By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio ENNIS, Texas – Ron Capps won the shootout over his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Matt Hagan in the NHRA Funny Car finals Sunday at the Stampede of Speed Texas Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex. Capps recorded a holeshot victory over Hagan in the final round with a pass clocked at 3.930 seconds at 326.87 mph in his 11,000-horsepower NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye. Hagan, the defending world champ, powered his DSR Western Technical College Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat to the finish line in 3.919 at 328.78. “It’s rare to…
Author: Mike Haag
Mike Haag
Mike Haag has covered motorsports in San Antonio and South Texas for more than 39 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 19 race seasons. In addition to being a writer, Mike taught high school English and Journalism for 30 years before retiring in May, 2020.
By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio ENNIS, Texas – Justin Ashley showed NHRA Top Fuel points leader and three-time defending world champ Steve Torrence that there was a new sheriff in town at the Stampede of Speed NHRA Texas Fall Nationals on Sunday at the Texas Motorplex. Ashley drove his Smart Sanitizer Top Fuel dragster powered by Vita C Shot to victory over Torrence in the final round with a pass clocked at 3.759 at 326.40 mph. Torrence crossed the line in his Capco Contractors dragster in 3.764 at 321.81. Both drivers had identical reaction times of .035, but it…
By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio ENNIS, Texas – Matt Smith rode an iron horse to the finish line at the Stampede of Speed NHRA Texas Fall Nationals on Sunday at the Texas Motorplex. Smith, driving his Denso Auto Parts/Stockseth/Matt Smith Racing EBR motorcycle, regained the NHRA Pro Stock Motorcycle points lead by defeating Hector Arana Jr. in the final round. Smith got the win when Arana left early and tripped the red light. Smith ended up going the distance with a run of 6.839 at 199.08 mph. “It was a great weekend for this Denso team,” Smith said. “We…
By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio ENNIS, Texas – Top Fuel dragster driver Brittany Force made a loud statement by lighting up the scoreboard in a big way on Friday night during the opening two rounds of qualifying at the 36th annual Texas NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex. Force, behind the wheel of her Monster Energy dragster, rocketed to the top of the leaderboard with a record run of 3.637-seconds at 335.32 mph, which was the fifth quickest run in NHRA history. She also collected the Stampede of Speed $15,000 bonus awarded that was given to the low…
By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio ENNIS, Texas – Drag racing legend Don Prudhomme will be recognized as a Texas Motorplex Legend during the opening ceremonies of the 36th annual Texas NHRA Fall Nationals this weekend at the Texas Motorplex. Prudhomme, who is nicknamed “The Snake”, has a storied history of racing success at the Texas Motorplex. He won the Fall Nationals three times, including a Funny Car title in 1989, Top Fuel in 1991 and his final professional Top Fuel win was recorded here at the 1994 Fall Nationals. “It’s quite an honor,” Prudhomme said. “It’s the last place…
By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio Texas natives Steve Torrence and Erica Enders scored critical victories on Sunday at the Midwest Nationals at World Wide Technology Raceway near St. Louis. Torrence, the defending NHRA Top Fuel champion, along with Enders, the defending NHRA Pro Stock champion, both won in their respective classes and made a loud statement that they are prepared to defend their titles as the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series heads to Texas for the NHRA Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas on October 7-10. In the NHRA Top Fuel final round, Torrence went the…
By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio FORT WORTH, Texas – ROMCO, Inc. owner Robert Mullins had a good reason to celebrate when John Hunter Nemechek won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series SpeedyCash.com 220 on Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway. Nemechek, who was driving the No. 4 Toyota Tundra for Kyle Busch Motorsports with ROMCO as his primary sponsor, helped cast ROMCO into the national spotlight by getting the victory before a live and televised audience on FOX Sports television. Mullins, who owns the Dallas-based parent company of ROMCO Equipment Co., ROMCO Paving Equipment, RPS (ROMCO Power Systems) and MPS…
By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio BAYTOWN, Texas – When the National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) rolled into town this weekend for the 34th annual Mopar Express Lane SpringNationals at Houston Raceway Park there was one Top Fuel driver who was determined not to allow the prestigious Wally trophy to leave Texas. After years of near misses and final round losses at Houston Raceway Park, three-time NHRA Top Fuel champion Steve Torrence dominated the class this weekend to score his first win here at the quarter-mile dragstrip. The 38-year old Kilgore, Texas resident, who considers Houston Raceway Park and the…
A photographic look at the inaugural NASCAR Cup Series EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix held Sunday at Circuit of The Americas. All photos are provided courtesy of Michael C. Johnson. Click on the picture below and then click the arrow on the picture to see the gallery.
By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio AUSTIN, Texas – Tyler Reddick earned the pole during qualifying Sunday for the inaugural EchoPark Automotive Texas Grand Prix NASCAR Cup Series race at Circuit of The Americas. Reddick, driving his No. 8 Cheddar’s Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, recorded a lap time clocked at 132.911 seconds, 92.363 mph. It was his first Busch Pole Award in 52 NASCAR Cup Series races for the 25-year old racer. He will also be making his second top-10 start this season when the green flag waves at 1:30 p.m. “This pole is a huge testament to all…