DSR’s Hagan, Massey run strong but lose ground to leaders; Schumacher, Beckman lead team with No. 2 qualifying efforts

LAS VEGAS, NV – Don Schumacher Racing drivers Matt Hagan in Funny Car and Spencer Massey in Top Fuel dragster knew they had to move quickly when racing began Friday at Las Vegas.

They both have ground to make up in the championship battle in the next-to-last event of the six-race NHRA Countdown to the Championship playoff in the Mello Yello Drag Racing Series.

While Hagan’s Rocky Boots/Mopar Dodge Charger R/T team and Massey’s Battery Extender Powered by Schumacher group produced good runs in the NHRA Toyota Nationals, each lost ground to the drivers they are chasing for world championships.

Hagan lost three points to John Force and now trails him by 68. Massey fell from 86 to 92 points behind Al-Anabi Racing’s Shawn Langdon, who earned all six qualifying bonus points by being the quickest in both sessions.

Reigning Funny world champion Jack Beckman, who ranks third in DSR’s Valvoline MaxLife/MTS Dodge, was able to match Force in qualifying points but remains 126 behind the leader.

Beckman tied Courtney Force for the quickest run of the day at 4.052 seconds but Force earned the top spot for the day with a faster speed of 318.24 to Beckman’s 315.86.