Dodge
Pawuk, Johnson Drive Dodge Challenger Drag Cars to Factory Stock, Factory X Victories at NHRA Midwest Nationals
MADISON, IL – It was a large Dodge//SRT celebration in the victory lane Sunday at the NHRA Midwest Nationals with wins in Funny Car, 
Factory Stock Showdown and Factory X at World Wide Technology Raceway for a trio of racers competing in Dodge drag cars.
In addition to Matt Hagan’s Funny Car victory in his TSR Dodge//SRT Hellcat, veterans Mark Pawuk and Allen Johnson drove their Dodge Challenger machines to the winner’s circle with impressive performances in the Flexjet Factory Stock Showdown and Factory X classes, respectively.
Both drivers dominated the competition Sunday with Pawuk capturing his first Factory Stock Showdown event with low elapsed time and top speed in the FSS category and Johnson breaking the 200 mile per hour barrier for the first time in the Factory X class.
Pawuk, a six-time NHRA Pro Stock national event winner, opened the weekend by posting a 7.712 pass for his fourth career No. 1 qualifying position in Factory Stock Showdown and continued that performance in the five rounds of eliminations with wins over Conner Statler, Del Holbrook, Aaron Stanfield and Stephen Bell.
TSR Dodge//SRT Driver Hagan Banks Big Win at NHRA
Midwest Nationals, Teammate Pruett Races to Runner-up Finish
MADISON, IL – In the race shop this week in Brownsburg, Ind., the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Nitro teams made a decision to become 
more aggressive in the final four races in the NHRA Camping World drag racing series. That theory proved successful this weekend at the NHRA Midwest Nationals, with Dodge//SRT racers Matt Hagan and Leah Pruett racing to an event win and runner-up finish, respectively.
After losing races by inches at the Reading and Charlotte events the past two weeks, TSR Dodge//SRT drivers Hagan and Pruett made their presence known for the coveted points championships with sensational performances in the hot temperatures and a tricky track surface at the World Wide Technology Raceway drag strip near St. Louis.
For Hagan and his Dickie Venables-led crew, the NHRA Midwest Nationals was an important round in the six-race “Countdown to the Championship” with the driver of the TSR American Rebel Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car knowing a victory Sunday would put him back in the chase for his fourth NHRA World title.
After qualifying fifth in the 16-car field, Hagan drove his 11,000-horspower Dodge//SRT Hellcat past Alexis DeJoria, John Force and Bob Tasca III in early rounds before facing reigning World Champion Ron Capps in the final. Hagan posted the best reaction time of the day (0.029) to leave the starting line ahead of Capps and was never headed with a winning 3.991 run to Capps’ 4.025.
Hagan, Pruett Advance in NHRA Carolina Nationals to Semifinals, Both Set in Top 4 in NHRA “Countdown” Championship Points
CONCORD, NC – Drag racing is the fastest motorsport in the world with 335 miles per hour speeds. But it is also one of the closest in 
motorsports with victories by inches.
For the second consecutive week in the NHRA Camping World drag racing series, Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) drivers Matt Hagan and Leah Pruett looked to be on the path to victory lane Sunday in the NHRA Carolina Nationals at zMax Dragway. But, for the second consecutive week, both racers were on the wrong end of the battles by inches.
Hagan, who posted a track record Friday in qualifying with a 3.825, drove his Johnson Horsepower Garage Dodge//SRT Hellcat to sensational times throughout the weekend including a 3.828, 3.841 and 3.868 in the opening round victory against John Smith. He defeated Tim Wilkerson in the second round before taking on Bob Tasca III in the semifinal.
In that matchup, Hagan cut a tremendous 0.054 starting line light and held the advantage in the first 800 feet before losing by inches (0.006 seconds) at the finish line with a 3.953 to Tasca’s 3.935. Despite the loss, Hagan advanced to the No. 3 position in the NHRA Championship “Countdown” Funny Car points standings with the next event set for Sept. 29-Oct. 1 in NHRA Midwest Nationals in Madison, Ill.
