MUSTANG WEEK TEXAS DRAG DAY – PRESENTED BY HP TUNERS

Location: Houston Motorsports Park
Date: April 25, 2025
DRAG RACING RULES & INFORMATION 

REGISTER HERE | CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FULL SET OF RULES

The following vehicles are welcome:

  • All Fords
  • All Ford Trucks, Lightings & Raptors
  • All Ford Mustangs & Classics
  • Any speciality Fords or Mustangs like Saleen, RTR, Roush, etc.
    • Any Ford-powered or Ford-bodied Vehicles
      • Ford-bodies vehicles with non-Ford engines (i..e, LS conversions)
      • Ford-powered vehicles (non-Ford bodies, i.e., Rat Rod with Coyote)
  • Vehicle may be street-legal or race only. 

True Street Vehicles: must be Ford-bodied, street-legal, insured and registered.

  • May have non-Ford powerplants, i.e., LS Swap.

How to Register

To compete, visit www.mustangweek.com – purchase a spectator ticket first (All-Access grants you access to ALL Mustang Week events) and then select your DRAG DAY Entry. You may select either Test Tune / Grudge or True Street. All entries include free QUICKEST PASS CHALLENGE ENTRY and you may also do the drag racing clinic.

Drag Racing Schedule:

8am – Gates Open

9am – Drag Racing Begins

9:15am – Drag Racing Clinic

11am – True Street Meeting & Cruise

12:30pm – True Street Race

3:00pm – Quickest Pass Challenge

4pm – Gates Close

Tickets:

Tickets are available in advance and well as at the gate. Go to www.mustangweek.com to pre-purchase tickets and race entries. Save time by purchasing in advance. Spectator tickets are $30 at the gate, or you can purchase a $75 all-access spectator ticket for all Mustang Week events. You MUST add your DRAG DAY ENTRIES to your order.

Classes:

Test and Tune – Open Test and Tune

Grudge Lane – Pair up with your buddies to grudge race

True Street – 30 mile Cruise and then three back to back runs

Quickest Pass Challenge – Everyone gets 1 run at the end of the day, compete for the quickest time in ten classes, making the #MWLIST TOP 10 LIST for Street and Race

Safety & General Information

  • You must have proper safety equipment. You must have a helmet. Your vehicle must pass a basic safety inspection.
  • Drivers must have a valid state driver’s license or NHRA Competition License and sign a Waiver and Release form before being allowed to participate. 
  • Licensed minors must provide a signed “Waiver and Release of Liability and Indemnity Agreement (provided and available by HMP).

Mustang Week True Street – Rules & Information

Mustang Week True Street, presented by HP Tuners, is an exciting drag-and-drive competition at Mustang Week Drag Day, where street-legal Mustangs, Fords, and Ford-powered vehicles go head-to-head for fun and prizes! This event is the ultimate test of street/strip performance and includes:

✅ A 30-mile street cruise to prove your car’s streetability.

✅ Three back-to-back 1/8-mile drag strip passes.

✅ All competitors must complete the cruise under their own power.

✅ Safety rules apply.

✅ You may run test and tune and/or grudge lanes before and after True Street.

IMPORTANT – You must complete registration and tech inspection and bring your vehicle to the staging lanes for the driver’s meeting at 11 am. You must have your vehicle ready to do the 30-mile cruise immediately following the mandatory driver’s meeting.

True Street Sign-In & Tech Inspection

When you go to registration you will receive a True Street tech card. Fill it out, and take it to tech inspection. Required documents to present at Tech:

✔ Valid driver’s license

✔ Vehicle registration & valid license plates on vehicle.

✔ Proof of insurance

Vehicles will undergo tech inspection. Vehicle must pass safety inspection. Once inspection is completed a sticker will be attached to your vehicle. You may do Test and Tune, and then meet at 11 am in the staging lanes with your vehicle for the Mandatory driver’s meeting. 

