July 15, 2023 , Morrison, Colo. – Matt Hagan, the current NHRA Camping World Funny Car point leader, captured his 50th career No. 1 qualifying position Saturday in his Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Hellcat Funny Car at the final Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.
Hagan, the three-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion from Christiansburg, Virginia, drove his nitro-burning machine to a 3.895-second pass at 324.59 miles per hour in recording his fourth Mile-High Nationals pole position, just six thousands off the track record Hagan also took top qualifying honors in 2010, 2021 and 2022.
This weekend’s race is the final NHRA national event at the popular Colorado racing facility, as the racetrack will conclude operation at the end of the 2023 racing season. Hagan is hoping to add another Mile-High Nationals trophy to his collection after taking the 2021 Funny Car crown at Bandimere.
Hagan also won the Mission Food #2Fast2Tasty Funny Car Challenge title Saturday over Bob Tasca.
“It’s an emotional weekend with Dodge having a long, continuous sponsorship here at Bandimere, and the thought of not coming back here is kind of tough,” said Hagan, following the end of qualifications. “But we’re putting on a strong showing at the Dodge-sponsored event and we just have to finish strong throughout the whole weekend, not just in qualifying. At the end of the day, [crew chief] Dickie Venables put a great tune-up underneath me, and my guys put together a great car, and I got to drive the wheels off of it.
“It was a great crowd out here, and it was unbelievable to do a burnout, back up, and look up and see everybody up against the fence and in the stands. It was just a special moment. At the end of the day, I’m just excited to be here. I’m trying to take in every lap and every moment. You want to make it count this weekend, and that’s what we’re out there trying to do.”
Hagan’s TSR teammate, Leah Pruett, the defending Mile-High Nationals Top Fuel champion, recorded the seventh quickest time in the 16-car Top Fuel division in her TSR Dodge//SRT Direct Connection dragster with a 3.812 run at 323.89 m.p.h.
The final eliminations for the 43rd Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals will begin Sunday, July 16, at 11 a.m. MDT. The Fox Network will televise the final eliminations on Sunday starting at 4 p.m. EDT.
@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 Camping World 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 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 a lineup that delivers unrivaled performance in each of the segments where they compete.
Dodge drives forward as a pure performance brand, offering SRT Hellcat versions of the Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger and Dodge Durango, as well as an R/T plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) version of the all-new 2023 Dodge Hornet, representing the brand’s first-ever electrified performance vehicle. Dodge delivers the drag-strip dominating 807-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Super Stock; the 797-horsepower Dodge Charger SRT Redeye, the most powerful and fastest mass-produced sedan in the world; and 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. Combined, these four muscle vehicles make Dodge the industry’s most powerful brand, offering more horsepower than any other American brand across its entire lineup.
In 2022, the Dodge brand ranked No. 1 in the J.D. Power APEAL Study (mass market), making it the only domestic brand ever to do so three years in a row. In 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).
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
This year marks the 85th anniversary of Mopar, 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 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.
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