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Dallas Pre-Race Report
AAA Texas NHRA FallNationals
Event 22 of 24 (Dallas)
Countdown Event 4 of 6
Texas Motorplex
Ennis, Texas
Oct. 18-20, 2019
Highlights:
- After racing to victory at Reading, and powering to a runner-up finish in Charlotte, Jack Beckman occupies the No. 2 spot in the Funny Car standings, sitting 44 points out of first
- Antron Brown will campaign a special one-race-only ‘Tools for the Cause’ Breast Cancer Awareness car to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation
- Brown’s first national event win occurred at the Texas Motorplex in 1999 while he was competing in the Pro Stock Motorcycle category
- Tommy Johnson Jr. clinched the Funny Car No. 1 qualifier position during the 2018 event
- Final Factory Stock Showdown Series event of 2019
- Leah Pritchett is once again pulling double-duty, competing in both Factory Stock and Top Fuel
- Pritchett was crowned the 2018 FSXX world champion at last year’s event en route to capturing the FSXX FallNationals event trophy
- Mark Pawuk enters Dallas with momentum after capturing the No. 1 qualifying position in Indianapolis, and No. 2 qualifying position in St. Louis
DSR-Owned Track Records:
Top Fuel, speed: 330.55-mph, Antron Brown (2016)
DSR Driver Information:
Top Fuel:
ANTRON BROWN
Driver of the Matco Tools 'Tools for the Cause' Top Fuel Dragster |
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Countdown to the Championship standing: 9th
Dallas Event Highlights:
- Two-time event champion (2012, 2016)
- 2016 No. 1 qualifier
2018 Dallas Recap:
Qualified 11th; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Doug Kalitta in E1; defeated by Tony Schumacher in E2)
Last Event (Charlotte II):
Qualified seventh; First round exit (defeated by Doug Kalitta in E1)
2019 Season Statistics:
23 round wins; ranked ninth in points
Career Statistics:
427 races; 66 wins (16 Pro Stock Motorcycle); 49 No. 1 qualifiers (11 PSM)
Noteworthy:
- Has won in both Top Fuel and Pro Stock Motorcycle at Texas Motorplex
- First NHRA event win occurred at the discontinued 1999 Dallas I event (PSM)
- Campaigning a one-race-only 'Tools for the Cause' livery to benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF)
- Throughout the month of October, 15% of the purchase price of 'Tools for the Cause' merchandise will be donated directly to BCRF
- Since 'Tools for the Cause' began in 2012, Matco has donated nearly $850,000 to breast cancer research
- The Breast Cancer Research Foundation is a nonprofit organization committed to achieving prevention and a cure for breast cancer. They provide critical funding for cancer research worldwide to fuel advances in tumor biology, genetics, prevention, treatment, metastasis and survivorship. NHRA fans can visit their Matco Tools distributor to purchase Tools for the Cause merchandise, or visit www.matcotools.com/toolsforthecause
Quotable:
“We're heading into our fourth race of the Countdown. Our last race in Charlotte didn’t go as planned, so we’re looking to rebound in Dallas. This track always brings back special memories for me because it’s where I got my first NHRA win in 1999. We’re going to do the very best we can this weekend; qualify well and go out there on race day and give it everything we’ve got and see what we can do at the Texas Motorplex. The Matco Tools Toyota team is hungry, and we’re ready to get after it and ready to bounce back.” |
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LEAH PRITCHETT
Driver of the Pennzoil Top Fuel Dragster |
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Countdown to the Championship standing: 4th
2018 Dallas Recap:
Qualified ninth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Kebin Kinsley in E1; defeated by Clay Millican in E2)
Last Event (Charlotte II):
Qualified second; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Bye in E1; defeated by Doug Kalitta in E2)
2019 Season Statistics:
20 round wins; Ranked fourth in points
Career Statistics:
138 races; eight wins; 11 No. 1 qualifiers
Noteworthy:
- Pulling double-duty, competing in both Factory Stock and Top Fuel, for the final time in 2019
Quotable:
“Come Friday, we will test our theory of what clutch wear sorcery has been biting us in this Countdown, and I can’t wait for us to conquer that and continue this chase. Points continue to be tight, and we will continue to keep our heads down to the grindstone with the plan to move up.” |
