Matt Hagan No. 1 in Denver at Dodge//SRT Mile-High NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil

MORRISON, CO – 2020 NHRA Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan will start from the pole for the 42nd time in his career on Sunday at the Dodge//SRT Mile-High NHRA Nationals presented by Pennzoil. Hagan qualified the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye No. 1 on the strength of his blistering 3.966-second at 319.22-mph Friday night Q1 pass.

As a three-time Funny Car world champ, Hagan has crossed many items off of his racing bucket list, but one, in particular, has continued to elude him since he started racing professionally in 2008 – winning the Mile-High Nationals. Hagan is hopeful his No. 1 seed and lane choice advantage will help carry him to his first Bandimere Speedway triumph, and first victory of the 2021 season. Based on his impressive qualifying performance, he appears to be in prime position to close out race day at ‘thunder mountain’ with the Denver hardware in hand.

After earning three bonus points on Friday night for powering to the quickest run of the round, Hagan and the Dickie Venables-led Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat team unloaded with another stout run during Q2 on Saturday, recording a 4.007 E.T. which rewarded the 36-time race winner with another three bonus points for clocking the best run of the session.

“This Mopar Dodge//SRT crew really put a great car underneath me during qualifying this weekend and we’re sitting No. 1 going into race day,” said Hagan, a two-time No. 1 qualifier in 2021. “Dickie Venables, Mike Knudsen, and Alex Conaway are doing a great job and mesh so well together. It’s a great feeling to be No. 1 for your sponsor with Dodge and SRT and Mopar at their event driving the Dodge flagship car. I hope it puts a smile on their faces. We’re always pushing and learning and I’m excited about tomorrow. I’ve never won here on ‘thunder mountain’ and we want to check this one off the box and keep moving forward and up in the points chase. I’m very confident in Dickie and this team on race day.”

Hagan and the Mopar Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye Funny Car team will begin their quest for the 2021 Dodge//SRT Mile-High Nationals trophy with a round-one match-up versus No. 14 qualifier Chris King.

Qualified: No. 1

The Competition:  No. 14 Chris King

The Results:
Q1: 3.966 E.T. at 319.22 MPH (Three bonus points for quickest run of the session)
Q2: 4.007 E.T. at 315.64 MPH (Three bonus points for quickest run of the session)
Q3: 7.563 E.T. at 89.45 MPH

Bonus Points: Six