Author: Mike Haag

By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio With two races remaining on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series season schedule, the battle for the NHRA Rookie of the Year award is extremely close and it appears that the main contenders for the title are between NHRA Pro Stock driver Dallas Glenn and Top Fuel driver Josh Hart. The NHRA Rookie of the Year award recognizes the top rookie competitor in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. The nation’s leading auto racing journalists who cover the NHRA select the winner through a voting system based on the following criteria: the…

FORT WORTH, Texas – A photographic look at the NASCAR Cup Series Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway. Click on the photo below and then click the arrows to scroll through the photos. All photos courtesy of Michael C. Johnson.

By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio FORT WORTH, Texas – John Hunter Nemechek didn’t let a late-race penalty ruin his day Saturday at the NASCAR Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 335 at Texas Motor Speedway. When Nemechek was issued a late-race penalty for having too many crew members over the wall during a pit stop and forced to the back of the field, he used the infraction to his advantage, which motivated both Nemechek and his team to get to Victory Lane. Nemechek, who was making his second start in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for Joe Gibbs Racing, ended…

FORT WORTH, Texas – A photographic look at the NASCAR Xfinity Series Andy’s Frozen Custard 335 race held Saturday at Texas Motor Speedway. All photos provided courtesy of Michael C. Johnson.

FORT WORTH, Texas – Breast cancer survivors, Texas Motor Speedway General Manager Rob Ramage and speedway employees on Monday spent time painting the walls, start/finish line, and other areas pink to help promote National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the lead-up to the Oct. 16-17 NASCAR Playoffs Autotrader EchoPark Automotive 500 weekend. Here are some pictures of that event.

By Mike Haag, Raceday San Antonio ENNIS, Texas – Greg Anderson made NHRA Pro Stock history by becoming the winningest driver after winning the Pro Stock race at the Stampede of Speed NHRA Texas Fall Nationals at the Texas Motorplex. Anderson, driving the HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro, recorded his sixth victory at the Texas Motorplex when Odessa’s Chris McGaha went red in the final round. Anderson crossed the line in 6.624 at 206.32 mph to notch his 98th career victory. The previous record was 97 and was held by Warren Johnson. “It’s been a big build-up and I’ve had such a…

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…

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…