FORT WORTH, Texas (July 15, 2019)
After watching more than 300 local Jeep enthusiasts show off their iconic rides, the competitors at Universal Technical Institute Friday Night Drags were chomping at the bit to let their horses run on Texas Motor Speedway’s pit road drag strip, and for two competitors the night ended with a third straight trip to Victory Lane.
Joe Watson (Haltom City, Tex.), the 2018 champion in the Texas Born Performance Black Smoke Warrior Division, is well on his way to a repeat performance. Watson avenged a Week One finale loss to Scott Sanders, winning for the third straight week in his 1983 Chevy C10 and giving himself a six-point margin over Sanders with two weeks remaining. Watson just needs to check in to race in either of the final two weeks to clinch the season title.
In the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Division, it’s a slightly more difficult situation for Mike Phillips and his 2016 Chevy Camaro SS. With a third straight win, the last two against 2018 champion Mirza Kovacevic, Phillips holds a four-point edge with two weeks to go. If Phillips can just advance to the final round in one of the final two weeks, he guarantees himself a share of the points lead.
The dream of a perfect season ended in the semifinals for Tyler Cavett (Saginaw, Tex.) and his 1982 Ford Mustang in the Summit Racing Equipment Outlaw Division. After starting the season with a trifecta of wins, Cavett lost to eventual runner-up, Clayton Thompson. Allen Magga (Brock, Tex.) got the win in just his second appearance of the season. It was the first run of the season for his 1967 Chevy Camaro. He competed in Week Two in a 1971 Chevy Nova. Cavett still holds a four-point edge in the division standings.
In the Summit Racing Equipment Sportsman Modified Division, Chris Thompson and his 1932 Ford Coupe told John Apple to hold that thought as he snapped the 2018 champion’s two-race winning streak. Thompson beat Apple in the final, avenging last week’s final race. He trails Apple by a single point in the season standings.
Bryan Pomeroy and his 2019 Corvette are another team who avenged a Week Three second place showing. Pomeroy topped Week One winner Matt Owen in the US Army Super Car Division final, and he’s now won twice this season. He holds a two-point advantage over Owen in the season standings and a three-point edge over Week Three winner Wes Coleman.
It was back to Week One again in the Snap-on All Wheel Drive Division as John Kuethe (Arlington, Tex.) got the job done. Kuethe and his 2009 Nissan GTR hadn’t advanced to the final round since his Week One win. For his efforts, he holds a three-point advantage in the season standings.
Finally, in the FastSigns Bandit Division, Gerard Cuellar (Corinth, Tex.) bounced back to win for the second time this season. After winning in Week Two in his 2002 BMW M3, Cuellar finished second in Week Three before taking the win again in Week Four. Cuellar has a three-point advantage in the standings over Week One winner Jason Magallon.
Earlier in the night, awards were given for the In-N-Out Show-N-Shine competition:
- Best in Show – Alrick Washington
- Best Classic – Rod Fone
- Best Current – Lamar Johnson
Round Five of the six-week journey starts with gates and grandstands opening at 6 p.m. this Friday night.
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 19
- 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.
