Hagan Powers HELLCAT Funny Car To St. Louis Win

Matt Hagan reminded everyone why he’s a four-time NHRA Funny Car world champion this past weekend in St. Louis, driving his Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) American Rebel Light Beer Dodge//SRT HELLCAT to his 54th career victory at the NHRA NAPA Midwest Nationals. The win not only capped a dominant weekend for the Virginia native but also brought him within striking distance of points leader Austin Prock with just three races left in the 2025 season.

Qualifying Strong, Staying Consistent –

Coming off a runner-up finish the week before in Charlotte, Hagan came into World Wide Technology Raceway with momentum. On Friday night, he threw down a blistering 3.868-second pass to qualify second in the 16-car field. From there, his team dialed in the HELLCAT, and Hagan became the only Funny Car driver to run in the 3.90s during every single elimination round.

He opened eliminations by defeating Alex Laughlin with a 3.964, followed that up with a 3.988 over veteran Cruz Pedregon, and then handled Daniel Wilkerson with a 3.990. In the final round, Hagan faced off against Jack Beckman. With a razor-sharp 0.040 reaction time, Hagan powered his way to a 3.979 over Beckman’s 4.032.

That win marked Hagan’s second Wally of the season, adding to his Seattle victory earlier this year.

Chasing A Fifth Championship –

The St. Louis triumph tightened the Funny Car championship battle. Hagan now sits just 20 points behind Prock with only Dallas, Las Vegas, and Pomona left on the calendar. A fifth championship would elevate him into rarified air, surpassing legends like Don Prudhomme and Kenny Bernstein, who each captured four Funny Car titles. Only John Force, with his record 16 championships, stands higher on the list.

Hagan knows how much is at stake but remains laser-focused on the job at hand.

“I was looking forward to shaving the mustache, but it looks like we have to keep it now with the win,” Hagan joked. “We knew coming into this race that Austin (Prock) was the guy we’re all chasing. He’s been incredible this year with eight wins, but nobody’s unbeatable. Our job was to be ready if they stumbled, and we did that. Mike Knudsen, Phil Shuler, Alex Conaway, and all my guys worked their tails off. The right lane was tricky, but they gave me a car I could trust. My lights came around, and it gave me confidence. With great sponsors like American Rebel, Dodge//SRT, Direct Connection, and Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage behind us, we’re still in this hunt.”

Stewart’s Short Day In Top Fuel –

While Hagan celebrated, his TSR teammate Tony Stewart had a much tougher Sunday in Top Fuel. The drag racing legend and team owner qualified third with his American Rebel Beer Dodge//SRT dragster but was upset in the opening round by Sweden’s Ida Zetterström.

Stewart cut an impressive .026 light, but Zetterström was nearly flawless off the tree with a .000 reaction time. To make matters worse, Stewart’s car dropped a cylinder early in the run, ending his chances of advancing.

“Today obviously didn’t go the way we wanted it to,” Stewart admitted. “We had a chance to capitalize on points and couldn’t get it done. Ida had a perfect light, and we lost a hole right at the start. That combination was tough to overcome. We’ll regroup and head to Dallas ready to bounce back. The Countdown is still wide open.”

Despite the setback, Stewart remains fourth in the Top Fuel standings and will look to gain ground in the remaining races.

Zetterström Shines On Big Stage –

Zetterström, the reigning FIA Top Fuel champion from Sweden, was one of the standout stories in St. Louis. After taking out Stewart, she backed it up with wins over Kurt Wurtzel and Antron Brown to reach her first NHRA final round.

Though her dragster hazed the tires at half-track against Doug Kalitta in the final, the Swedish driver proved she belongs on the NHRA stage.

“We gave it our all and put up a good fight,” Zetterström said. “To beat guys like Tony Stewart and Antron Brown in the same day is huge for us. In the final, we were trying to push harder to stay ahead of Doug, but the car lost traction. I’m a bad loser, so it stings, but I’m proud of how far this team has come. We showed we can run with anyone.”

Eyes On Texas –

Next up is the NHRA Fallnationals at the Texas Motorplex, October 10-12. Hagan enters the event with plenty of confidence, having already won at Dallas five times in his career, including back-to-back victories the past two years.

Stewart and Zetterström will also look to regroup and make statements of their own as the Countdown heads into its final stretch. With points battles tightening across every category, Dallas promises to deliver more drama under the Texas sun.

The NHRA Fallnationals at the Texas Motorplex near Dallas will get underway on Friday, Oct. 10, with two nitro qualifying rounds scheduled for 5:15 p.m. and 8 p.m. CDT. Saturday’s qualifying sessions are set for 12 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. CDT, with final eliminations on Sunday, Oct. 12, at 10 a.m. CDT. The FOX Network will televise Sunday’s eliminations at 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. EDT.