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After an action-packed day of corner carving during the Track Day presented by Tremec at Motor Speedway Resort, Mustang Week Texas motored over to Houston Motorsports Park for a day of straight-line speed and oval-track antics during the All-Ford Drag Day presented by HP Tuners.
Soon after the pony cars took over the track, participants blasted down the eighth-mile track on test ’n tune runs and lapped the oval track on fun runs. Then the drifters on hand started offering ride-alongs, which were punctuated by tandem drift exhibitions by Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Ben Hobson of RTR Vehicles.
Brett LaSala, of Motion Raceworks, and Mike Murillo, of Street Outlaws fame, brought their iconic Mustangs out to Houston Motorsports Park for some exhibition passes. Murillio (right) even hosted a Drag Racing Clinic geared toward drag racing newcomers.
Things got serious as racers qualified for the Spectator Drags presented by Vortech Superchargers competition on the Oval Track, with trophies on the line and a case of beer and a pizza awarded to the victor. Meanwhile, on the drag strip, competitors laid down three back-to-back passes in True Street competition to see who could come out on top in a range of categories.
Drag racers also competed to become top dog in the Quickest Pass Challenge with Street and Race categories, while celebrity racers Mike Murillo, of Street Outlaws fame, and Brett LaSala, pilot of the Snot Rocket S197, clicked off some exhibition passes for the fans. Murillo, who has 16 drag racing championships under his belt, even hosted a 45-minute Drag Racing Clinic, which offered advice for novice racers.
Transforming tires into smoke wasn’t limited to the drag strip at Houston Motorsports Park, as drifters offered ride-alongs on the oval track to lines of excited fans. Meanwhile, Vaughn Gitting Jr. and Ben Hobson put on a slideways show in their Mustang RTR demonstrators.
When the smoke cleared, a great time was had by all, and it was time to head to Moody Gardens for the Friday Night Meet-Up, which kept the action going into the night. But, for highlights from the All-Ford Drag Day, check out our photos and full gallery below.
All-Ford Track Day presenting sponsor HP Tuners was on hand, educating attendees about its comprehensive tuning products. The company also hosted the True Street awards ceremony in its display, where Michael Washing served as the master of ceremonies, and HP Tuners’ own Tony Gonyon handed out the awards.
In the True Street category, racers completed a 30-mile cruise and three back-to-back passes to crown winners in a range of categories. Larry Hamilton/2024 Mustang took home top honors, while Bryan Anderson/2012 Mustang clocked in as runner-up.
Other True Street winners included Alec Aquilar/2015 Mustang (7-Second and Daily Driver Winner), Daniel Baldanza/2019 Mustang (Daily Driver Runner-Up), Jorge Martinez/2011 Mustang (8-Second Winner), and William Abel/2022 Mustang (9-Second Winner).
Ryan Aillet and his 1965 Mustang participated in almost every event at Mustang Week Texas. He banged gears with the Tremec manual transmission in his Coyote-swapped classic to take home the big prize in the Spectator Drags presented by Vortech Superchargers, where he earned a trophy, a 12-pack of beer, and a pizza. He celebrated in style after the big win.
