Matt Hagan and the Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car team picked up the 2026 Mission Foods NHRA Drag Racing Series regular season championship Sunday at the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Hagan, a four-time world champion, will start the Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs, from the No. 1 spot after a pivotal semifinal matchup against three-time world champion Ron Capps. Hagan and the Dodge team powered their way to a 4.020-second pass at 327.35 mph to defeat Capps’ 9.500 at 69.72 after smoking the tires in the right lane.
“This Funny Car field is one of the toughest I’ve ever seen,” said Hagan. “I mean, Ron Capps is my hero, man. And those guys over there, they kill it. They led the points all year long, but they made a few mistakes, and we came in here towards the end and scooped up some points and made it happen. I just can’t say enough about my guys, man. You know, obviously, Mike Knudsen, Alex Conway and Phil Shuler, that group has been great, and Tony Stewart allowed that to happen, put them together, made sure we have what we need, parts and pieces. This Dodge Hellcat Funny Car is on a tear right now. It’s my group of guys, all this goes to them, this just isn’t possible without our group. I’m just very thankful, blessed and all greatness comes from God through Jesus Christ.”
With the regular season crown, Hagan and the Dodge crew not only have the points lead heading into the championship hunt but earned a $150,000 pay day.
In his fourth final round of the season, Hagan’s 4.030-second pass at 318.84 mph wasn’t enough to better Jack Beckman’s 3.965 at 327.35. It was Hagan’s 102nd career final round, third at the U.S. Nationals.
“In the final, I was tickled that we went up there and didn’t smoke the tires. It was the kiss of death going in the right lane late in the day,” Hagan said. “It always seems that, from the semi’s on, the right lane is a bear. My guys were racing methodical, and they gave us a shot if Beckman had a hole out or smoked the tires. We were going to be right there to take the win. It wasn’t the result that we wanted, but, at the end of the day, we came away with the regular season championship and the $150,000 that goes with it. I think we won about $180,000 this weekend.”
The Countdown to the Championship begins with the Dodge NHRA Great Lakes Nationals presented by MOPAR at US 131 Motorsports Park in Martin, Michigan, September 25-27.
