Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel & Funny Car Drivers Head to Houston Raceway Park
Baytown, TX – Leah Pruett & Matt Hagan, Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel & Funny Car Drivers Ready for the 35th NHRA SpringNationals.
Notes of Interest
– The NHRA SpringNationals at Houston Raceway Park in Baytown, Texas, is the fifth event on the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series’ 22-race calendar in 2022. Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) brings its two fulltime entries – one in Top Fuel for nine-time event winner Leah Pruett and one in Funny Car for three-time Funny Car champion Matt Hagan. Hagan’s runner-up finish in the series’ prior event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway put him atop the Funny Car point standings in just his fourth start with TSR.
– Dodge Power Brokers and Direct Connection return to Pruett’s Top Fuel dragster and Hagan’s Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car this weekend in Houston. The Dodge Power Brokers program serves as the exclusive source for Direct Connection, Dodge’s factory-backed performance parts program, which is equipped with staff trained to deliver a performance-focused customer service experience.
– The SpringNationals will mark Pruett’s 176th career Top Fuel start and her ninth at Houston. For Hagan, the SpringNationals will be his 298th career Funny Car start and his 14th at Houston.
– Pruett is looking for her second victory at the SpringNationals. Her first win came in 2017 when Pruett’s run of 3.781 ET at 321.96 mph defeated Steve Torrence (3.787 at 322.11 mph). She has one No. 1 qualifier at Houston, which came in 2018 with a run of 3.680 ET at 326.00 mph and set a new track record.
– Hagan has one career SpringNationals win, which came in 2010. It marked his first career win and it came in his 31st start. His run of 4.390 ET at 247.57 mph defeated Jeff Arend (4.714 ET at 231.20 mph). Hagan has one additional final round appearance at Houston – 2019 when he was defeated by Robert Hight. Hagan is seeking his first No. 1 qualifier at Houston.
– The SpringNationals will be a homecoming for Hagan’s crew chief, Dickie Venables. Venables is a Houston native who grew up in Space City and started racing there with his dad. Hagan will run a special decal to honor Dickie’s father, Richard “Dick” Venables, who passed away on Dec. 29, 2021. In 1960, Dick went to work as an automotive technician for Taylor Exploration. In 1962, he purchased the shop and started Southwest Brake & Wheel Alignment Service. He retired in 2006 after 44 years in business. He had a passion for drag racing, and although it was just a hobby that he and his friends enjoyed, he was a pioneer in the sport. He paved the way for his son Dickie to make a career in the NHRA for the last 40 years. After Dick passed away, his family suggested The Tony Stewart Foundation for those who wished to make a donation in Dick’s name. The mission of the Tony Stewart Foundation is to provide grant funding to well-qualified organizations serving children who are critically ill or physically disabled; animals at-risk or endangered; and drivers injured in the sport of motor racing.
– Did You Know? The NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series will make its 35th and final appearance at Houston Raceway Park when the final pass is made on Sunday of the SpringNationals. Known for its sea-level location along Trinity Bay that creates a race-perfect, oxygen-rich environment, Houston Raceway Park hosted its first national event in 1988. And while the track has seen plenty of straight-line action in the years since, it will succumb to the expansion of Katoen Natie, the Antwerp, Belgium-based international logistics service provider and port operator. The company already has 5 million square-feet of warehouse space adjacent to the facility, but the company is expanding its footprint for receiving, storing and distributing petrochemicals and consumer goods, as well as housing its process engineering and other business units, and that expansion comes at the expense of Houston Raceway Park.
Leah Pruett, Driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Top Fuel Dragster
With 2022 marking the final appearance for the NHRA at Houston Raceway Park after 35 years, what is your favorite memory from the historic track?
“My favorite memory from Houston has got to be my Top Fuel win in 2017. We beat Steve Torrence, who is now the reigning world champ, in the final on a super-close race. It was on a day where I was at the top of my game and in a groove with that team, and I feel we are at that same level with this new team. This track just exudes memorable experiences – from a semifinal finish in Top Fuel in 2016 at a race I untraditionally attended, with an absent team owner, to No. 1 qualifier in 2018, and heading to Baytown midweek between races for the top-secret, late-night Dodge Demon development test sessions. So many cool personal memories. I’d like to top it off with our first Top Fuel win for Tony Stewart Racing.”
After six full, strong runs at the Four-Wide Nationals in the series’ last event at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, what’s the mindset for you and the Dodge Power Brokers team going into Houston?
“It has given us confidence, but some good runs off the trailer will give us even more confidence, with a capital ‘C’. Neal (Strausbaugh, crew chief) and Mike (Domagala, co-crew chief) have a very healthy running engine program and I’m proud of all the hard work my crew is putting in.”
With a day of testing at Las Vegas after the Four-Wide Nationals, did the team gain valuable information it can apply to this weekend’s race at Houston?
“We have an even better understanding of our supercharger inventory after testing, which is imperative with these high-horsepower conditions. Knowing what we have to work with power-wise has been the goal of ‘just needing more laps’. We’re getting there and our confidence is growing.”
Matt Hagan, Driver of the Dodge Power Brokers Charger SRT Hellcat Funny Car
With 2022 marking the final appearance for the NHRA at Houston Raceway Park after 35 years, what is your favorite memory from the historic track?
“Houston will always have a special place in my heart since it’s where I got my first NHRA win. I got in on a peddle job and won the race on a peddle job. As a driver, it was really special for me because a lot of it was up to me that day to win the race. It was against Jeff Arend and I blew the tires off – left and right and sideways. It was pretty crazy. Obviously, I was still learning how to drive a racecar then. It’s neat to make those memories and reflect back on them. I know this last race at Houston Raceway Park will be special, as well.”
Since gaining the points lead with your runner-up finish in the series’ last event at the Four-Wide Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, what’s the mindset for you and the Dodge Power Brokers team going into Houston?
“Coming off the points lead, three final-round appearances and a win, we have a lot of good momentum going and are in a good headspace. We have a good vibe going. Working for Tony (Stewart) has been great. He is an awesome guy that’s laid back. I can’t wait to get to Houston for the last race there and hopefully pull a win out of it.”
With a day of testing at Las Vegas after the Four-Wide Nationals, did the team gain valuable information it can apply to this weekend’s race at Houston?
“It was nice to get some testing in the Monday after Las Vegas and try some new things. Overall, our team is working hard behind the scenes to try and stay on top. We’re going to go out there and prove why we’re supposed to be here. I feel good about my driving, my lights, and the car that Dickie (Venables, crew chief) is putting together. We have a great team and we’re having fun with what we’re doing.”
What will it mean to honor Dickie Venables’ father, Dick Venables, with a special decal at Houston?
“Dickie and his dad are so special to me. Dickie grew up around drag racing with his dad and I was able to meet Dick several times. In Houston, they would always barbeque and bring ribs over for the team. Dickie’s dad was a super cool guy. I can see why Dickie got into drag racing because his dad loved it so much. Dickie and I sat down at the start of the year. We dedicated this whole season to his dad, not just one race win. We’re hoping we can get him a championship, but either way, we’ll be honoring him. Dick instilled some great qualities into Dickie and they show every weekend on the racetrack. It’s a special race weekend because Dickie is going to have a lot of family at the race. With me getting my first race win at Houston, it would be special to get another win at our final race there to honor Dick.”
