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Tom   Blattler



Hagan Drives Redeye Funny Car to Don Schumacher Racing’s Milestone 350th Win in Q3 Rescheduled Summernationals Final; Johnson Jr. Earns Top Spot in NHRA U.S. Nationals Qualifying

  • Matt Hagan defeats Jack Beckman in all-Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat battle in the rescheduled Summernationals Funny Car final in Q3 session of 66th annual National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway near Indianapolis
  • Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) reaches a milestone 350 NHRA national event victories with Hagan’s second win of the season
  • Tommy Johnson Jr. earns No. 1 qualifier position for Sunday’s NHRA U.S. Nationals elimination rounds
  • Leah Pruett qualifies sixth in both Top Fuel and Factory Stock Showdown with a chance to earn two Wally trophies at world’s most famous drag racing event
  • Factory Stock Shootout eliminations have begun with No.2 qualifier Mark Pawuk and sixth-seeded Pruett advancing to the next round
September 5, 2020,  Brownsburg, Ind. - While Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) Funny Car drivers Matt Hagan and Jack Beckman waited more than a month to run the All-Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat final elimination round, rained out at the Summernationals on July 19, it was nonetheless an important race on multiple fronts. Run as their third and final qualifying pass for the 66th annual National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway in Indianapolis, Hagan drove straight down the left lane of Lucas Oil Raceway with a 3.919-second elapsed time run at 328.54-mph to defeat his DSR teammate Jack Beckman’s 3.940-second run and take his team into the history books.

The win marked a milestone 350th national event victory for the NHRA’s winningest team, coming 50 years after team owner Don Schumacher won the first of his five national titles as a driver in his Funny Car debut at the 1970 NHRA U.S. Nationals.

“It’s hard for me to even comprehend the team having that many wins,” said Schumacher of the milestone victory that further cements DSR’s drag racing dynasty and positions them as one of the motorsports industry’s most elite teams. “I’m just amazed at the accomplishments that my teams and team members have made over the last 22 years.”

“What a huge milestone, what a legacy Don Schumacher has created here,” said Hagan of the team’s collective achievement which also resulted his 35th career win with the team. “I lost my brother a couple of years back, and I switched helmets for this race. I know he’s riding with me, but God bless it. I tell you, I’ve probably been as nervous as running for a championship just because you want to get it done.”

Hagan’s second win of the season moves him up to second place in the Funny Car Championship standings behind his DSR teammate Tommy Johnson Jr. with just five national events left on the reworked 2020 NHRA schedule. The win marks the eighth consecutive Funny Car victory for DSR, dating back to October 2019 at Dallas.

It came as part of his qualifying effort at the iconic Labor Day weekend staple affectionately known as “the Big Go”. The result put Hagan’s Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye fifth on the eliminations ladder for Sunday’s first round where he will be paired with Paul Lee. It also provides the DSR pilot with the rare opportunity to come away from the weekend with two national event trophies. 

“This Mopar Hellcat has been running extremely well,” said Hagan who won the 2016 edition of the prestigious race. “(Crew chief) Dickie Venables has been putting a great race car underneath me. It’s just running hard and I’ve been trying to do my job on the starting line. To get 350 wins for DSR; it’s a big part of my career, a big part of Don Schumacher’s career. To have a Wally already on Saturday night at the U.S. Nationals, the Big Go, it can only get better from here.”

Also hoping to compete for the win is current Funny Car points leader, Tommy Johnson Jr., who secured the No. 1 qualifier position with his Riley Kids Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat running a 3.878-second E.T. at 326.40 mph. For his qualifying efforts, he received a total of six valuable bonus points to add to his tally. His final drive was an improvement on two previous qualifying passes and pairs him up with Dale Creasy Jr. for the first round of eliminations action at the world’s most famous drag race.