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Funny Car:
JACK BECKMAN
Driver of the Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat |
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Countdown to the Championship standing: 2nd
Dallas Event Highlights:
- Two-time runner-up (2009, 2015)
2018 Dallas Recap:
Qualified fifth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Courtney Force in E1; defeated by J.R. Todd in E2)
Last Event (Charlotte II):
Qualified No. 1; Event runner-up (defeated Dale Creasy Jr. in E1, Tommy Johnsn Jr. in E2, Ron Capps in E3; defeated by Robert Hight in E4)
2019 Season Statistics:
35 round wins; ranked second in points
Career Statistics:
321 races; 29 wins; 26 No. 1 qualifiers
Noteworthy:
- After racing to victory at Reading, and powering to a runner-up finish in Charlotte, Beckman occupies the No. 2 spot in the Funny Car standings, sitting 44 points out of first
Quotable:
“Dallas has always been larger than life for me. I attended the inaugural national event there in 1986. My buddy and I drove a 1,000-mile round trip from the Air Force to be out there for that event. I flew out there in 1997 because that was the one race during the year that my buddy and I attended as spectators. I raced Super Comp and Super Gas there in 1998, and my dad lives closest to that track as a Texas resident. The one thing that track hasn’t done is give me a win, and that’s the No. 1 priority on my drag racing bucket list – win Dallas. After making it to the final round last race and being very much a factor in this hunt, and knowing how good our Infinite Hero Dodge Charger is right now, I think this might be the year.”
RON CAPPS
Driver of the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat |
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Countdown to the Championship standing: 4th
Dallas Event Highlights:
- Three-time runner-up (2011, 2016-2017)
- Two-time No. 1 qualifier (1997, 2005)
2018 Dallas Recap:
Qualified seventh; First round exit (defeated by John Force in E1)
Last Event (Charlotte II):
Qualified fourth; Semifinal finish (defeated Jim Campbell in E1, John Force in E2; defeated by Jack Beckman in E3)
2019 Season Statistics:
32 round wins; ranked fourth in points
Career Statistics:
552 races; 64 wins (one Top Fuel); 24 No. 1 qualifiers
Noteworthy:
- Capps' only Dallas event win (1998) occurred during the discontinued Spring event
Quotable:
“We have these back-to-back races, and there are times whem that’s good when your car is running well and you have a ton of momentum, and there are times when you need a break. And, right now, this Countdown to the Championship atmosphere doesn’t allow you to take a break. But, the good news is, every season our NAPA AUTO PARTS team seems to be in the hunt and vying for the championship. We’re definitely still in it. In Charlotte, we made up some ground on John Force who is right in front of us in points. Unfortunately, our car dropped a cylinder right at the hit of the throttle in the semis, so that ended our day, but the NAPA AutoCare team is addressing it this week. We’ve got such a great race car heading into Texas Motorplex, which is what I consider one of the original ‘super tracks.’ The Motorplex has an all-concrete surface, and the weather should be good, which can make for tricky conditions when the sun comes out. Once again, we’re ready to dominate this ‘OcTobler’ and see if we can make up some ground on our opponents that are in front of us.”
MATT HAGAN
Driver of the Western Technical College/MOPAR CAP Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Widebody |
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Countdown to the Championship standing: 7th
Dallas Event Highlights:
- Two-time event champion (2010, 2016)
- 2012 runner-up
2018 Dallas Recap:
Qualified 15th; First round exit (defeated by Bob Tasca III in E1)
Last Event (Charlotte II):
Qualified third; Semifinal finish (defeated Dave Richards in E1, Bob Tasca III in E2; defeated by Robert Hight in E3)
2019 Season Statistics:
28 round wins; ranked seventh in points
Career Statistics:
261 races; 31 wins; 35 No. 1 qualifiers
Noteworthy:
- Western Technical College, located in El Paso, Texas, has been offering quality education in various programs for 50 years. They offer real-world training in areas such as allied health, technology, transportation, business and more.
