'Huge Milestone' Matt Hagan Becomes Fourth NHRA Funny Car Driver with 50 Wins
Entering the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway four-time Funny Car champion Matt Hagan hadn’t tasted victory at the facility in a decade and he was winless on the season, but all of that changed Sunday when he recorded his 50th career victory.
With the win, Hagan became the 24th driver in NHRA history to reach the 50-win mark, the 16th in the pro classes, and only the fourth to do it exclusively in Funny Car behind John Force, Ron Capps and Robert Hight. The 41-year-old Hagan, who began his Funny Car career at the 2008 U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, described the 50 victories as a “massive achievement.”
“It’s unreal. Right place, right time,” Hagan said. “Fifty wins is a huge milestone for me. I’ve seen a lot of people come in this sport and a lot of people go and never achieve close to that. It’s just incredible. I’m just very honored to be in a group that successful, that driven, that motivated, that worked that hard. To even be in the ranks of those great drivers is incredible.”
In Sunday’s final round, with a 3.946 ET, 332.34 mph, run and.029 reaction time, Hagan had 16-time Funny Car champion Force, J.R. Todd and Daniel Wilkerson licking their wounds.
“When the win light comes on, it’s just kind of one of those things where you ain’t got really nothing to lose in the final,” Hagan said. “You’re not giving up lane choice, you’re just shortening up the race track (when you stage deep). As long as you don’t go too deep and turn on a red light.
“We just need to keep clicking away even though we’re not the biggest, baddest boy in town.”
Entering the event Hagan felt his Dodge team was “behind the eight ball” because by this time last year the Tony Stewart Racing organization had already won three races.
“We came in pretty much over-clutched at the beginning of the season,” Hagan said. “We made some changes in the bellhousing, did some R&D motor stuff and it’s paying off. But when you change one thing, it changes six things. So, it takes some time and takes some races to do that. We just didn’t have the test sessions that we would normally have. It seemed like it rained everywhere. So, we ended up using some of these races to do that.”
At zMAX Dragway, Hagan qualified sixth for the NHRA’s second-consecutive four-wide event with a 3.880 ET. He and Dave Richards advanced to the semifinals by defeating Austin Prock and Blake Alexander in their first quad. In the semifinal quad, Hagan and Richards faced Bob Tasca III and Wilkerson. By the time Hagan emerged victorious, the Virginia native had been informed that his T-shirt sales at the event had surpassed Stewart’s.
“I always say I’m the workhorse for Dodge,” Hagan said. “I ain’t pretty, but I work hard. We’re that plow horse that you get up there and you strap on, you get out in the sun and plow fields all day long.”
NHRA Four-Wide Nationals
Results, Updated Points
Final Finish Order
TOP FUEL:
1. Justin Ashley; 2. Clay Millican; 3. Doug Kalitta; 4. Antron Brown; 5. Brittany Force; 6. Billy Torrence; 7. Jasmine Salinas; 8. Tony Stewart; 9. Steve Torrence; 10. Shawn Reed; 11. Tony Schumacher; 12. Dan Mercier; 13. Doug Foley; 14. Josh Hart; 15. Cody Krohn; 16. Shawn Langdon.
FUNNY CAR:
1. Matt Hagan; 2. Daniel Wilkerson; 3. J.R. Todd; 4. John Force; 5. Cruz Pedregon; 6. Bob Tasca III; 7. Dave Richards; 8. Alexis DeJoria; 9. Paul Lee; 10. Chad Green; 11. Austin Prock; 12. Buddy Hull; 13. Jim Campbell; 14. John Smith; 15. Ron Capps; 16. Blake Alexander.
PRO STOCK:
1. Greg Anderson; 2. Aaron Stanfield; 3. Dallas Glenn; 4. Cristian Cuadra; 5. Erica Enders; 6. Deric Kramer; 7. Troy Coughlin Jr.; 8. Jerry Tucker; 9. Eric Latino; 10. David Cuadra; 11. Mason McGaha; 12. Jeg Coughlin; 13. Brandon Foster; 14. Sienna Wildgust; 15. Fernando Cuadra Jr.; 16. Dave Connolly.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
1. Gaige Herrera; 2. John Hall; 3. Richard Gadson; 4. LE Tonglet; 5. Angie Smith; 6. Matt Smith; 7. Chase Van Sant; 8. Hector Arana Jr; 9. Kelly Clontz; 10. Jianna Evaristo; 11. Marc Ingwersen; 12. Steve Johnson; 13. Ron Tornow; 14. Chris Bostick; 15. Hector Arana; 16. Ryan Oehler.