“We missed it by just a little bit on Friday night,” said Johnson who earned his 21st career No. 1 qualifier position, his third in the last four events this season, and hopes to vie for his first U.S. Nationals title. “We knew it was going to run a good lap and our car has the performance. I was glad to see a bit of a delay. The sun went behind the grandstands and the guys made a huge change in the clutch and I knew they were going for it. It was evident a few hundred feet into the run that it was on a good one. I knew by how hard it was pushing me back in the seat. The performance is solid. We have three No. 1s and a No. 2 at the four races here at Indy. Now it’s time to turn those into a win.”

Fresh off his HEMI-powered win at the previous Dodge NHRA Indy Nationals event, Ron Capps came out firing on all cylinders in Friday night qualifying to take the provisional No.1 spot. Capps tried to regain the top spot from Johnson, but ended up No. 2 with a 3.881 sec./327.19 mph effort to earn a total of five bonus points and an appointment with 15th seed Jim Campbell for the first round.

Seventh-seed Beckman will see Cruz Pedregon in the lane beside him for the first round as he tries to work his way to a second win this season and a second U.S. Nationals title to add to his 2015 victory. Third in points, the Infinite Hero Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat driver hopes to further close the points gap in the battle for the NHRA Championship. 

In Top Fuel action, after two difficult attempts Leah Pruett rocketed her DSR Mopar Dodge SRT Hellcat Redeye Top Fuel Dragster to the third quickest pass of the final session with a 3.742 sec/ 326.24 mph run to earn one bonus point and put her previously non-qualified machine in the show. She will line up next to Terry McMillen on Sunday in her quest to advance to her first final round appearance to battle for the coveted U.S. Nationals Wally Trophy.

Pruett, who is pulling double duty by running in both Top Fuel and Factory Stock Showdown (FSS) categories this weekend, will also have the chance to double-up on trophy hardware by battling through a 32-car field of qualified factory- built vehicles.

Pruett qualified sixth for eliminations contested on Saturday evening while her teammate, Mark Pawuk, put his Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak in the No. 2 spot on the ladder. 

In the first round, Pawuk defeated Kim Shirley handily with 0.108 reaction time and 7.965 sec. pass at 173.49 mph. Meanwhile, from her sixth place spot on the ladder, Pruett ran down her opponent, James Jeshke Jr. with a (0.067 reaction time) 7.969 sec/171.64 mph run to beat his (0.012 reaction time) 8.207/161.98 drive. FSS elimination rounds will continue on Sunday

The DENSO Spark Plugs NHRA U.S. Nationals will be broadcast on Sunday, September 6 on FS1 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (EDT), then moves to the FOX national network from 1-4 p.m. (EDT), which will include LIVE final round action.

NOTES and QUOTES: 

Jack Beckman, Infinite Hero Foundation Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car
(No. 7 Qualifier – 3.940 seconds at 325.53 mph)
Qualifying 1:  4.858 sec./ 159.32 mph 
Qualifying 2:  3.991 sec./ 318.92 mph (1 bonus point for third quickest run of session)
Qualifying 3:  3.940 sec./ 325.53 mph

“We obviously struggled for the last race and first lap here. We had our backs to the wall on the second qualifying run. We had to make a good run to get into the U.S. Nationals field and we desperately need tune-up data with this new clutch package. I thought our second run was fantastic. We made a great lap. We got a bonus point and we got good data. That helped us drag it up there for the final. I think if you give us a few more laps on this new clutch pack we’ll be right back at the front. I’ll take the four tomorrow, our more dial-in runs. We have a good hot rod again. It’s starting to do what we tell it again. I like our chances for tomorrow.”

Matt Hagan, Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Funny Car  
(No. 5 Qualifier – 3.919 seconds at 328.54 mph)

Qualifying 1: 3.977 sec./ 321.96  mph 
Qualifying 2: 4.291 sec./ 226.35 mph
Qualifying 3: 3.919 sec./ 328.54 mph

“It’s amazing. What a huge milestone, what a legacy Don Schumacher has created here. I lost my brother a couple of years back, and I switched helmets for that race. I know he’s riding with me, but God bless it. I tell you, I’ve probably been as nervous as running for a championship just because you want to get it done,” said Hagan regarding his Summernationals victory that was achieved at the very facility where his boss prevailed to claim his first Funny Car crown 51 years prior.
 
