Rain Halts NHRA Finale As Hagan Takes Runner-Up, Stewart Locks In Top-Five

The 2025 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series didn’t get the dramatic finish everyone hoped for. Instead, the sport’s final weekend was washed away when unrelenting storms soaked the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds and forced officials to cancel the In-N-Out Burger NHRA Finals before a single pro car could hit the track.

Southern California was pounded by record rainfall from Friday through Sunday—enough to fill the sand trap with water, flood the shutdown area, and make the racing surface completely unsafe. The NHRA Safety Safari worked around the clock, trying every possible path to save the event, but the incoming forecast only made things worse. With more storms expected for the next three days, the NHRA made the only reasonable call: shut it down.

The result? Championships were locked based on the standings following the Dodge NHRA Nevada Nationals two weeks earlier. No last-minute heroics. No final-round drama. Just a wet, empty racetrack and an early ending to a long season.

Hagan Finishes Second—And Never Gets His Chance To Fight – 

Few felt the sting of the cancellation more than Matt Hagan. The four-time world champ rolled into Pomona with momentum on his side after winning his 55th career Funny Car event in Las Vegas. He still trailed Austin Prock by 101 points, but with a powerful TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT HELLCAT Funny Car behind him, Hagan wanted at least one more shot.

Instead, his engine never fired.

“As a competitor, you want to run this thing out, but I think we just wanted our shot to go for the championship,” Hagan said. “We wanted to fight for the championship that we have been working towards all year long. The end result was they (Austin Prock) were three rounds ahead of us. The NHRA came to our team owner, our marketing partners, and the crew and asked what we wanted to do today. The decision was made across the board that this was the proper decision with the weather. It was best for safety with the sand trap full of water, and it definitely stings.

“Mother Nature didn’t give us that chance this weekend to go for another title. It just wasn’t meant to be. But overall, for our new Crew Chief (Knudsen) to have to call all of the shots and at all of the races and his note pad was all new at all of the racetracks. Mike had to make those ‘gut’ decisions and to win three races and finish second in the championship was a great season. I’m super proud of all of my crew guys as they are wrenching on the car, and the car was solid all year. The whole crew is coming back for 2026. I know what we just did as a first-year team, and I’m very excited for the future.”

Even without a final pass, Hagan’s 2025 season was one of his strongest in recent memory. With a fresh crew chief combination in Mike Knudsen and Phil Shuler, the TSR Funny Car team developed a new rhythm quickly. Hagan grabbed three wins—Seattle, St. Louis, and Las Vegas—and remained in contention all season long.

The runner-up finish marks the fourth time Hagan has ended a season second in points (2010, 2013, 2021, and now 2025), complementing his championship years in 2011, 2014, 2020, and 2023.

Stewart Wraps Up Top-Five In Top Fuel, Praises Team Progress –

In Top Fuel, Tony Stewart officially capped off his second full season in the class by finishing fifth in points. The motorsports legend earned two wins this year—Chicago and Las Vegas—while also securing the regular season points championship in his TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT dragster.

Like everyone else, Stewart would have preferred to end the season on the racetrack rather than watching rain pool under his tires, but he agreed that the NHRA made the correct call.

“There is one thing that is undefeated in this world and that’s Mother Nature,” Stewart said. “It’s unfortunate but it is the right decision. I don’t think you are going to hear anyone in the pit area get upset about this call. This is one that is out of our control, and, as racers, we always want to be in control of everything. Hey, at least Dominic (his son) had a great 1st birthday party. Every time that I want to be disappointed in how the Countdown (final six races) went, I have to remind myself of what the goal was this year. It was literally to see the needle move in the right direction with the team. At the end, we were a contender to win races, and we let a couple slip through the cracks. But we won two races and the regular season championship.

“You looked back on the season, and it could have been a little better. But you look at Matt’s (Hagan) side with the Funny Car, and to have a whole new Crew Chief combination with Mike (Knudsen) and Phil (Shuler). And to see those guys perform well and be in a position to win a championship. It was a long shot, but they were right there. That is literally all you can ask for. I think everyone is excited to have Leah back in the TSR Dodge//SRT Top Fuel car, and I’m excited to get the opportunity to race against her next year. We are excited for the 2026 season.”

Stewart’s 2025 campaign showed clear growth. After taking over for Leah Pruett in 2024 and 2025, he’ll hand the wheel back to her next season. Stewart, however, isn’t stepping away. He’ll continue to compete in Top Fuel but with Elite Motorsports beginning at the iconic Gatornationals on March 6–8, 2026, as the NHRA kicks off its 75th anniversary season.

A Wet Ending, But A Strong Outlook For Dodge//SRT –

It wasn’t the Hollywood ending fans wanted, but the rainout made one thing clear: both TSR teams leave 2025 with plenty of momentum. Hagan’s new leadership structure exceeded expectations. Stewart’s second-year growth was obvious. And with Leah returning to TSR’s Top Fuel seat in 2026, the camp heads into next year even stronger.

The storm may have ended the season early, but the drive heading into 2026 is only getting louder.