APRIL 16, 2023, LAS VEGAS – Matt Hagan continued his impressive 2023 NHRA Camping World Drag Racing series performance Sunday at the Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the Four-Wide Nationals with his third Funny Car win in four events in the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Haas Automotive Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat.
Hagan, the three-time NHRA World Champion, qualified third in the 16-car field and advanced to the final round with solid, consistent runs of 3.997 and 3.968 seconds to set up a third finals appearance in the opening four races in 2023.
Competing against John Force, Tim Wilkerson and Chad Green in the final, Hagan posted a winning time of 3.943 at 326.79 m.p.h. for his 46th career Funny Car victory and extended his Funny Car points lead to 105 entering the next NHRA national event at Charlotte, NC., on April 28-30.
Hagan’s Funny Car victory was his second straight at the Strip after winning last October in the Nevada Nationals and his fifth Las Vegas triumph of his career. This is Hagan’s seventh win with Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) dating back to the 2022 Gatornationals.
“This is so special to share the winner’s circle with my boss, Tony Stewart, and his first NHRA national win too,” said Hagan after his third 2023 victory and Stewart’s first Top Alcohol Dragster win. “It’s funny because I never followed Tony’s oval racing career, and I actually had to look up his achievements when I talked with him about this new team.
“After he won here, he came to my car and said, ‘Now it’s your turn to win!’ Wow, I wasn’t feeling any pressure until then. But our crew, led by Dickie Venables, has been so good this year that I just needed to be good on the line. And that car ran strong to the finish.”
TSR team owner Stewart, a three-time NASCAR Cup champion, captured his first NHRA national event Sunday by taking the Top Alcohol Dragster victory. It was Stewart’s fourth race in NHRA national event competition. The Columbus, IN, driver has now won at all four Las Vegas Motor Speedway tracks in 1.5-mile oval, 3/8-mile Bullring, Half-mile dirt oval and the Strip.
“This is the most fun I have had in a long time,” said Stewart in victory lane with Hagan. “Matt and his crew are doing a tremendous job with three wins already and Leah’s (Pruett, Hagan’s TSR teammate and Stewart’s wife) crew has been outstanding in this early portion of the season. Yes, it is exciting to win my first NHRA national event, but the double is very special today.”
Matt Hagan, driver of the Haas Automation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car:
Earned No. 9 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (4.022 ET at 314.61 mph)
Earned No. 3 provisional qualifying position in Q2 on Friday (3.936 ET at 327.82 mph)
Scored one bonus point for third-quickest run of the session.
Maintained No. 3 provisional qualifying position based off Friday’s Q2 run. In Q3 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 4.253 ET at 221.74 mph.
Secured No. 3 qualifying position based off Friday’s Q2 run. In Q4 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 3.972 ET at 322.19 mph.
Advanced to Finals on Sunday:
Round 1: 3.997 ET at 317.72 mph, defeated Alex Laughlin (4.225 ET at 265.22 mph) and Robert Hight (4.270 ET at 249.58 mph). Jeff Diehl also advanced to Round 2 (4.003 ET at 303.50 mph).
Round 2: 3.968 ET at 322.81 mph, defeated Alexis DeJoria (4.061 ET at 275.90 mph) and Jeff Diehl (4.291 ET at 228.31 mph). John Force also advanced to the Finals (4.069 ET at 321.04 mph).
Final: 3.943 ET at 326.79 mph, defeated Tim Wilkerson (3.969 ET at 319.45 mph). John Force ran third (4.005 ET at 321.81 mph) and Chad Green finished fourth (4.222 ET at 250.74 mph).
Currently leads the Funny Car championship standings with a 105-point advantage over Ron Capps.
See the full recap by NHRA National Dragster staff:
NHRA Four-Wide Nationals Sunday photo gallery:
Photo's: NHRA | Mopar Communications | TSR Nitro
Content: Mopar Coummunications & PR | TSR PR