FORT WORTH, Texas (July 22, 2019)
With just one week left to make their mark, the top competitors at Universal Technical Institute Friday Night Drags clearly knew they needed to be on their “A” game Friday night, and they did just that. Five of the seven division winners in Week Five had already found their way to Victory Lane at least once this year.
The repeat winner parade ended with the most prolific driver in this year’s series, Tyler Cavett (Saginaw, Tex.). In the final race of the night Cavett took his 1982 Ford Mustang back to the top spot in the Summit Racing Equipment Outlaw Division for the fourth time this year. The victory came against Week Four winner Allen Magga (Brock, Tex.), whose 1967 Chevy Camaro couldn’t keep pace. With just one week left, Cavett is one of five drivers who has already clinched his division.
Another Week Five winner who put the season championship debate to rest was John Kuethe (Arlington, Tex.) in the Snap-on All Wheel Drive Division. Kuethe and his 2009 Nissan GTR easily out-distanced Manny Aguayo’s 2013 Subaru STI in the final, giving him back-to-back wins and a third trophy this season. The win also locked up the championship for the local driver.
Two divisions saw repeat winners who both have a shot at locking up their respective season titles this week.
In the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Modified Division, John Apple (Euless, Tex.) and his 1966 Chevy Nova made it three wins in four weeks, all but clinching a second straight division title. Apple only needs to show up this week to get the point he needs to make it official. A win over Chris Thompson (Richland Hills, Tex.) and his 1932 Ford Coupe in the quarterfinals was the big blow, and then he was able to take a victory lap in the final round as Marcus Wadley’s (Springtown, Tex.) 1970 Chevy Nova broke in his semifinal win.
Bryan Pomeroy and his 2019 Corvette are the frontrunners in the US Army Super Car Division, but with the Week Five win over Pomeroy, Wes Coleman (Arlington, Tex.) and his 2013 Cadillac CTSV Wagon are in the conversation to take home the season title. Pomeroy holds a two-point advantage, so Coleman likely needs to win in order to take the title.
Three other drivers who didn’t win Friday could at least take solace in knowing a championship honor awaits them this Friday night.
In the Texas Born Performance Black Smoke Warrior Division, Joe Watson (Haltom City, Tex.) had issues with his 1983 Chevy C10, and Scott Sanders (Whitesboro, Tex.) took advantage, racing his 1999 GMC Sierra to the top spot for the second time this year. Despite the loss, Watson locked up back-to-back division titles behind the power of his three wins and Sanders missing two weeks.
In the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Division, Mike Phillips saw his three-week winning streak snapped, part of that due to what he called driver error. Phillips left the door open with an early exit, and Robert Pearce (Arlington, Tex.) raced his yellow 2016 Chevy Camaro to the win. The win was Pearce’s first final round appearance this year, but it won’t be enough to help him catch up in the championship chase. Phillips locked up the title with a week to spare.
Gerard Cuellar (Corinth, Tex.) couldn’t get his third win of the season in the FastSigns Bandit Division, but he is the season champ. Kirby Hall (Grapevine, Tex.) and his 1992 Honda Civic outpaced Cuellar and his 2002 BMW M3 in the final round, but the effort came too late for the season standings.
Earlier in the night, awards were given for the In-N-Out Show-N-Shine competition:
- Best in Show – Buck Lamance
- Best Classic – Jay Bates
- Best Current – Matt Moehnke
The final round of the six-week journey starts with gates and grandstands opening at 6 p.m. this Friday night with one-dollar beer from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Competitors can practice from 6 p.m. – 8:15 p.m. while other car lovers bring their rides for the In-N-Out Show-N-Shine car show.
Competition kicks off at 9:15 p.m.
UTI Friday Night Drags competitors must be 18 or older to participate with the entry fee being $20 per week. All vehicles must pass pre-race inspection, and all drivers must wear an approved helmet. Helmets can be rented at Texas Motor Speedway for $10 per night.
Spectator tickets may be purchased at Gate 6 at $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. Parking is free outside Gate 6 or $20 in the infield. Coolers are allowed in both the grandstands and the infield.
The Torchy’s Tacos located in the TMS infield will be open for each event from 6 p.m. – 11 p.m.
The remaining 2019 Universal Technical Institute Friday Night Drags schedule is:
- July 26 – Fan Appreciation Night ($1 beer from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.)
For more information, CLICK HERE.
About Texas Motor Speedway
Texas Motor Speedway, with a crowd capacity in excess of 190,000, is among the largest sports stadiums in the United States and features an array of amenities such as the world’s largest TV that make it one of the premier venues in the world of sports. The 1.5-mile superspeedway located in Fort Worth hosts all three NASCAR national series as well as the NTT IndyCar Series among its various races and specialty events throughout the year. Since opening in 1997, Texas Motor Speedway has generated an annual economic impact of approximately $300 million to the North Texas region. Texas Motor Speedway is owned and operated by Speedway Motorsports, Inc., a publicly traded company that is a leading marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. For more information, please visit texasmotorspeedway.com.
