Hagan Sets Norwalk Track Record in Mopar Dodge Funny Car, Claims No. 1 in NHRA Qualifying
Matt Hagan qualifies Mopar Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car No. 1 at Summit Motorsports Park
Hagan sets track elapsed-time record with pass of 3.865 seconds at 333.33 mph
Mopar HEMI®-powered cars from Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) have set quick time in qualifying on 10 occasions this year (six in Top Fuel, four in Funny Car)
Hagan takes third No. 1 qualifier of 2017 and 29th of career
Six Mopar Dodge Funny Cars qualify for 16-car field
Mopar Top Fuel driver Leah Pritchett qualifies fourth, teammate Tony Schumacher is eighth
June 24, 2017, Norwalk, Ohio – Mopar Funny Car driver Matt Hagan turned in a record-setting performance during qualifying for the 11th annual NHRA Nationals at Summit Motorsports Park, putting HEMI® power in prime position to take home yet another win during its thus-far dominant 2017 campaign on the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.
Hagan and the Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T team set a track elapsed-time record in Funny Car on Friday evening at the famed Norwalk speed plant in Northern Ohio, making a pass of 3.865 seconds at 333.33 mph to claim the No. 1 spot in the category.
The No. 1 position is the fourth for Mopar Dodge Funny Cars from Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) this season, and the 10th for Mopar across both the Funny Car and Top Fuel categories as the schedule reaches its 12th event of the year.
Hagan, whose team is known for its aggression during qualifying sessions, made his record pass in cool conditions under the lights during Q2 after rain had delayed or postponed many classes throughout the day. However, both sessions in the Nitro categories were contested in prime weather for falling records.
Hagan held onto his time through two more rounds of qualifying on Saturday under sunny skies to take the top spot. It was his third low-qualifier honor of the season and the 29th of his career.
The rest of the DSR Mopar Funny Car contingent had a mixed bag of qualifying results in their Dodge Charger R/T machines. Tommy Johnson Jr. will begin Sunday from the fifth qualified spot, Jack Beckman will start from the ninth position, and most recent event winner and points leader, Ron Capps, will have an uphill battle from 13th.
In Top Fuel, Leah Pritchett drove her dragster from DSR featuring HEMI power to the No. 4 qualifying position, while her Mopar and DSR teammate, eight-time champion Tony Schumacher, will begin the day from the eighth spot on the elimination ladder.