Hagan Drives TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat to Semifinals, Stewart Misses by Inches Early in NHRA Summit Racing Nationals

July 1, 2024 , Auburn Hills, Mich. -  Reigning NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series Funny Car champion Matt Hagan continued his road toward a fifth world title Sunday at the NHRA Summit Racing Equipment Nationals in Norwalk, Ohio, with a semifinals finish in his Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat nitro-burning race car.
 
Hagan, who is one of only four drivers to ever win four NHRA Funny Car championships, produced another strong performance, along with his Dickie Venables-led TSR crew, with two round victories in eliminations over former World Champion Cruz Pedregon and defending Norwalk race winner Blake Alexander. Hagan, who qualified sixth in the 16-car Funny Car lineup, recorded times of 3.914 and 3.900 in those wins, including setting low elapsed time (ET) in the second round.
 
In the semifinals against another former champion, Ron Capps, Hagan’s 11,000-horsepower machine lost traction off the starting line and Capps advanced to the Funny Car final round. Despite the semifinals loss, Hagan continues to pile up valuable points and ranks third, just three points out of second as the Virginia driver now enters the “Western Swing” of the NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series with the NHRA Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways on July 19-21.
 
“We’ve advanced to the semifinals the last three races in a row and have some momentum going into the ‘Western Swing’ in a few weeks,” said Hagan. “It will be nice to get a little break. And it was great to have a group from Dodge at the race this week. We get to represent Dodge again at Seattle in the next race. We have one win there and we are working hard to get back in the winner’s circle.”
 
Hagan and his TSR Dodge//SRT teammate Tony Stewart expressed missing Funny Car legend John Force this weekend at the track after Force’s crash at Richmond put the 16-time champion in the hospital.
 
“It was a tough weekend without John Force at the track and we’re praying for him after his Richmond crash,” Hagan said. “It’s not the same out here without that guy. But he is improving and that is great. He’s a big part of drag racing and we can’t wait to see him back at the track.”
 
Both Stewart and Force are members of the International Motorsports Hall of Fame, and the Top Fuel rookie had words for his longtime friend this weekend at Norwalk.
 
“It felt very weird this weekend not having the G.O.A.T. (John Force) with us,” said Stewart. “We are still thinking about John and their whole family. It’s a tough time for them. John’s team had the cars here and Austin (Prock) continued to race. I know John would want that. I’m glad John is plugging away. He’s a tough guy and doesn’t have any quit in him.”
 
Stewart, in just his tenth NHRA Top Fuel national event, continues to produce solid numbers in the TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT dragster after qualifying fifth in the 16-car field at Norwalk. However, despite having another quick reaction time off the starting line, the Indiana racer lost by inches in the first round Sunday at Norwalk.
 
Stewart clocked a 3.769 but was defeated by Jasmine Salinas’ 3.750 in the opening round of action.
 
“I was really proud of our TSR guys with weather (rain) expected on Saturday,” said Stewart. “On Saturday, we had two good runs. The track got better and faster, and we bumped ourselves back up to fifth at the end of the day. We’ve qualified inside the top-five the last two events (third in Richmond). We have the potential, and we just have to put it all together. We are looking forward to the ‘Western Swing’ in Seattle and Sonoma in July.”  
 
The next Nitro competition for Hagan and Stewart at the NHRA Northwest Nationals is scheduled for Friday (July 19) with two rounds of qualifying set for 4:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. PDT. Saturday’s (July 20) qualifying sessions will take place at 2:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m. PDT. Sunday’s (July 21) final eliminations will begin at 10:30 a.m. PDT. FOX Network will televise Sunday’s eliminations at 4 p.m. EDT on Sunday.
 
@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 Mission 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.

Dodge//SRT
For 110 years, the Dodge brand has carried on the spirit of brothers John and Horace Dodge. Their influence continues today as Dodge, America’s performance brand, shifts into high gear with a lineup that delivers unrivaled performance in each of the segments in which the brand competes while moving forward to a future that includes electrified muscle in the form of the next-generation, all-new Dodge Charger.
 
The next-generation Dodge Charger electrifies a legend, with the Charger retaining its title as the world’s quickest and most powerful muscle car led by the all-new, all-electric 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona Scat Pack. The all-new Dodge Charger will also offer performance choices via multi-energy powertrain options including the 550-horsepower Dodge Charger SIXPACK H.O., powered by the 3.0L Twin Turbo Hurricane High Output engine.
 
Dodge also keeps its foot on the gas as a pure performance brand with the 710-horsepower Dodge Durango SRT Hellcat, the most powerful SUV ever, and best-in-class standard performance in the compact utility vehicle segment with the Dodge Hornet.

Fans can follow all the NHRA action this season at DodgeGarage, the one-stop portal for Dodge//SRT and Mopar drag-racing news, including daily updates and access to an online racing HQ, news, events, galleries, available downloads and merchandise.

Dodge is part of the portfolio of brands offered by leading global automaker and mobility provider Stellantis (NYSE: STLA).
  
Mopar
Mopar is the global name for Stellantis genuine parts and authentic accessories.

A simple combination of the words MOtor and PARts, Mopar offers exceptional service, parts and customer-care. Born in 1937 as the name of a line of antifreeze products, Mopar has evolved over more than 85 years to represent both complete vehicle care and authentic performance for owners and enthusiasts worldwide.

Mopar made its mark in the 1960s during the muscle-car era with performance parts to enhance speed and handling for both on-road and racing use. Later, Mopar expanded to include technical service and customer support, and today integrates service, parts and customer-care operations in order to enhance customer and dealer support worldwide.

Complete information on Mopar is available at www.mopar.com and the newly redesigned Mopar blog at www.blog.mopar.com. 

Follow Dodge, Mopar and Stellantis news and video on:

Company blog: blog.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Media website: media.stellantisnorthamerica.com
Dodge brand: www.dodge.com
DodgeGarage: www.dodgegarage.com
Mopar brand: www.mopar.com
Mopar blog: blog.mopar.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/dodge and www.facebook.com/mopar
Instagram: @DodgeMoparMotorsports, @DodgeOfficial and @OfficialMopar
Twitter: @Dodge, @OfficialMopar and @StellantisNA
YouTube: www.youtube.com/dodge, www.youtube.com/c/mopar and www.youtube.com/StellantisNA