Matt Hagan is a self-described ‘robust man’ who drives an NHRA Humorous Automotive at over 300 miles per hour, works on a farm, and appropriately has the nickname ‘Hulk Hagan.’
Wednesday night time, that robust man was foiled by a cricket.
Contained in the Champions Membership at Texas Motorplex, NHRA announcer Joe Castello wasn’t 5 minutes into his opening remarks when Hagan walked to him on the stage. Hagan started swatting at Castello’s swimsuit jacket whereas the emcee repeatedly pulled either side open as if displaying off his apparel. These not in earshot watched in amusement earlier than everybody was crammed in when Hagan sat down and Castello bought this system again on monitor.
The occasion gained’t be well-known to the general public, or make one of many NHRA’s nationwide broadcasts. It’s the leisure seen by those that attend the Champion’s Dinner. Wednesday night time was the third version, which honors the earlier yr’s Fall Nationwide professional class winners whereas additionally inviting again different former winners.
“The factor that’s so good about it’s the drivers, the earlier winners, are shopping for in on it they usually’re coming,” Texas Motorplex co-owner Christie Meyer Johnson instructed RACER. “So, annually we’re getting an increasing number of earlier champions. We’re getting the champions from the yr earlier than, and we’re getting followers which can be tremendous excited to come back and sit with their favourite drivers and to work together with them like they’ll’t do in another sport. So it means loads to us simply due to the relationships with these individuals and friendships. Not solely can we get to benefit from the competitors facet, we’re actually attending to benefit from the private facet that drag racing has, and we’re very lucky we’ve got these those that need to spend time with us.”
Image the Masters meets drag racing, the menu taking a web page out of that playbook. The honorees get to select the entrees and desserts for drivers, important others, mates, sponsors, trade members, and followers, the latter of which paid to attend. The worth of admission contains VIP parking, dinner, a photograph with the drivers, a memento merchandise, and admission to the post-dinner live performance.
It’s not unusual to see followers mingling with drivers. Or drivers getting the prospect to meet up with a fellow competitor from one other class.
Matt Hagan and Leah Pruett on the pink carpet, earlier than Hagan was introduced undone by a cricket. Picture by Kelly Crandall
“I saved your life,” Hagan instructed Castello when becoming a member of him on stage for a Q&A. After which got here a quick dialogue on crickets, what their look may imply, and in the event that they appeal to snakes.
In the case of snakes, Hagan mentioned, he’ll burn the place down. These aren’t creatures he chooses to interact with.
Every of the previous winners will get highlighted on stage. Hagan and teammate Leah Pruett, who gained the Prime Gas occasion final yr, had been the nitro drivers. The Tony Stewart Racing duo picked the entree for the night: a steak medley.
At one level, the on-stage antics had been sufficient that Elite Motorsports Professional Inventory driver Jeg Coughlin Jr. turned to a media member at his desk and requested, “are you getting this?” as they recorded with a cellular phone. It was across the time Hagan was attempting, as soon as once more, to seize a cricket close to Castello. No telling if it was the identical one or a brand new customer.
Professional Inventory Bike winner Gaige Herrera selected an Oreo cheesecake for dessert. Professional Inventory winner Erica Enders, a peach cobbler with ice cream.
Enders shared an replace on her crew chief, Mark Ingersoll, who won’t be on the racetrack this weekend after present process a double lung transplant. When the dialog shifted to the occasion forward, the fourth race within the Countdown, and her possibilities, Enders mentioned her workforce didn’t come to go to. When the room laughed, Enders seized the second.
“I don’t know why that’s humorous,” she deadpanned. “I don’t go wherever to go to; I need to accumulate the {hardware}.”
Matt Smith, a former Professional Inventory Bike occasion winner at Texas, was in attendance with spouse and fellow driver Angie Smith. Angie has by no means gained at Texas, so when it got here to the group {photograph}, she needed to stand off to the facet. A motivating second, as Smith has made it recognized she desires to win the Fall Nationals to come back again as an honoree. It’s a standard sentiment amongst drivers who hear concerning the particular night time and need to be part of it.
Picture alternatives abound, and never simply with the drivers. Picture by Kelly Crandall
“We’re doing this for them they usually comprehend it,” Meyer Johnson mentioned. “With out them, we’re nothing. We’re only a drag strip. To have the ability to herald these guys who imply a lot to individuals, I inform them on a regular basis, we want their assist. So, in the event that they publish on social media and encourage individuals to come back, it’s so good as a result of we solely have a lot attain whereas persons are coming to see them. So, for me, it means loads that they need to come and spend time with us and we get to be mates and develop the game collectively.”
The night time went on with extra drinks, pictures (in and out, on the pink carpet), after which a live performance whereas company continued to mingle, get pleasure from El Bandido Yankee Tequila tastings and cigar rolling. The vibe was Texas nation the place cowboy boots and hats had been a preferred style selection, fused with neon lights and a hearty meal.
“I don’t assume we may (think about what it’s develop into),” Meyer Johnson mentioned. “We had this loopy concept that’s like throwing spaghetti on the wall and seeing what sticks. Annually we knew we wished to develop it and we knew we wished to do one thing totally different. We’ve seen issues which have labored properly and what we may do higher. It’s a snowball impact: we’re selecting up steam on the way in which and the Champions Dinner is one thing very particular to us as a household.
“This can be a time for individuals to have fun when in two days there’s going to be competitors and a few individuals battling for the saddle. However it is a night time to have fun the game and other people. I’m fairly excited and pleased with what our workforce has completed collectively. It takes a military.”
The dinner is in the course of a packed week of occasions the Texas Motorplex places on often known as the “Stampede of Velocity.” On the finish of 10 days of music festivals, fan fests and different actions, are three days of racing motion which have a Texas flare with the quickest qualifiers sitting on saddles and getting a $15,000 bonus. Sunday, the occasion winners take pictures with and on Oliver the Watusi, the official mascot of the ability.
And, sure, Oliver was available on the Champion’s Dinner and accommodated all photograph requests.
“It’s our thirty ninth yr doing the autumn nationwide occasion and we simply wished to strive to herald new followers,” Meyer Johnson mentioned. “We mentioned, ‘why not develop the occasion to extra days and herald different occasions that may draw different followers that will not find out about drag racing to the venue and introduce them to the game?’ I feel we’re carrying out that. This previous weekend with our music pageant, we introduced in in all probability near 60,000 individuals who didn’t know a lot about drag racing, and in between music units, we had vehicles on the racetrack.
“Hopefully, they arrive again this week and we’ve got a brand new fan. Drag racing is a sensory sport and the objective is to get the individuals right here to hook them and get them to come back again.”
