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Heading to Texas Motorplex this weekend with a commanding points lead, Kalitta would love to keep that streak going to close out the main event of the 10-day Stampede of Speed, the 40th annual Texas NHRA FallNationals. The massive event starts the second half of the playoffs in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series and Kalitta is in the driver's seat, holding an 86-point lead over Justin Ashley with three races remaining.
"What Billy Meyer and his family have put together down there, it's just an incredible race. It's going to be epic, as it always is," Kalitta said. "We will do our normal thing and show up on Friday, and we will definitely be hitting the ground running there. With that concrete track, it's pretty forgiving and it usually bodes well with our tune-up. It's a humbling sport, so you just have to keep your head down and just keep trying to get the win lights to come on." In 2024, Ashley (Top Fuel), Matt Hagan (Funny Car), Jeg Coughlin (Pro Stock) and Gaige Herrera (Pro Stock Motorcycle) 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.
The race, the 18th of 20 this year, starts with a bang with two qualifying rounds on Friday and the highly-anticipated "JEGS Friday Night Live," featuring the popular "Battle for the Saddle." It puts more than $40,000 in bonus money on the line for drivers in Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle. The low qualifier under the lights 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.
Kalitta will be one of the marquee attractions throughout the weekend as he looks for a fourth win this season against a loaded field that includes Ashley, teammate Shawn Langdon, regular-season champion Tony Stewart, reigning world champ Antron Brown, Clay Millican and Brittany Force, who is retiring from full-time racing at the end of the year. Kalitta, though, remains focused on just his team and what they can accomplish this weekend with a second world title within reach. "The points can swing out here. It's all about getting as many as you can," Kalitta said. "For me, staying ahead would be nice. We're very fortunate right now, but we'll see how it shakes out. Being ahead is definitely where we want to stay, but it's going to take every point you can possibly get with the Top Fuel group; everybody's running strong. We try not to get too caught up in the points thing; it'll catch up to itself at the end of the day, so we just have to focus on getting the job done."
Five-time world champ Coughlin won at Texas Motorplex last season when he defeated Greg Anderson, who claimed his sixth Pro Stock world title in 2024. This season has been dominated by Anderson and Dallas Glenn, who is the points leader. Glenn has six wins in 2025, including two playoff races, while Anderson is right behind after his St. Louis triumph Two-time Pro Stock Motorcycle champ Herrera won his second straight NHRA FallNationals last season over the six-time champ Matt Smith. Herrera moved to second in points following his St. Louis win, trailing teammate Richard Gadson by 29 points. The Texas NHRA FallNationals will also feature thrilling competition in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series, which includes some of the sport's top drivers and begins racing on Wednesday, Oct. 8. The event is preceded by a Division 4 race in the Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series at the historic facility. The weekend will include the finale of the exciting Holley EFI Factory X category and the Jr. Dragster Shootout.
Leading into the race weekend, fans can take part in several events as part of the massive 10-day Stampede for Speed festival. That includes 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. At the track, fans will be invited to the Nitro Alley Stage in the pits for Nitro School, meet and greets, music and much more. Race fans at Texas Motorplex can enjoy the special pre-race ceremonies that introduce and celebrate each of the drivers racing for the prestigious Wally on Sunday and includes the fan favorite SealMaster Track Walk. The final can't-miss experience of any NHRA event is the winner's circle celebration on Sunday after racing concludes, where fans can congratulate the event winners.
NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series qualifying will feature two rounds at 4:15 and 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 10, and the final two rounds of qualifying on Saturday, Oct. 11 at 12 and 2:30 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for 10 a.m. CT on Sunday, Oct. 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). To purchase tickets to the Texas NHRA FallNationals at Texas Motorplex, call 800-668-6775 or visit tickets.texasmotorplex.com.
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