Four-time NHRA world champion Matt Hagan delivered a thrilling performance to secure his 55th career NHRA Funny Car victory at the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals, held at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Piloting the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) American Rebel Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat, Hagan’s win marked his fifth Nevada Nationals title and sixth overall win in Las Vegas, capping off his third triumph of the 2025 NHRA Mission Drag Racing Series season.
A Showdown with Austin Prock
In the finals, Hagan lined up against reigning world champion Austin Prock for a classic duel between the series’ top two Funny Car contenders. After qualifying third, Hagan surged through rounds against Cruz Pedregon, Chad Green, and Daniel Wilkerson before delivering the event’s lowest elapsed time—a remarkable 3.877 seconds—in the final. Prock, struggling with tire smoke, posted a time of 6.424 seconds, giving Hagan a decisive edge and his first final-round victory over Prock.
Title Hunt and Crew Chief Praise
The victory propelled Hagan into prime contention for a fifth world championship as the tour advances to the season finale in Pomona, California. Praising his team, especially first-year crew chief Mike Knudson, Hagan emphasized the importance of precision calls and teamwork, sharing, “Sometimes you pull your crew chief aside and say, ‘We have to win this one.’ I’m super proud of my guys… It was a ‘have-to-win’ race for us”.
Tony Stewart Makes Semifinal Run in Top Fuel
Hagan’s TSR teammate, motorsports legend Tony Stewart, delivered an impressive semifinal run in the Top Fuel category. After qualifying fifth, Stewart claimed victories over Dan Mercier and former world champion Tony Schumacher before lining up against Brittany Force in the semifinals. Despite a fast start, Stewart’s 12,000-horsepower dragster lost traction, allowing Force to advance, but his performance pushed him into the top five in the NHRA Mission Top Fuel standings.
Debut of the 2026 Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak
Adding to the excitement, Dodge unveiled the all-new HEMI-powered 2026 Dodge Charger Hustle Stuff Drag Pak race car during the event. This new model, the first Charger Drag Pak, impressed on its debut run and sparked immediate interest from competitors for the upcoming NHRA campaign.
Looking Ahead: NHRA World Finals
With the season finale set for November 14–16 at Pomona’s In-N-Out World Finals, Hagan remains firmly in the hunt for a record-tying fifth world Funny Car title, sharing the second all-time championship tally with legends Don Prudhomme and Kenny Bernstein. Fans can watch the action live, with Sunday eliminations broadcast on Fox Sports 1 and follow Dodge, TSR, and Mopar racing news and content across their social media platforms and community websites.