Final Rounds
Sunday's final results from the 14th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway. The race is the fifth of 20 in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
Top Fuel -- Justin Ashley, 3.710 seconds, 328.06 mph def. Clay Millican, 3.722 seconds, 337.92 mph and Doug Kalitta, 3.725 seconds, 326.00 mph and Antron Brown, 4.780 seconds, 163.31 mph;
Funny Car -- Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.946, 332.34 def. Daniel Wilkerson, Ford Mustang, 3.923, 327.59 and J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.978, 320.36 and John Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.960, 329.75;
Pro Stock -- Greg Anderson, Chevy Camaro, 6.502, 210.77 def. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.551, 209.75 and Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.561, 208.68 and Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.549, 210.54;
Pro Stock Motorcycle -- Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 6.684, 202.73 def. John Hall, Beull, 6.758, 202.12 and Richard Gadson, Suzuki, 6.767, 198.41 and LE Tonglet, Suzuki, foul;
Top Alcohol Dragster -- Mike Coughlin, 5.280, 268.65 def. Julie Nataas, 5.289, 267.48 and Megan Smith, 5.967, 191.92 and Hunter Green, 5.266, 268.81;
Top Alcohol Funny Car -- Sean Bellemeur, Chevy Camaro, 5.428, 268.12 def. DJ Cox Jr., Camaro, 5.445, 267.91 and Bob McCosh, Camaro, 5.465, 266.00 and Matt Gill, Camaro, 5.466, 267.37;
Competition Eliminator -- Rickie Smith, Ford Mustang, 5.781, 249.21 def. Joel Warren, Pontiac G5, 8.617, 154.51.
Super Stock -- Don Shuford, Chevy Camaro, 10.274, 129.44 def. Allen Wilson, Pontiac Firebird, Foul - Red Light.
Stock Eliminator -- Brett Candies, Ford Mustang, 9.186, 147.10 def. Joshua Decker, Chevy Corvette, Foul - Red Light.
Super Comp -- Colby Fuller, Dragster, 8.908, 179.11 def. Michael Handras, Dragster, 8.930, 166.99.
Super Gas -- Billy Upton, Chevy Corvette, 9.886, 162.29 def. Bob Locke, Corvette, 9.882, 158.76.
Super Street -- Brad Plourd, Chevy II, 10.912, 120.72 def. William Morgan, Chevy Monte Carlo, Foul - Red Light.
Top Sportsman -- James Hinkle, Pontiac Grand Am, 7.272, 189.02 def. Calvin Snow, Chevy Cobalt, 7.054, 194.27.
Top Dragster -- Holden Laris, Dragster, 6.568, 168.39 def. Chad Taylor, Dragster, 7.409, 132.30.
Factory X -- Aaron Stanfield, Chevy Camaro, 7.086, 193.85 def. Jesse Alexandra, Camaro, 7.450, 186.07.
Mountain Motor Pro Stock -- Bo Butner, Chevy Camaro, 6.230, 225.26 def. Johnny Pluchino, Ford Mustang, 6.294, 224.14.
Junior Dragster Shootout -- Waylon Bennett, Bos, 8.921, 71.72 def. Savannah Highhouse, 7.894, 82.75.
Round-By Round
Final round-by-round results from the 14th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway, the fifth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series:
TOP FUEL:
ROUND ONE -- Clay Millican, 3.705, 337.66 and Billy Torrence, 3.725, 334.15 def. Tony Schumacher, 3.770, 328.38 and Josh Hart, 3.790, 327.35; Justin Ashley, 3.763, 331.69 and Tony Stewart, 3.762, 326.71 def. Dan Mercier, 3.831, 318.24 and Doug Foley, 3.730, 316.52; Antron Brown, 3.718, 334.48 and Brittany Force, 3.734, 335.82 def. Steve Torrence, 3.729, 334.07 and Shawn Langdon, 4.126, 299.13; Jasmine Salinas, 3.700, 329.50 and Doug Kalitta, 3.729, 334.98 def. Shawn Reed, 3.757, 322.88 and Cody Krohn, 3.790, 323.66;
SEMIFINALS -- Ashley, 3.711, 333.58 and Brown, 3.728, 333.66 def. Force, 3.729, 336.57 and Stewart, 5.779, 120.55; Millican, 3.710, 333.91 and Kalitta, 3.760, 334.57 def. B. Torrence, 4.544, 170.97 and Salinas, 4.695, 162.90;
FINAL -- Ashley, 3.710, 328.06 def. Millican, 3.722, 337.92, Kalitta, 3.725, 326.00 and Brown, 4.780, 163.31.
FUNNY CAR:
ROUND ONE -- J.R. Todd, Toyota GR Supra, 3.918, 323.50 and Alexis DeJoria, GR Supra, 5.444, 265.43 def. Buddy Hull, Dodge Charger, 5.414, 162.39 and Ron Capps, GR Supra, 16.244, 30.34; Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 3.893, 329.75 and John Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.916, 330.72 def. Chad Green, Ford Mustang, 4.250, 215.86 and John Smith, Charger, 5.109, 155.63; Daniel Wilkerson, Mustang, 3.885, 329.58 and Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.871, 336.82 def. Paul Lee, Charger, 3.929, 325.92 and Jim Campbell, Chevy Monte Carlo, 4.289, 276.35; Matt Hagan, Charger, 3.918, 331.61 and Dave Richards, Mustang, 4.014, 319.60 def. Austin Prock, Camaro, 4.609, 225.86 and Blake Alexander, Mustang, DQ;
SEMIFINALS -- Force, 3.914, 330.80 and Todd, 3.933, 324.20 def. Pedregon, 3.931, 330.39 and DeJoria, 9.999, 79.40; Hagan, 3.879, 334.24 and Wilkerson, 3.906, 328.30 def. Tasca III, 4.825, 186.95 and Richards, 6.568, 99.14;
FINAL -- Hagan, 3.946, 332.34 def. Wilkerson, 3.923, 327.59, Todd, 3.978, 320.36 and Force, 3.960, 329.75.