“This Mopar Hellcat has been running extremely well. (Crew chief) Dickie Venables has been putting a great race car underneath me. It’s just running hard and I’ve been trying to do my job on the starting line. To get 350 wins for DSR; it’s a big part of my career, a big part of Don Schumacher’s career. To have a Wally already on Saturday night at the US Nationals, the Big Go, it can only get better from here.”

Tommy Johnson Jr., MD Anderson Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car
(No. 1 Qualifier – 3.878 seconds at 326.40 mph) 
Qualifying 1: 5.198 sec./ 138.00 mph 
Qualifying 2: 3.979 sec./ 317.19 mph (3-points for quickest of session)
Qualifying 3: 3.878 sec./ 326.40 mph (3-points for quickest of session)

“We missed it by just a little bit on Friday night. We knew it was going to run a good lap and our car has the performance. I was glad to see a bit of a delay. The sun went behind the grandstands and the guys made a huge change in the clutch and I knew they were going for it. It was evident a few hundred feet into the run that it was on a good one. I knew by how hard it was pushing me back in the seat. The performance is solid. We have three No. 1's and a No. 2 at the four races here at Indy. Now it’s time to turn those into a win.”

Ron Capps, NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car
(No. 2 Qualifier – 3.881 seconds at 327.19 mph)

Qualifying 1: 3.895 sec./330.63 mph (3 bonus point for quickest run of session)
Qualifying 2: 4.005 sec./319.82 mph
Qualifying 3: 3.881 sec./ 327.19 mph (2 bonus points for second quickest run of session)

“Hearing (crew chief) Rahn Tobler talk about how prepared he was for Q1 and how excited he was to try what he had been working on and it showed on the track with that great 3.89. We knew there was another night session if there was a small delay and the sun went down like it did. We don’t count out our teammates. We have the only two five-disc clutch cars. We’ll settle for second, but we’ve gone down all the runs. We have great data. It’s the U.S. Nationals. The pressure is heightened. The guys have done a great job. Let’s see if we can put it all together like we did last time here.”

Leah Pruett, Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Top Fuel Dragster  
(No. 6 Qualifier –  3.742 seconds at 326.24 mph)   
Qualifying 1: 4.427 sec./ 172.12 mph 
Qualifying 2: 4.479 sec./ 175.78 mph
Qualifying 3: 3.742 sec./ 326.24 mph (1 bonus point for 3rd quickest of session)

“Qualifying for this Dodge Hellcat Redeye dragster were definitely in the ‘Big Go’ fashion and what I mean by that is that the challenges we faced in qualifying and overcame. I never lost belief in this team. We smoked the tires in Q1 when we were getting after it. We thought we’d throw down a safe number to get qualified in Q2 and we ended up smoking the tires. We ended up not acquiring any data on that lap. So we go into the final qualifying session at the US Nationals and we’re not qualified in the show. For this team to make blind calls of data and feel is what brought us to that 3.742 and that put is sixth. You gotta be in it to win it and I’m extremely stoked on that pass. The parts and car look great and clean. We’re going to have really good conditions in the morning with a 10 am start very comparable to the Q3 lap and we’re in a great spot to have a great day on Sunday.”


Mark Pawuk, Empaco Equipment Mopar Drag Pak– Factory Stock Shootout
(No. 2 Qualifier –  7.903 seconds at 174.41 mph)   
Round 1: 7.965 E.T. at 173.49 MPH defeated Kim Shirley 8.795 E.T. at 154.90 MPH

“We really made a good run this morning which got both Leah (Pruett) and myself into the top half of the field, and got our Dodge Drag Paks back on track. It’s great to see our DSR Dodges qualify so well and get a round win under our belts. We’re both excited that we get to race tomorrow, and hopefully go some more rounds. I would love nothing more than to get one of these DSR Dodges in the winner’s circle tomorrow.
 
“NHRA has done a great job with safety, and being able to race here for the fourth time in here in Indy. It’s great to see more fans this weekend, and we look forward to keeping this momentum going, and continuing with the safety protocols that NHRA has in place so we can finish our season out.”

