- Earned No. 12 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (4.376 ET at 213.43 mph)
- Earned No. 10 provisional qualifying position in Q2 on Friday (4.071 ET at 315.19 mph)
- Fell to No. 11 provisional qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q2 run. In Q3 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 4.127 ET at 275.45 mph. Q3 was also part of the NHRA’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, where Hagan faced Jack Beckman, Bobby Bode and Chad Green. Hagan defeated Bode’s 4.938 ET, 163.43 mph run and Beckman’s 5.609 ET, 126.71 mph run. Green also advanced with a 4.196 ET, 272.06 mph run.
- Secured No. 12 qualifying position based off of Friday’s Q2 run. In Q4 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 4.210 ET at 245.76 mph. Q4 also served as the NHRA’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Finals, where Hagan faced Chad Green, Spencer Hyde and Cruz Pedregon. Hagan finished third to Hyde’s 3.968 ET, 318.54 mph run and Pedregon’s 4.002 ET, 325.37 mph run. Green finished fourth with a 4.559 ET, 207.66 mph run.
- Advanced to the Finals on Sunday:
- Round 1: 4.142 ET at 264.39 mph, defeated Bobby Bode (4.557 ET at 234.57 mph) and Jack Beckman (5.332 ET at 136.19 mph). J.R. Todd also advanced to Round 2 (4.382 ET at 261.27 mph).
- Round 2: 4.126 ET at 304.05 mph, defeated Daniel Wilkerson (4.249 ET at 287.29 mph) and J.R. Todd (4.490 ET at 199.88 mph). Paul Lee also advanced to the Finals (4.140 ET at 289.76 mph).
- Final: 7.965 ET at 87.66 mph, lost to Austin Prock in first (4.009 ET at 316.01 mph), Paul Lee in second (4.042 ET at 311.77 mph) and Dave Richards in third (4.320 ET at 227.80 mph).
- Currently fourth in the championship standings, 44 points behind Funny Car leader Paul Lee
- Stewart earned his first NHRA Top Fuel victory at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in his 24th career start. He advanced from fifth to second in the Top Fuel championship point standings.
- Stewart has won an event on all of the tracks at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway property – the drag strip (the 2025 NHRA Four-Wide Nationals and the 2023 Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series in Top Alcohol Dragster), the dirt track (his first USAC Silver Crown event on October 18, 1997), Las Vegas Motor Speedway (captured his 1997 IndyCar championship and earned the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series event win), the Las Vegas Bullring pavement short-track (won in a USAC midget in 2002 and also won in a sprint car in the same night) and the Dirt Track at Las Vegas Motor Speedway (won the 2010 Las Vegas Sprint Car Nationals).
- The NHRA Four-Wide Nationals are celebrating their 25th anniversary at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, commemorated by a special silver Wally.
- The NHRA Four-Wide Nationals marks the second time Hagan and Stewart have each advanced to the Finals in their respective nitro categories at the same event. They previously appeared in the Finals at last year’s NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in Las Vegas. In 2023, Hagan and Stewart doubled-up on wins at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals with Hagan in Funny Car and Stewart in the Top Alcohol Dragster.
- The NHRA Four-Wide Nationals marked Hagan’s 92nd career final and Stewart’s fourth final-round appearance.
- Despite losing in Finals of the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, both Stewart and Hagan had the quickest RT (reaction time) of their respective quads (Stewart – 0.36 RT, Hagan .081 RT)
- Hagan and Stewart both finished first in their respective quads during Round 1 and Round 2 of eliminations, with Stewart winning on a holeshot in both rounds.
- Hagan and Stewart both qualified to participate in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at the next event, the American Rebel Light NHRA Four-Wide Nationals outside Charlotte, North Carolina.
- Stewart represented the Rayce Rudeen Foundation on his Dodge//SRT Top Fuel Dragster. The Rayce Rudeen Foundation is a non-profit organization that works with organizations and programs to encourage a healthy and productive life that is free of addiction. The designated 501(c)(3) is named in honor of Rayce Rudeen, who at age 26 passed away from an accidental Fentanyl overdose. Since its inception, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation has advocated for creating a supportive community in which everyone can access prevention, treatment, recovery and family-support services, all free from stigma. By collaborating with local universities, researchers, organizations, businesses and community coalitions, the Rayce Rudeen Foundation is leading communities toward a united and compassionate response to addiction by identifying gaps in care and building educational tools.
“We had a good weekend going into the final with both Tony (Stewart) and I advancing. We had a rod bolt break at the hit of the throttle in the final round. Unfortunately, it took some cylinders out and threw some rods out of the motor. The car didn’t go anywhere. When it is a part breakage, it is a little easier to swallow. The part failed and cost us the opportunity to win the race. It’s tough because we were up for the final with a good chance to win. We are still right in the hunt for the points lead now going to Charlotte for another four-wide race. The crew is doing a great job and we’ll get a win soon. I was earning my money all weekend with this tricky track surface and the heat. We were all over the track at the top end through the weekend. It was going left and then right, and it was spinning the tires. It was a tough deal for the driver and the crew. That does make it fun in a Funny Car. You have to be up on the steering wheel. I felt like I was Tony Stewart in a dirt car here. I’m super proud of Tony and his whole crew with the win. They have had some tough times recently and they got the final at Pomona and now a win here. Happy for the Rayce Rudeen Foundation, Dodge, Direct Connection, Rinnai, Rush Truck Services and all of the TSR sponsors. I know Tony is relieved to get his first Top Fuel win.”
The post Las Vegas Event Recap for the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals appeared first on Matt Hagan Racing.
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