Matt Hagan could achieve a significant career milestone at the NHRA 4-Wide Nationals at zMAX Dragway in Charlotte, North Carolina. If the four-time Funny Car world champion secures a win this weekend, it would mark his 50th tour victory, making him the 17th pro driver to reach this mark in NHRA history.
Hagan, currently fourth in the Funny Car standings, has three previous wins at Charlotte, including a triumph at the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals in 2013. This weekend, he also aims to secure his first No. 1 qualifier position at the event, adding another accolade to his impressive career.
“The four-wides are still the four-wides and you never know what you’re going to get,” said Hagan. “Even though we went to the Final at Vegas, we still finished fourth. Tony (Stewart) said he likes to lick his chops and likes the four-wide races. I would prefer to run two-wides. We know how to win them, lose them, and everything in between. They’re always interesting and always a show for the fans, which is all that matters.”
In addition to his quest for victory, Hagan will participate in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge as a follow-up from his progression to round two at the recent Las Vegas event. This challenge is a highlight of the qualifying schedule, featuring intense competition and offering bonus points crucial for the Countdown to the Championship.
Hagan’s historic run in 2011, where he became the first Funny Car driver to break the four-second barrier at Charlotte, continues to resonate as a landmark moment in NHRA history, commemorated at zMAX Dragway.
Additionally, Charlotte is considered one of Hagan’s home races, and he will be hosting guests from his family’s dealership, Shelor Motor Mile.
“It’s good to have a lot of friends and family out at the track,” he said. “There are a lot of Matt Hagan t-shirts running around out there. It gets you pumped up to go rounds. I hope we can put on a good show for the people that have been supporting me my whole life. The four-wides are tough racing. It’s a dog fight every round and you love that level of competition.”
This story was originally published on April 23, 2024. 