Leah Pruett, Mopar Dodge Challenger Mopar Drag Pak – Factory Stock Shootout 
(No. 6 Qualifier –  7.958 seconds at 172.08 mph)   
Round 1:  (0.067 sec) 7.969 at 171.64 mph defeated James Jeschke Jr. 8.207 at 161.98 mph        

“We ran a great Q2 lap this morning and that pass was something we’ve been searching for and it’s a testament to fresh motors and blowers. We’re getting back to the high performance and how we know how to run. We got a first-round win with both cars and we’re going to sleep on today and get ready to go rounds tomorrow. We know they won’t sleep on us the way these Drag Pak’s are performing.”
DodgeGarage: Digital Hub for Drag Racing News
Fans can follow all the NHRA’s action this season at DodgeGarage, the one-stop portal for Dodge//SRT and Mopar drag-racing news. The site includes daily updates and access to an online racing HQ, news, events, galleries, available downloads, and merchandise. For more information, visit www.dodgegarage.com

@DodgeMoparMotorsports on Instagram
The @DodgeMoparMotorsports Instagram channel continues to share content capturing Dodge//SRT Mopar drivers on the track. Fans can see action from the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and  NHRA Sportsman grassroots racers competing in classes such as Factory Stock Showdown, Stock and Super Stock, as well as additional motorsports series.

Official Driving School of Dodge//SRT
Dodge is the official sponsor of the Bondurant School of High Performance Driving in Chandler, Arizona, where guests get behind the wheels of the fastest street-legal cars in the world with professional instruction and time on the track. Customers who buy a new SRT model receive one full-day session as part of the Dodge//SRT Package and have the opportunity to learn how to get the optimum performance from their new vehicles in a controlled environment.  For more information, visit dodgegarage.com/track-experience
 
Mopar
Mopar (a simple contraction of the words MOtor and PARts) is the service, parts and customer-care brand for FCA vehicles around the globe. Born in 1937 as the name of a line of antifreeze products, the Mopar brand has evolved over more than 80 years to represent both complete care and authentic performance for owners and enthusiasts worldwide.
 
Mopar made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era, with Mopar Performance Parts to enhance speed and handling for both road and racing use, and expanded to include technical service and customer support. Today, the Mopar brand’s global reach distributes more than 500,000 parts and accessories in more than 150 markets. With more than 50 parts distribution centers and 25 customer-contact centers globally, Mopar integrates service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance customer and dealer support worldwide.
 
Complete information on the Mopar brand is available at www.mopar.com. Mopar is part of the portfolio of brands offered by global automaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. For more information regarding FCA (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA), please visit www.fcagroup.com.
 
Dodge//SRT
For more than 100 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge shifts into high gear with muscle cars and SUVs that deliver unrivaled performance in each of the segments where they compete.
 
2021 marks the year that Dodge is distilled into a pure performance brand, offering Hellcat-powered, 700+ horsepower SRT versions of every model across the lineup. For the 2021 model year, Dodge delivers the drag-strip dominating 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock, the new 797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Redeye, the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world, and the new 710-horsepower Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the most powerful SUV ever. Combined, these three muscle cars make Dodge the industry’s most powerful brand, offering more horsepower than any other American brand across its entire lineup.    
 
In June 2020, Dodge was named the "#1 Brand in Initial Quality," making it the first domestic brand ever to rank No. 1 in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS). Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by global automaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. For more information regarding FCA (NYSE: FCAU/ MTA: FCA), please visit www.fcagroup.com.
 
Follow Dodge, SRT and FCA news and video on:  
Company blog: http://blog.fcanorthamerica.com
Media website: http://media.fcanorthamerica.com
Dodge brand: www.dodge.com
Dodge Garage: www.dodgegarage.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge or https://www.facebook.com/FiatChrysler.NorthAmerica/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/dodgeofficial or www.instagram.com/FiatChrysler_NA
Twitter: www.twitter.com/dodge or www.twitter.com/FiatChrysler_NA
YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge or www.youtube.com/fcanorthamerica
 

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