Matt Hagan, driver of the TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car:
- Earned No. 11 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (7.713 ET at 87.10 mph)
- Earned No. 10 provisional qualifying position in Q2 on Saturday (4.264 ET at 221.45 mph)
- Earned No. 7 provisional qualifying position in Q3 on Saturday (3.966 ET at 329.58 mph). Q3 also served as Round 1 of the NHRA’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, where Hagan faced Cruz Pedregon. Hagan’s run defeated Pedregon’s 4.055 ET at 306.88 mph.
- Scored two bonus points for being the second-quickest car of the session
- Secured No. 2 qualifying position in Q4 on Saturday (3.887 ET at 332.43 mph). Q4 also served as the NHRA’s Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge Finals, where Hagan faced Austin Prock. Prock’s 3.879 ET at 336.40 mph defeated Hagan.
- Advanced to Finals on Sunday:
- Round 1: 3.979 ET at 275.51 mph, defeated Buddy Hull (9.728 ET at 70.84 mph)
- Round 2: 3.861 ET at 331.53 mph, defeated Jack Beckman (5.697 ET 135.04 mph)
- Semifinals: 3.879 ET at 332.92 mph, defeated Alexis DeJoria (3.946 ET at 329.34 mph)
- Finals: 3.904 ET at 331.94 mph, defeated Ron Capps (3.919 ET at 331.61 mph)
- Currently third in the Funny Car championship standings, 166 points behind Funny Car leader Austin Prock
- The Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals marked Hagan’s 53rd career win and his 95th career final-round appearance. It marked his third trip to the Finals at Pacific Raceways and second win at the track. . In 2012, Hagan defeated Jeff Arend, Johnny Gray and Ron Capps before losing to Courtney Force in the Finals. In 2013, Hagan earned his first win at Seattle after defeating Todd Lesenko, Paul Lee, Courtney Force, and Bob Tasca III.
- By advancing to the Semifinals, Hagan qualified to participate in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge at the next NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series event, the NHRA Sonoma Nationals, where he will face Alexis DeJoria.
- Hagan moved from fifth to third in the championship point standings.
- There are three races remaining before the NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series’ Countdown to the Championship begins
“It has been a while since my last win, which was last year at Dallas. I am very happy for the whole team, especially Mike Knudsen, who took over as crew chief this year. We were on a learning curve with Mike as a new crew chief after many years working under Dickie Venables (previous crew chief) with our team. Dickie helped us win three World Championships and many race wins. We feel that success will continue with Mike working with Phil Shuler (co-crew chief) and Alex Conaway (car chief). I want to thank Tony (Stewart – team owner) too for bringing in a new guy to head his Funny Car team. He has given Mike a shot working with Phil and here we are in the winner’s circle. I would have liked to have won earlier this year, but everyone was learning, and this win feels great. I think with a final round at Norwalk and a win at Seattle that we are definitely coming into our own with our TSR Dodge//SRT team. We are very happy to put Direct Connection back in the winner’s circle too. I have been with Dodge for 18 years now and all my NHRA wins have come in Dodge Funny Car. So, getting career win number 53 is very special. It takes time to build that confidence in a crew chief and a new team overall. Unfortunately, we have been on the wrong side of some close drag races this year. Now, I see us fighting back into the hunt every weekend. I haven’t won at Sonoma before and I would like to put that “Wally” (trophy) on the trophy shelf next. We’ll celebrate this win and get ready for Sonoma next weekend now.”
The post Seattle Event Recap for the Muckleshoot Casino Resort NHRA Northwest Nationals – HAGAN WINS! appeared first on Matt Hagan Racing.
Continue reading...
