40^th annual Texas NHRA Fall Nationals on October 3-12.

There is a special 40th anniversary logo for the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals race at the Texas Motorplex. Photo courtesy of Michael Haag

The Texas NHRA Fall Nationals marks the 18th of 20 events and the fourth of six playoff races in 2025. Drivers in the NHRA Mission Food Drag Racing Series Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle classes are competing for the 2025 championships in their respective classes.

Kicking off the Stampede of Speed events is 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.

The Stars of Texas Music Festival, October 3-5, will feature headliners Pat Green, Chris Young, Clint Black, Mark Chestnutt, Mark Wills, Texas legend Gary P. Nunn and many more bands. There will also be new fan experiences this year including the Jack Daniels Airstream bar, El Bandido Yankee Tequila mobile bar, and the NEFT Vodka 2-story bar with an observation deck on top. Bull riding and barbecue cook offs will also be held.

Greg Anderson at the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals. Photo courtesy of Auto Imagery / Gary Nastase

The drag racing action begins Wednesday, October 8, with competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. The event is preceded by a Division 4 race in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series. The weekend will include the finale of the exciting Holley EFI Factory X category and the Jr. Dragster Shootout. On Friday, October 12 the JEG’s Allstars event begins and will pit sportsman racers from across the country against each other. The event was moved to the Texas Motorplex in 2023 and is considered one of the more highly anticipated sportsman races of the year.

Gaige Herrera won the Battle for the Saddle at the 2024 Texas NHRA Fall Nationals. NHRA photo

On Friday, October 10, the Countdown race begins with the popular “Battle for the Saddle,” at “JEGS Friday Night Live.” The event will feature two qualifying rounds and the drivers in the Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle classes will compete for more than $40,000 in bonus money. Each of the #1 Qualifiers will also get a $1,000 Gift Card from JEGS. The low qualifier 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.

Track officials are encouraging fans on Friday night to wear black and yellow as part of the special “Black and Yellow Bash,” and “JEGS Friday Night Live” celebration. On Saturday, Oct 11, there will be two qualifying rounds for Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle, which will set the stage for the elimination rounds on Sunday, October 12.

Last year at the Stampede of Speed and Texas NHRA Fall Nationals, Justin Ashley (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) all won a Wally trophy along with the coveted Texas Motorplex black cowboy hat. All four drivers are back to compete in the special 40th anniversary of the event.

Funny Car winner Matt Hagan at the 2024 Texas Fall Nationals. NHRA photo

In Top Fuel, Ashely defeated Clay Millican to score his third NHRA Fall Nationals win. Doug Kalitta, who won the 2023 world championship, enters the race with an 86-point lead over Ashely. Shawn Langdon is third, Tony Stewart (the NHRA Top Fuel regular season champion) is fourth while Millican is fifth and is in championship contention. Only 183 points separate the top five drivers.

Hagan, who won the most recent race in St. Louis, won his fifth NHRA Fall Nationals Funny Car event last season at the Motorplex over Ron Capps. Hagan closed the gap and trails points leader and defending Funny Car champion Austin Prock, who has won seven races this year. Prock’s  John Force Racing teammate Jack Beckman is 65 points back in third, followed by Capps and Daniel Wilkerson.

2024 NHRA Pro Stock winner Jeg Coughlin Jr. NHRA photo

Five-time world champion Coughlin won at Texas Motorplex last season when he defeated 2024 champion Greg Anderson, winner of the most current race at St. Louis. Anderson and his KB Titan Racing teammate Dallas Glenn are locked in a heated battle for the 2025 Pro Stock championship. Glenn, who has won five races this season, holds a narrow 25-point lead over six-time champion Anderson. Matt Hartford, Aaron Stanfield and Cory Reed complete the top five. Six-time world champion and Texas native Erica Enders has three wins at her home track and is 218 points behind in sixth.

2024 NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle winner Gaige Herrera. NHRA photo

Two-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champion Herrera, who is fresh off a win at St. Louis, won his second straight NHRA Fall Nationals victory last season over six-time champion Matt Smith. Herrera’s teammate Richard Gadson leads the point standings by 29 points over Herrera. Smith is third, followed by John Hall and Angie Smith, Matt’s wife and teammate. Only 115 points separate the top five drivers with three races remaining in the standings.

Stampede of Speed and Texas NHRA Fall Nationals Race Info:

• NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:15 and 7 p.m. CT on Friday, October 10, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, October 11 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10 a.m. CT on Sunday, October 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). Additional coverage will be available on NHRA.TV.
• To purchase tickets to the Texas NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex, call 800-668-6775 or visit www.texasmotorplex.com.
• For info about NHRA, visit www.nhra.com. Additional event information and the full daily schedule are available at www.stampedeofspeed.com.
• The Stampede of Speed Texas NHRA Fall Nationals will also feature the Nitro Alley Stage in the pits for Nitro School, the NHRA’s Manufacturers Midway (vendors, merchandise and food), meet and greets, music, the SealMaster Track Walk and the winner’s circle celebration on Sunday after the conclusion of the race, where fans can meet and congratulate the event winners.