MATT HAGAN SUFFERS FIRST-ROUND EXIT WITH EXPLOSION AT INAUGURAL NHRA POTOMAC NATIONALS

BUDDS CREEK, MD — Four-time world champion Matt Hagan and the American Rebel Light Dodge Funny Car team had a weekend to forget at the inaugural NHRA Potomac Nationals at Maryland International Raceway, as a first-round explosion ended their day early in Sunday eliminations.

Hagan qualified sixth with a 3.989-second run at 326.87 mph after a challenging qualifying session. In the opening round of eliminations, a violent explosion ended his race against Austin Prock, who posted a 3.977 at 323.17 for the victory.

Despite the result, the four-time world champion — who resides in Christiansburg, Virginia, making this event close to a home race — remained upbeat about the new facility and its fans.

“These fans spent a lot of their hard-earned money and we just want to put on a good show for them,” said Hagan. “At the end of the day, that’s drag racing. We were having a tough weekend anyways, but I have some of the hardest working guys out here on this Dodge Funny Car so I know Mike Knudsen, Phil Shuler, Alex Conaway and everyone will go back and try to learn from what went wrong.”

Hagan sits third in the Funny Car unofficial points standings and will look to rebound quickly, with the NHRA tour heading into a three-race stretch. “The Potomac Nationals are just the start to three-in-a-row, thankfully, so we’ll have a chance to come back out, put this weekend behind us and give it another go in just a few days in New Hampshire,” he said.

The 14-time consecutive season winner was also effusive in his praise of Maryland International Raceway and its fans. “These fans have been amazing, they came out here and sold this place out yesterday. Everyone has been so positive and excited. Maryland International Raceway has been amazing. I’m looking forward to coming back next year.”

Hagan enters the next event looking to extend his remarkable streak of at least one win in each of the last 14 seasons.