Two-time Texas Invitational winner Terry Haddock with champion’s belt,
photo credit Werner Communications
By: Werner Communications
ENNIS, TX (October 6, 2024) — For the second year in a row veteran Funny Car driver Terry Haddock took the win light at the Stampede of Speeds signature exhibition event, the Texas Invitational. Through two days of eliminations rounds that saw Haddock take on Arlington, Texas’ Kebin Kinsley and his War Wagon nitro fuel altered on Saturday and tonight outrun Pro Mod superstar Frankie Taylor to win the coveted Texas Invitational champion’s belt. Haddock took the race seriously both days and was overjoyed to be the only Texas Invitational winner to date.
photo credit Werner Communications
“I was focused on what I was doing. I didn’t see him the whole run,” said Haddock, who took the win light at the 1/8-mile mark. “I didn’t hear him. I was just trying to win. We haven’t gotten a race in a couple of months, and we wanted to come out here and do a good job and make our sponsors happy. We are excited for next weekend and the NHRA Texas Fall Nationals. It was nice to come out and have all my friends and family here and win another Texas Invitational title. I want to thank Christie (Meyer Johnson) and Billy Meyer for putting this race on. The stands were packed and I think we made a lot of new drag racing fans this weekend.”
On Saturday night, the second night of the Stars of Texas Music Festival, in advance of headliner Tracy Lawrence, Haddock took on Kinsley and Taylor dueled against Brandon Pesz. Both races were spectacles of drag racing long smoky burnouts and header flames ruling the night. Haddock turned on his win light over a tire smoking Kinsley just after Taylor won a nail-biter of a Pro Mod race over Pesz.
photo credit Werner Communications
“Saturday was pretty awesome,” said Haddock, who was campaigning his Funny Car with long-time sponsor Concho Supply Inc. “I love Funny Cars under the lights. There’s nothing better than stepping on the gas and seeing the header flames out the window. Today we were able to pull off another win. It was fun to race a Fuel Altered and a Pro Mod. Frankie Taylor gave us a good race. Whatever you bring me I will race.”
For Taylor the opportunity to show off Pro Mod to a new group of fans plus race a nitro Funny Car for the first time was an awesome experience for the racer who was raced around the world. His won over Pesz set up a new experience for the veteran Pro Mod driver.
“I raced Scott Palmer’s Top Fuel dragster one time,” said Taylor. “I beat him because he smoked the tires. I was hoping I would catch a break against Terry, but he made a good run. That was cool as hell. I have been passed by turbo cars and they come by me 20 mph faster. He was 50 mph faster and it was awesome.”
The two-day Texas Invitational was designed to highlight as many unique classes of drag racing for the tens of thousands of country music fans who checked out the Stars of Texas Music Festival. Taylor summed up the vibe of the event perfectly and his evaluation carries a ton of weight considering he has been a part of some of the most unique drag racing events.
“This Stampede of Speed and Texas Invitational was cool, and I am glad they invited me out here,” said Taylor. “The crowd was crazy last night. It was stupid there were people everywhere. I was trying to do a long burnout last night, but it got sideways on me. We loved that crowd and this race.”
Last year the Texas Invitational was a new addition to the already packed line-up of the Stars of Texas Music Festival weekend. This year fans were treated to a star-studded line-up of 90s country music stars capped off with great set by Tracy Lawrence on Saturday night. Throughout the day today fans were treated to junior bull riding and a variety of vendor booths as well as a huge Beer Expo and headliner Lady A wowed the capacity crowd that included NHRA stars Erica Enders, Tony Schumacher, Buddy Hull, Bo Butner and Chris Bostick.
“The first three days of the Stampede of Speed exceeded all our expectations with bigger crowds, great weather and so much exciting action on and off the track,” said Christie Meyer Johnson, co-owner of the Texas Motorplex. “This event was our best opening weekend by far. The Cattle Drive on Friday leading into a Wade Bowen concert was great. We had several stars get behind the wheel of the El Bandido Mustangs and race down the all-concrete quarter-mile track. Our goal continues to be to make the Stampede of Speed THE destination event in October for racing, music and family fun for fans from across the country.”
The Stampede of Speed will continue for seven more days with highlight events including the NHRA Divisional Race on Monday and Tuesday, Champions’ Dinner on Wednesday, October 9 and the Pre-Stage FanFest on Thursday, October 10 in downtown Waxahachie. The 39th annual NHRA Texas Fall Nationals will start on October 9 as well and run through championship Sunday on October 13. For a complete schedule and ticket information fans can visit www.stampedeofspeed.com.