TSR Dodge//SRT Racers Pruett, Hagan Miss by Inches at Rain-Delayed Pep Boys NHRA Nationals
READING, PA – The adage, ‘It’s a game of inches,” couldn’t have been more appropriate for Dodge//SRT racers Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan 
Sunday in the Pep Boys NHRA Nationals at Maple Grove Raceway.
The Tony Stewart Racing pair turned in impressive elapsed times in eliminations in the Top Fuel and Funny Car divisions, but both Pruett and Hagan were nipped at the finish line after strong runs in the rain-delayed first “Countdown to the Championship” event in the NHRA Camping World drag racing series. The finals were concluded on Monday morning.
Despite recording her quickest run of the 2023 NHRA national series at 3.677 seconds in the TSR Mobil 1/Dodge//SRT dragster, Pruett lost by inches to Doug Kalitta in the Top Fuel semi-finals. Pruett remains in the top-five in the current NHRA Top Fuel points standings with the tour traveling to the NHRA Carolina Nationals this weekend (Sept. 22-24).
Hagan, Pruett Advance to Second Round Monday at Indianapolis; Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Drivers Set in “Countdown” 2nd & 4th
BROWNSBURG, IN – The tricky track conditions at the Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals made it difficult for the Top Fuel and 
Funny Car drivers and crews Monday in the 69th edition of the “Big Go” at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Battling the higher temperatures and humid air, the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) drivers, Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan, had impressive first round victories Monday in the Top Fuel and Funny Car eliminations, but both Dodge//SRT Direct Connection racers lost traction in the second-round action.
Hagan, the current track record holder in the TSR Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat, defeated Alex Laughlin in Monday’s opening round with a strong 3.914 to Laughlin’s 6.157 as the track surface became more difficult with additional heat in the afternoon. Hagan, the four-time 2023 NHRA national event winner, and his second-round opponent, Ron Capps, saw their cars lose traction early in their runs. But Capps clicked the win light first with a 4.582 to Hagan’s 5.146.
Hagan Takes Runner-up in Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout Sunday in Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Funny Car at Indianapolis
BROWNSBURG, IN – Matt Hagan, the current track record holder at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park, and his 11,000-horsepower Tony 
Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Hellcat Funny Car were a model of consistency in six runs this weekend in preparations for Monday’s final eliminations in the 69th Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals.
Hagan, the three-time NHRA Camping World Funny Car Champion who ranks second in the current points, advanced to the final round of the special Pep Boys Funny Car All-Star Callout event Sunday before taking the runner-up position with a 3.979 to Robert Hight’s 3.955.
But it was Hagan’s six consistent runs from Friday to Sunday which showed that his TSR crew, led by Dickie Venables, is ready for Monday’s eliminations in the hot and humid weather conditions. Matt’s qualifying rounds included a best of 3.912, 3.928, 3,967, 3.979, 3.982 and 4.040 in the heat of the day on Saturday.
The 3.912 lap gave Hagan the No. 4 qualifying position entering Monday’s 16-car finals as he will compete against Alex Laughlin in the first round. The 69th Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals will be televised on the FOX Network beginning at 2 p.m. EDT.
69th Annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA US Nationals – Drag Racing’s ‘Big Go’ – Brings Prestige, Money and Tradition
Auburn Hills, MI – Every drag racer and team mark their “bucket list” for victories in their career. And at the top of that list is the Dodge 
Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals, scheduled to take place on Aug. 30 – Sept. 4 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
The U.S. Nationals, known for decades as the “Big Go,” is the “Granddaddy” of the straight-line sport as the biggest, longest running, richest and most prestigious event. Dating back to 1955, the greatest names in drag racing have converged on the U.S. Nationals with legends like “Big Daddy” Don Garlits taking “Wally” trophies in the classic event.
