Matt Hagan Shines in Texas NHRA FallNationals Stampede of Speed

Matt Hagan heads to Texas Motorplex this weekend for the 40th Texas NHRA FallNationals, the Stampede of Speed centerpiece, fresh from a St. Louis win that tightened the Funny Car title fight.

Qualifying opens Friday with two sessions, placing an early premium on execution as teams chase lane choice and momentum into the final three Countdown events.

Hagan’s Texas record underpins his challenge. The four-time champion is a six-year finalist at the Motorplex, the 2019 winner, and a five-time event victor at the venue.

The championship picture is finely poised. Hagan’s St. Louis victory trimmed Austin Prock’s advantage to 20 points, keeping Tony Stewart Racing’s Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat firmly in contention.

Hagan highlights the basics as decisive: qualify aggressively, react sharply, and keep the car in the groove. Friday night’s conditions could be pivotal for track position on race day.

The program’s Friday feature, JEGS Friday Night Live, includes the Battle for the Saddle, distributing more than $40,000 in bonuses across Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock, and Pro Stock Motorcycle.

Fans are urged to join the Black and Yellow Bash for the event’s 40th anniversary. The broader competitive picture remains tight across categories, underscoring the stakes in Dallas.

In Top Fuel, Justin Ashley pursues a repeat win to keep pressure on points leader Doug Kalitta. Pro Stock sees Jeg Coughlin, last year’s Motorplex winner, face Greg Anderson and current leader Dallas Glenn.

Pro Stock Motorcycle pivots on Gaige Herrera’s push to reduce the gap to teammate Richard Gadson after Herrera’s second straight FallNationals triumph. Execution in cooler night sessions should weigh heavily.

The NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series begins Wednesday, Oct. 8, featuring the Holley EFI Factory X finale and a Jr. Dragster Shootout. The JEGS Allstars returns Friday, Oct. 10, with a deep national field.

Away from the strip, NHRA FanFest in downtown Waxahachie and Nitro Alley at the track offer meet-and-greets, live music, and Nitro School, expanding engagement beyond pure drag racing.

Mission Foods Series qualifying runs through Saturday, setting up Sunday morning eliminations. The event airs across FS1 and FOX, extending the Countdown narrative to a national audience.

The FallNationals again blend speed, pressure, and spectacle, reinforcing the Motorplex as a bellwether for form and championship trajectory in elite drag racing.

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Nicholas Rivera

Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.