By Josh Hachat

The strong season from start to finish proved to be pivotal , as Hagan took the points lead into the final event of the NHRA season , the In-N- Out Burger NHRA Finals . It proved to be the difference , too , in a tightly-contested points battle between Hagan , Robert Hight and Bob Tasca III .

The trio was only separated by 17 points heading into the finale , but in a wild turn of events , each lost in the second round on Sunday at In- N-Out Burger Pomona Dragstrip . That meant the championship belonged to Hagan and his 11,000-horsepower Dodge Direct Connection Charger SRT Hellcat , securing a distinct honor for the longtime standout .

Not only did it give Tony Stewart Racing its first NHRA world championship , but it also handed Hagan his fourth title , allowing him to a join a group that includes John Force , Don Prudhomme and Kenny Bernstein as the only Funny Car drivers in NHRA history with four or more world titles .

“ It ’ s about our body of work and it paid off ,” Hagan said . “ You have to reflect on that and it ’ s just incredible . We won six races and I can ’ t say enough about my team . They ’ re all coming back next year and everyone is excited about that .

“ It speaks volumes to the group [ Stewart ] has assembled and his ability to lead as a team owner . It ’ s just unbelievable we were able to do that this year . There ’ s a lot of heavy hitters out here and it came down to the last day of the last race . It says a lot about our class and this is why we do it .”

Hagan impressed from the outset of the 2023 campaign and never really let up , opening up with early-season wins in Gainesville , Pomona , and the four-wide race in Las Vegas . Unlike last year , there was no summer swoon , as Hagan and his team , led by crew chief Dickie Venables , found an ideal tune-up in warm weather , advancing to finals in Norwalk , Denver , and Topeka , also winning the final race on Thunder Mountain .

He entered the Countdown to the Championship second in points and after a slow start , Hagan rolled to a pair of critical wins in St . Louis

and Dallas . That gave him the lead for good , which proved pivotal when things went haywire for all the top contenders in Pomona .

“ You ’ ve got to be in these highpressure situations to grow , and my guys have been blood , sweat , and tears all season long ,” Hagan said . “ I ’ m just glad to bring this trophy home . It ’ s super special to me . I ’ ve surrounded myself with people better than me and that ’ s why I ’ m in this position . I ’ ve settled in with a great group and our body of work speaks for itself .”

Hagan and his team weren ’ t wildly flashy , only clocking one No . 1 qualifier , but they were remarkably consistent and quick , qualifying second two times , third five times , and fourth five more times . The team ran well in a multitude of conditions and Hagan was always on his game , advancing to eight final rounds and picking up 40 round wins this year .

He ’ s now a win away from 50 career Funny Car victories – after also picking up his 50th career No . 1 qualifier in 2023 – and fully thankful of what he has achieved in the sport and the spot in NHRA Funny Car history he has carved out .

“ Looking back , I never set out to be a drag racer ,” Hagan said . “ It ’ s just something that happened . I never would have dreamed to make it into a career . It ’ s just incredible to be in the ranks of those caliber of drivers . It blows my mind and doesn ’ t even feel real . You get to create those moments and those memories , and that ’ s exciting .” DI

PHOTOGRAPHS BY NHRA

36 | Drag Illustrated | DragIllustrated . com Issue 186