FORT WORTH, Texas (July 12, 2019)
One brother makes the fans swoon on the track at Universal Technical Institute Friday Night Drags, racing his turbo-powered 2008 Scion xB each week and getting some of the loudest cheers when he wins, which he frequently does in the decidedly un-aerodynamic ride.
“It’s nice,” 27-year-old Chase Prollock said. “That’s what I’ve put all this time and money into it for. I didn’t build it just for me. I built it to share with people.”
The other brother makes them swoon off the track in the In-N-Out Show-N-Shine competition. Heads automatically turn when 24-year-old Alex Prollock pulls up in his Java Green 1967 Volkswagen Beetle, antique luggage and Coca-Cola cooler resting neatly on the roof rack.
“A lady came up to me and was like, ‘Hey, we’ve been looking for you. You won,’" Alex Prollock said, thinking back to the first time the car got Show-N-Shine Best in Show a year ago. “I was like, ‘I won? What?’”
It’s pretty impressive to think that two of the most popular cars at Friday Night Drags are owned by brothers in their mid-20s. They may be young, but Drags is old hat for these two.
“I’ve been to the event since 2011,” Alex Prollock said. “Started showing last year for the first time. It’s just what I look forward to every summer. It’s the best time of the year.”
The lone mainstay in the brothers’ decade of Drags is Chase’s Scion xB. It gets its fair share of ribbing thanks to its square appearance and reputation, frequently prompting race official Scott Garrett to mention that Chase is driving his mom’s car. The funny thing is, he’s technically correct.
“It’s still in her name and technically still her car, so I always expect something from Scott,” Chase laughed. “That’s always fun for me, fun for my family, and fun for my mom especially.”
The xB was raced by Chase, then traded to Alex who ran it for a few year, and finally Chase took it back, deciding the old girl needed some turbo in its life.
“Everybody wants to turbo their car and modify it to a pretty extreme point, so yeah I’ve always wanted to do that, and it’s a pretty unique car for sure to do that with,” Chase said.
Brother Alex eventually chose history over horsepower.
“My dad has one when I was young, a 1973 or something,” Alex Prollock said, motioning to his own 1967 VW Beetle. “I remember eating pistachios and throwing them out the little vent windows, and he drove one in high school. I’ve also got pictures of when he was young with his parents sitting on the fender.”
When Alex found his 1967 VW, it was far from cherry.
“It was metallic green, didn’t have any headliner, seats were high back seats, wrong motor, pretty much everything (was wrong), didn’t have the big bumpers,” he said.
And he righted every wrong by himself, even adding some antique shop luggage and his girlfriend’s radio flyer scooter on top.
Oh, and there’s also a speaker system built into a piece of antique luggage, standby DFW airport tag attached.
“I didn’t really feel like putting the deck in the back and ruining the classic look,” he said. My girlfriend suggested, ‘How about a speaker in a suitcase?’ I was like, ‘Yeah, I can do that.’ Mounted a sub(woofer) inside it, two speakers, and an amp on the back and it’s held up ever since.”
Whether you come to Friday Night Drags for the RaceBox or the retro Bug, the Prollocks have you covered.
Round Four of the six-week journey starts with gates and grandstands opening at 6 p.m. for the annual Jeep Night as well as a concert by Southern rocker Tim Montana. All cars are welcome, as usual, but Jeep owners get a special parade lap.
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 2019 Universal Technical Institute Friday Night Drags schedule is:
- July 12 – Jeep Night/Tim Montana concert
- July 19 – TBD
- July 26 – Fan Appreciation Night
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.