True Street Categories & Awards

  • Overall Quickest E.T. Average (2 categories, 4 awards)
    • TRUE STREET – WINNER and RUNNER UP
    • DAILY DRIVER – WINNER and RUNNER UP.
  • E.T. Average Class Winners (Closest average to 5.00, 6.00, 7.00, 8.00, 9.00) – Closest average wins on 3 runs, must fall within E.T. category (i.e., 9.00 to 9.99)

True Street Rules

  • Driver: Driver must have valid US driver license. If fast enough, driver must possess NHRA license for ET range of vehicle. 
  • Vehicle Rules (all classes)
    • Vehicle must be street-legal, registered, and insured.
    • Vehicle must have operational lights, turn signals, and horn.
    • Exhaust with mufflers is required.
    • Vehicle must have DOT-legal tires front and rear.
    • Hood is required.
  • Daily Driver Class
    • You must identify in tech if you are competing in the Daily Driver category within True Street (see rules below). “DD” shall be put on your windshield.
    • Tire rules:
      • Your vehicle must have 200 or more treadwear tires on rear.
      • Your car must not have front skinnies – full front tire and wheel (205mm or wider tread).
  • Drivers Meeting (Mandatory) – 11 am in staging lanes, followed by Cruise afterward. All competitors must meet in the staging area ready to go on the cruise.
  • Cruise:
    • There will be a 30-mile supervised cruise on highway and city streets prior to competition, limited to those vehicles that have passed tech inspection. 
    • Passengers welcome.
    • Each competitor and crew will be on their own reconnaissance during the escort and cruise and bear the full responsibility of their actions as they would on city streets. Please be safe and follow all traffic laws.
    • Support vehicles (i.e., tow vehicles, crew, etc.) are permitted optionally on the road tour, but must trail behind the True Street participants, and the escort, at all times. All support vehicles are on their own reconnaissance and must obey all applicable local safety and traffic laws.
    • Cruise is mandatory in the time allotted for competition. Any vehicle unable to complete the road tour under its own power, within the allotted time, will be disqualified. Any vehicle that falls behind the trailing escort will be disqualified.
    • At the conclusion of the cruise, your vehicle must return to the staging lanes for a brief cool-down period. After the vehicles return from the road tour, they will return directly to the designated staging lanes for the cool-down period. The cool-down period will typically last between 15 and 45 minutes.
    • During this period, you may not open the hood. You may open the trunk or hatch, and refuel, change nitrous bottles, and pack ice for your intercooler. You may not change tires after cruise. If you open your hood you are disqualified from an award (although you may make your runs). 
  • Race Process:
    • When called to “load up” in the staging lanes, all True Street competitors must report to their cars and prepare to make three back-to-back passes. Hoods, hatches & decklids must remain closed until completion of all three passes. Fresh nitrous bottles, fuel, and ice may NOT be added. 
    • Tree will be a .400 pro tree. Courtesy staging suggested but not required.
    • Tire pressure may be checked in the staging lanes and may be lowered or raised at any time during the back-to-back passes.
    • Vehicles are required to make three full passes to be included in the final average ET tally. 
    • All vehicles must run three passes in the same order as the first pass. Any attempt to gain additional cool-down time between rounds will result in disqualification. 
    • The only exception to this rule is the use of a parachute, if required by vehicle speed. One crew member may assist in repacking a parachute, but this must not disrupt competition rounds. 
    • Vehicles unable to start under their own power will be disqualified. No external charging of battery / batteries permitted.
    • Have a blast either way, we are here to have a great time!
    • FINAL STANDINGS – After all three passes are completed, each racer’s ETs will be averaged. You must make all three runs to be eligible for an award The awards presentation will be held as soon as possible.
  • True Street Schedule
    • 8 am: Tech inspection opens
    • 9 am: Test & Tune (optional)
    • 11 am: Mandatory Driver’s Meeting, followed by Cruise
    • 12:30p: Planned Start of True Street
    • Awards to Follow Conclusion of True Street Runs
    • Test and Tune/Quickest Pass Challenge to Follow (Time permitting) 

Mustang Week Test & Tune/Grudge – Rules & Information

  • You must pass safety tech.
  • You must have a valid US Driver’s license and an NHRA license for your ET.
  • Test and Tune runs on .500 Sportsman tree, and will feature random pairing
  • Grudge lane runs on a .400 Pro tree, you may pair up with a grudge or friend.
  • There will be different staging lane assignments for Test Tune & Grudge
  • Test and Tune and Grudge runs all day.
  • All test and tune and grudge competitors may elect to compete in the Quickest Pass Challenge (1 run) at no charge.
  • Test and Tune lanes will likely close around 2:30 pm and Quickest Pass Challenge should start around 3 pm. (Times may change based on car count and race flow).

Quickest Pass Challenge

  • Anyone racing can enter the Quickest Pass Challenge for free
  • Simply come to the staging lanes when we call it.
  • We will maintain a Top 10 list for both Race and Street
    • Race – Less than 200 treadwear tires, drag radials, slicks, skinnies (any of these).
    • Street – 200 or more treadwear tires, no drag radials, no skinnies (none of these)
  • If you make a run, you’re eligible for the Mustang Week Top 10 list for 2025 in both Race and Street classes.
  • Top 10 will be ranked by E.T.
  • #1 in each list will receive an award/trophy.

