Catchfence

• Six Consecutive Friday Night Programs Beginning July 3 Will Provide A Safer Environment For Drag Racing Enthusiasts In The DFW Metroplex
• Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage, Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief Christen Program With Ceremonial Drag Race
• Three Local Scion Dealerships To Serve As Title Sponsor Of Program

FORT WORTH, Texas (May 29, 2009) – Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage was joined by Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief to unveil a new program Friday that will serve as an initiative to assist in curtailing illegal street racing in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex by providing a safer alternative at the world-class motorsports facility.

The Scion Drag-n-Brag program will provide a much more conducive and safer environment for potential street racers that will get the opportunity to compete at a venue that annually hosts the premier racers from NASCAR and the IndyCar Series.

Beginning July 3 and concluding Aug. 7, Texas Motor Speedway will transform its pit lane into a 1/8-mile drag strip to play host to Scion Drag-n-Brag each Friday evening for that six-week period during the summer months.

Scion Drag-n-Brag will feature racing in four different classes and Texas Motor Speedway will crown a season champion in the August finale. The racing will be complemented by the “Show & Shine” program, where car enthusiasts can show off their prized vehicles as well as take them for a parade lap on the 1.5-mile, high-banked oval.

Gossage and Moncrief christened Scion Drag-n-Brag by having the ceremonial first drag on pit lane with each using identical black tC TRD Release Series Scions. The race program also featured several local racers as well as “Beat The Heat,” a group of Fort Worth police officers that compete in these type of events using old police cruisers.

“Illegal street racing has become a growing issue across the country and the Metroplex is not immune to this dangerous problem,” Gossage said. “We are hopeful that would-be street racers will be attracted by the opportunity to compete at a world-class motorsports facility and in a much safer environment.”

According to various statistics, 49 out of every 1,000 illegal street racers are injured on a national level and the highest fatality rate (58%) of that group is between the ages of 15 and 29.

Although the city of Fort Worth has no official statistics of injuries or fatalities from illegal street racing, they have witnessed a steady increase in racing arrests in the past three years.

“This partnership means a great deal to the people of Fort Worth,” Moncrief said. “It’s about making our streets safer. It’s about protecting our young people. It’s about reducing crime and saving lives. On behalf of the entire city, I want to thank Eddie and his outstanding team for continuing to reach out and support important local causes like this one.”

The racing will be split into four divisions: Tuner, Street Bandits, Sportsman and Street Outlaws.

• Tuner Division: Any three-, four- or six-cylinder vehicle with stock body and interior.
• Street Bandits Division: Foreign and domestic cars or trucks with stock body; three or four cylinders that have anything more than stock along with six-cylinder race cars with naturally aspirated engines.
• Sportsman Division: Foreign and domestic cars or trucks with stock body and eight or more cylinders.
• Street Outlaws Division: Any car or truck with stock-appearing body; engine but suspension modifications allowed with maximum 29×10.5 size tires; no wheelie bars allowed.

Each week, the division winner will receive three points, runner-up two points and one point for all competitors regardless of finish. Two bonus points also will be awarded to competitors at the conclusion of the season for racing all six weeks. The points leaders in each division following the Aug. 7 finale will be crowned champions. Weekly division winners also will
be awarded trophies. The racing program is being sponsored by three Scion dealerships in the DFW Metroplex – Freeman Scion of Hurst, Scion of Fort Worth and Texas Scion of Grapevine.

“Scion Drag-n-Brag is a great opportunity for our local Scion Dealerships to connect with customers as part of an exciting new grassroots event at Texas Motor Speedway,” said Ed Bradley, Area General Manager for Gulf States Toyota. “Freeman Scion, Scion of Fort Worth and Texas Scion of Grapevine will be able to showcase the entire line of Scion vehicles and their capabilities to the Fort Worth-Dallas racing communities.”

“Being the title sponsor of Scion Drag-n-Brag is a great opportunity of our local Scion dealerships to be an integral part of a new grassroots initiative at Texas Motor Speedway,” said Ed Bradley, Area General Manager of Gulf States Toyota. “Freeman Scion, Scion of Fort Worth and Texas Scion of Grapevine will be able to showcase the entire line of vehicles and their capabilities to the Fort Worth-Dallas racing communities.”

The “Show & Shine” program will allow car enthusiasts to feature their rides and compete for top honors each week. Trophies will be awarded for “Best In Show” overall and “Best In Class” for models 1972 and older as well as 1973 to current.

Each Friday evening, the gates will open at 6 p.m. CT with practice and the “Show & Shine” car display running from 6:20 to 8:20 p.m. The “Show & Shine” parade lap will begin at 8:30 p.m. The opening ceremonies begin at 9 p.m., followed by racing from 9:10 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Entry fees are $20 for the Scion Drag-n-Brag, $20 for the “Show & Shine” or $30 for a combination drag and show. Admission for fans to the infield and grandstands will be $7.

- Texas Motor Speedway, Press Release