Quotable:
“I’m excited to get back out there. We have a consistent race car, we were just on the back side of a good drag race in Charlotte. The car is driving well, my lights have been good, and I know we have a long way to go but there are still three races left, and I think we still have a shot at the championship if we do well in Dallas. It’s going to be a huge race for us. I’ve won it before, and I’m looking to get my hands on another cowboy hat. We’ve got a short break at home, going to get caught up on the business-side of things, and then I’m ready to turn some win lights on and collect a Wally.”
TOMMY JOHNSON JR.
Driver of the Make-A-Wish Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat |
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Countdown to the Championship standing: 8th
Dallas Event Highlights:
- 1999 runner-up
- 2018 No. 1 qualifier
2018 Dallas Recap:
Qualified No. 1; Semifinal finish (defeated Terry Haddock in E1, Cruz Pedregon in E2; defeated by J.R. Todd in E3)
Last Event (Charlotte II):
Qualified eighth; Quarterfinal finish (defeated Cruz Pedregon in E1; defeated by Jack Beckman in E2)
2019 Season Statistics:
30 round wins; ranked eighth in points
Career Statistics:
467 races; 19 wins (two Top Fuel); 18 No. 1 qualifiers (one Top Fuel)
Noteworthy:
- Powered to the Funny Car qualifying lead during the 2018 Dallas event
- One of three consecutive poles for Johnson during the 2018 Countdown
Quotable:
“I’ve been going to Dallas a long time and have been to the final round there, but I’ve never won that race. It’s unfortunate we’ve struggled in the Countdown, but we can still go back out there and finish strong and try to bring home another win and get us a cowboy hat. The Make-A-Wish Dodge is starting to come back around. Things haven’t gone our way lately, and it’s time to turn it around in Dallas.” |
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Factory Stock Showdown Series:
MARK PAWUK
Driver of the Empaco Equipment MOPAR Dodge Challenger Drag Pak |
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2018 Dallas Recap:
Qualified ninth; First round exit (defeated by Kevin Skinner in E1)
Last Event (St. Louis):
Qualified second; Quarterfinal finish (Defeated Scott Libersher in E1; defeated by Jesse Alexandra in E2)
FSXX Career Statistics:
12 races; two runner-ups; two No. 1 qualifiers
Quotable:
“It’s hard to believe we’re already coming into the last race of the season. This year has been somewhat of a struggle for our Don Schumacher Racing Drag Pak Challengers, but the SAMTech.edu series has really stepped up the program to improve the competitiveness of the class. It’s been a little bit of a struggle for the Dodges, but due to the hard work of crew chief Kevin Helms, Terry Snyder, and Kyle Pawuk, we’ve got our program turned back around and headed in the right direction. We’ve qualified No. 1 and No. 2 at the last two races, and we’re focused on carrying that momentum into Dallas.
“I'm looking forward to having a great weekend, and I appreciate all of the support of our fans, and all of the employees at Empaco Equipment Corporation as Leah (Pritchett) and I continue to work hard to bring home a Wally for Don Schumacher Racing and Dodge.” |
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LEAH PRITCHETT
Driver of the MOPAR Dodge Challenger Drag Pak |
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Dallas Event Highlights:
2018 Dallas Recap:
Qualified 10th; Event champion (defeated Aaron Stanfield in E1, Randy Taylor in E2, Stephen Bell in E3, Kevin Skinner in E4)
Last Event (St. Louis):
Qualified seventh; Quarterfinal finish (Defeated Ryan Priddy in E1; defeated by Arthur Kohn in E2)
FSXX Career Statistics:
16 races; three wins; two No. 1 qualifiers
Noteworthy:
- Clinched the 2018 SAMTech NHRA Factory Stock Showdown Series championship en route to winning the NHRA FallNationals event trophy
Quotable:
“Finishing the season strong is what we’re focused on. If that means bringing the clip back empty, then so be it, but we’re not going down without a fight. I look forward to the high intensity of running both cars late into the rounds on Sunday, and Dallas is the last opportunity we have for that this season.
“We are in the closest range of parity we have had all season long, which makes me the most excited, and we have the most confidence we’ve had all season. A Wally is most definitely within our Dodge wheelhouse’s reach.” |
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