Spectator Drags – Rules & Information

Spectator Drags are held on the HMP Oval with a 3/8-mile oval.  Spectator drags are open to all Ford-powered or Ford-bodied vehicles (swaps OK). One or the other must be a Ford. Must be rear-wheel drive. No four wheel drive capable vehicles are permitted. All vehicles must be currently registered, tagged, and insured.  Dealer plates are not permitted.

Fun runs are solo runs on the HMP oval.

Each fun run and/or test run are timed to approx. (1) minute (or) 3 laps (whichever is longer) before you will be flagged off. You may stop and reset on the starting line if you are practicing for the Pizza & Beer class.

Pizza & Beer class is a fun “spectator drags” race where two vehicles compete against each other. 

Vehicles & Driver Rules

  • Chassis & Body: Vehicles must have a STOCK chassis and be street legal. Convertibles, even with roll bars, are prohibited.
  • Tires: Only DOT-approved tires are allowed for participation.
  • Prohibited Modifications: No ballast or nitrous oxide is allowed. Even if nitrous is disabled, the bottle cannot be present inside the vehicle.
  • Driver Requirements: Participants must be at least 18 years old and hold a valid driver’s license.
  • Safety Gear: A full-face helmet rated SA2015 or newer is required. No half helmets allowed. Seat belts must be worn at all times.
  • Passengers: No passengers are allowed

Race (“Pizza & Beer”) Format:

  • All contestants can test during fun runs and in designated test sessions.
  • All fun run competitors are eligible to enter the pizza and class.
  • Vehicles will start on a green light signal
  • Racing 1 lap around the HMP Oval (3/8 mile) in a 1 vs 1 format.
  • Pairings will be determined by chip draw and organized into a competition ladder.
  • When we are down to (4) competitors (starting from quarterfinals), races will be best 2 out of 3 to determine winners.
  • The loser will return to the pits and will be eliminated from the competition.
  • The winner must get back in line immediately for the next round or face forfeiture.
  • First to cross the finish line is the winner of each round.
  • Each competitor must either agree, or coin flip for starting position.
  • This class is designed for casual racers who are here for fun and friendly competition.
  • Contact: No intentional contact between vehicles is permitted under any circumstances.
  • Repairs: No significant repairs or adjustments between rounds will be allowed, as this will be a hot-lap format.
  • Mandatory Drivers Meeting: Attendance at the driver’s meeting is required to participate.

Prizes:

  • The top 4 racers will earn prizes. (Semi-finals, runner up and finals). Semi-finals and runner up win trophies.
  • The overall winner will receive a custom MustangWeek jacket, a winner’s trophy, and a coupon for a 12-pack of beer (or soda) and two pizzas.

Drag Racing Clinic Information

📍 Location: Houston Motorsports Park
⏰ Time: 9:15 AM – 10:00 am Meet at Mike Murillo’s trailer
🎟️ Free for all event participants

This 45-minute clinic is all about how to drag race—from staging and launching to where to turn off the track and pick up your time slip. Whether you’re a first-time racer or looking to sharpen your skills, this session will cover everything you need to know before making a pass:

How to Stage Properly – Learn the difference between pre-stage and full-stage, how to roll into the beams, and why your staging depth affects reaction time.

Understanding the Christmas Tree – The difference between a .500 Pro Tree, .400 Pro Tree, and Sportsman Tree, and how to time your launch for the best reaction time. The right way to anticipate the lights and avoid red lighting.

Burnout Basics – When to do a burnout, how long to stay in it, and why traction depends on doing it correctly for your tires. Understanding radials vs street tires vs. slicks.

Where to Turn Off the Track – How to safely slow down, which exit to take, and what to do if you need extra shutdown distance. Where to Pick Up Your Time Slip. We’ll walk the track for five minutes to explain everything.

How to Read Your Time Slip – Breaking down your reaction time, 60-foot time, ET, and trap speed, and what those numbers mean for your performance.

What to Do If Something Goes Wrong – What to do and what NOT to do when you’re in trouble. Problems on track. Getting loose. What happens when you break.Race Etiquette & Safety Rules – What the starter expects, how to handle lane assignments, and general track safety to avoid rookie mistakes.

REGISTER HERE | CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THESE RULES