“You look at the NHRA national event schedule before each season and mark the most important races to win,” said Matt Hagan, three-time NHRA Camping World Funny Car champion. “And you always list Indy as No. 1. Of course, racing for Dodge, Direct Connection and Tony Stewart Racing, the Dodge Power Brokers U.S. Nationals should be at the top of our list. Winning Indy is our ultimate NHRA victory.”
HUGE WEEKEND AT DODGE POWER BROKERS NHRA U.S. NATIONALS INCLUDES PEP BOYS NHRA FUNNY CAR ALL-STAR CALLOUT
INDIANAPOLIS – The world’s biggest drag race, the prestigious 69th annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA U.S. Nationals, has always been 
known for its special events for standouts in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series and that will continue in 2023, as the Pep Boys NHRA Funny Car All-Star Callout is set to take place on Sunday, Sept. 3.
Eight Funny Car stars will race each other in a unique specialty race on Sunday, offering another huge highlight during the Big Go, which takes place Aug. 30-Sept. 4 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
Robert Hight, defending Callout winner Ron Capps, Bob Tasca III, Matt Hagan, John Force, Alexis DeJoria, Cruz Pedregon and Tim Wilkerson make up the eight-car field for the one-day shootout at Indy with a distinctive callout format that promises big money and major bragging rights. It also gets a featured broadcast on the FOX broadcast network on Sunday, Sept. 3 at 4 p.m. ET.
Leah Pruett Takes TSR Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Top Fueler To Final Round at Brainerd; Hagan’s Funny Car Out in First Round
BRAINERD, MN – Leah Pruett, driving the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge//SRT Direct Connection dragster in her 200th NHRA Top 
Fuel start, fought her way through a tough Top Fuel field to take the runner-up finish in Sunday’s Lucas Oil NHRA Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.
Pruett, winner of this year’s Summit Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio, was seeking her 12th career Top Fuel national victory as she defeated former NHRA World Champions Tony Schumacher, Brittany Force and current Top Fuel points leader Justin Ashley in reaching the coveted final round against Antron Brown.
After qualifying fifth with a 3.777, Pruett clocked consistent runs Sunday with a 3.820 against Schumacher, 3.750 against Force and 3.733 opposite Ashley. In the final round, it was a close race with Brown’s 3.715 to Leah’s 3.757.
Pruett’s third final round appearance of the year moved her closer to clinching a position in the “Countdown to the Championship” which features the top-ten Top Fuel drivers in points battling for the NHRA title in the final six events of the 2023 campaign. Leah currently holds the fifth spot in Top Fuel points.
Matt Hagan Takes Runner-up Finish at Menards NHRA Nationals
TSR Dodge//SRT Hellcat Driver Extends Funny Car Points Lead
TOPEKA, KS – Matt Hagan and his Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Funny Car team continued their consistent performances in the 2023 NHRA 
Camping World Drag Racing Series after scoring a runner-up finish in his TSR American Rebel Dodge//SRT Hellcat at the Menards NHRA Nationals at Heartland Motorsports Park.
Hagan, entering his sixth final round of this year’s NHRA campaign, cut an incredible starting light of 0.024 seconds in the final round in the rain-delayed Heartland Motorsports Park event and only low elapsed time of the entire race by rival Bob Tasca III kept him for his fifth NHRA national event win of the season.
Tasca’s 3.885 bested Hagan’s 3.965 for the Topeka win in the event’s final NHRA national race, as the 2024 NHRA schedule welcomes Flying H Dragstrip in Odessa, Mo., to replace the Topeka event. The victory margin was just 0.0496 seconds.
Led by crew chief Dickie Venables and his stellar TSR crew, Hagan drove through the 16-car Funny Car field with round wins over Alex Laughlin, Tim Wilkerson and J.R. Todd before facing Bob Tasca III in the Funny Car final.