PRO STOCK:
ROUND ONE -- Deric Kramer, Chevy Camaro, 6.525, 209.30 and Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.556, 209.98 def. Jeg Coughlin, Camaro, 6.945, 206.48 and Dave Connolly, Camaro, DQ; Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.552, 210.05 and Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.548, 210.14 def. Eric Latino, Camaro, 6.534, 210.01 and Brandon Foster, Camaro, 6.583, 209.49; Erica Enders, Camaro, 6.525, 211.13 and Cristian Cuadra, Ford Mustang, 6.544, 209.88 def. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.592, 209.39 and Fernando Cuadra Jr., Camaro, 6.823, 208.68; Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.512, 209.43 and Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.525, 21.08 def. David Cuadra, Mustang, 6.559, 208.33 and Sienna Wildgust, Camaro, 6.586, 208.59;
SEMIFINALS -- Stanfield, 6.554, 209.33 and C. Cuadra, 6.557, 209.85 def. Enders, 6.540, 211.03 and Tucker, 15.257, 59.79; Anderson, 6.530, 210.08 and Glenn, 6.552, 209.23 def. Kramer, 6.543, 209.04 and Coughlin Jr., 6.602, 209.75;
FINAL -- Anderson, 6.502, 210.77 def. Stanfield, 6.551, 209.75, Glenn, 6.561, 208.68 and C. Cuadra, 6.549, 210.54.
PRO STOCK MOTORCYCLE:
ROUND ONE -- John Hall, Beull 1190RX, 6.771, 202.61 and Angie Smith, Buell 1190RX, 6.792, 201.19 def. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 6.893, 193.49 and Chris Bostick, Suzuki Hayabusa, 6.960, 194.46; LE Tonglet, Hayabusa, 6.745, 200.68 and Richard Gadson, Hayabusa, 6.853, 199.67 def. Jianna Evaristo, 1190RX, 6.858, 200.17 and Ryan Oehler, EBR, 7.010, 191.59; Matt Smith, 1190RX, 6.747, 201.22 and Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 6.805, 198.93 def. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki TL, 6.829, 199.37 and Ron Tornow, Victory, 6.936, 197.88; Gaige Herrera, Hayabusa, 6.696, 203.34 and Chase Van Sant, TL, 6.802, 199.29 def. Steve Johnson, Hayabusa, 6.967, 191.13 and Hector Arana, EBR, 6.992, 196.93;
SEMIFINALS -- Gadson, 6.784, 200.53 and Tonglet, 6.778, 198.76 def. M. Smith, 14.421, 53.08 and Arana Jr, 10.125, 84.52; Herrera, 6.698, 202.70 and Hall, 6.748, 202.27 def. A. Smith, 6.798, 200.92 and Van Sant, 6.838, 198.35;
FINAL -- Herrera, 6.684, 202.73 def. Hall, 6.758, 202.12, Gadson, 6.767, 198.41 and Tonglet, foul.
Updated Points Standings
Point standings (top 10) for NHRA professional categories following the 14th annual NHRA Four-Wide Nationals at zMax Dragway, the fifth of 20 events in the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series -
Top Fuel
1. Justin Ashley, 472; 2. Doug Kalitta, 376; 3. Shawn Langdon, 366; 4. Steve Torrence, 333; 5. Billy Torrence, 304; 6. Antron Brown, 282; 7. Tony Stewart, 260; 8. Clay Millican, 257; 9. Brittany Force, 254; 10. Tony Schumacher, 235.
Funny Car
1. Austin Prock, 408; 2. J.R. Todd, 391; 3. Matt Hagan, 376; 4. Bob Tasca III, 339; 5. John Force, 338; 6. Ron Capps, 274; 7. Alexis DeJoria, 253; 8. Daniel Wilkerson, 241; 9. Chad Green, 225; 10. Paul Lee, 215.
Pro Stock
1. Greg Anderson, 449; 2. Erica Enders, 424; 3. Dallas Glenn, 423; 4. Jeg Coughlin, 340; 5. Aaron Stanfield, 289; 6. Cristian Cuadra, 280; 7. Jerry Tucker, 254; 8. Brandon Foster, 234; 9. David Cuadra, 222; 10. Troy Coughlin Jr., 207.
Pro Stock Motorcycle
1. Gaige Herrera, 254; 2. Matt Smith, 165; 3. LE Tonglet, 157; 4. John Hall, 150; 5. (tie) Richard Gadson, 130; Angie Smith, 130; 7. Steve Johnson, 89; 8. Hector Arana Jr, 86; 9. Chase Van Sant, 85; 10. Marc Ingwersen, 84.
