NHRA Bench Racing Anyone?

[Stainless]

Same Here!!

Been to most of them, but have never made it to Dallas for a race.

I remember when Billy Meyer built it in 86', we could not believe someone built an all concrete track!

That track has so much history it's crazy.



Here is a sample of the "firsts" at the 'plex.


Nov. 1985: Billy Meyer signs an agreement to host an NHRA event the following September, before ground was broken on the facility.

Jan. 1986: Ground breaks for the Texas Motorplex – designed to be the first post tension, all-concrete, quarter-mile facility specifically created for drag racing.

Sept. 25, 1986: Darrell Gwynn runs 5.280 to set Top Fuel E.T. record with the first national event pass on the track.

April 1997: The Texas Motorplex becomes the first non-NHRA-owned track to host two national events.

1997: The Texas Motorplex opens the Divisional 4 Hall of Fame, becoming the only track to host a hall of fame.

1997: The Texas Motorplex becomes the first facility to build a permanent hospitality structure to host fans in a VIP atmosphere; originally known as The Top Eliminator Club and now known as the Champions Club.

April 9, 1988: Eddie Hill turns in the first four-second quarter mile pass – a 4.990 run.

Oct. 19, 1997: Cory McClenathan makes the first pass in the 320 mph-range – a 321.77 run.

Oct. 24, 1998: Gary Scelzi, John Force, Warren Johnson and Larry Kopp lead the quickest qualifying field in NHRA history.

Oct. 23, 1999: En route to his first, NHRA championship, Top Fuel driver Tony Schumacher earns his first national event victory.

Oct. 23, 1999: John Force clinched his ninth NHRA Funny Car championship by defeating Tommy Johnson Jr. in the quickest side-by-side race in Funny Car history.

Sept. 23, 2004: The Texas Motorplex becomes the first NHRA track in the country to have starting line balcony seating in the tower suites.

Sept. 26, 2004: Greg Anderson clinches his second consecutive NHRA Pro Stock title at the Texas Motorplex. Anderson clinched the title faster than any other driver in NHRA history.

...it's also the track where we almost lost John Force when he got tangled up with Kenny Bernstein in the Monster Energy FC, '08 or '09 I think.


CH3NO2

[thatguy]

...it's also the track where we almost lost John Force when he got tangled up with Kenny Bernstein in the Monster Energy FC, '08 or '09 I think.


CH3NO2

That is correct.

Eli, John Force was nearly killed in this crash at Dallas Motorplex in 2007.

If you have never seen it, be warned it is violent.
The scariest part was when the car stopped, he wasn't there. He is actually up track in the back half of the car.



John was told he would not regain movement of his hands, and may not be able to walk normally.
Being John Force, He not only recovered, but came back to win 2 more Championships (so far) and hold both ends of the FC 1000' world records.

[Paul65K]

That is correct.

Eli, John Force was nearly killed in this crash at Dallas Motorplex in 2007.

If you have never seen it, be warned it is violent.
The scariest part was when the car stopped, he wasn't there. He is actually up track in the back half of the car.



John was told he would not regain movement of his hands, and may not be able to walk normally.
Being John Force, He not only recovered, but came back to win 2 more Championships (so far) and hold both ends of the FC 1000' world records.

Interestingly enough JF and I were both recuperating from our accidents at the same time.....I was invited to the Force Racing Suite during the Winternationals in Pomona and we had a chance to meet.......I was still recovering as well.....personally I didn't walk for a year and JF was way worse than me at the time of this picture.......but you would have never known it as he was cracking wise the whole time he was in the booth......the ultimate huckster

[Eli]

That is correct.

Eli, John Force was nearly killed in this crash at Dallas Motorplex in 2007.

If you have never seen it, be warned it is violent.
The scariest part was when the car stopped, he wasn't there. He is actually up track in the back half of the car.



John was told he would not regain movement of his hands, and may not be able to walk normally.
Being John Force, He not only recovered, but came back to win 2 more Championships (so far) and hold both ends of the FC 1000' world records.

Oh my that was pretty bad. He's such a fighter! Go John!


Sent from my Bat Cave

[Stainless]

Cool story Paul.


CH3NO2