“We have a really great racecar that is going down the racetrack. We were on the good side of a tight drag race with Tasca this morning. We seemed to come up a little short when running the points leader, Robert (Hight). We have to have those rounds to win. If we weren’t trying hard, there would be reason to be mad, but we’re all trying as hard as we can. I really believe in my team. At this point, we have to kind of wait for Robert to mess up, so that we can capitalize on that. We have to tip our hat to him because he’s been running great all year. We are the same caliber team and capable of winning. Sometimes, it just has to be your day. I was really excited to bring Baja Vida Snacks out this weekend and bring something new to the NHRA with Tony Stewart Racing. It’s great for our sport and cool to have them as a sponsor in a new environment for them.”
- Earned No. 3 provisional qualifying position in Q1 on Friday (3.896 ET at 334.98 mph).
- Earned No. 4 provisional qualifying position based off Friday’s Q1 run. In Q2 on Saturday, Hagan ran a 4.041 ET at 257.92 mph.
- Secured No. 4 qualifying position in Q3 on Saturday (3.867 ET at 335.48 mph).
- Advanced to semifinals on Sunday:
- Round 1: 4.121 ET at 275.62 mph, defeated Jim Campbell (5.336 ET at 137.15 mph).
- Round 2: 3.943 ET at 325.14 mph, defeated Bob Tasca III (3.968 ET at 327.51 mph).
- Semifinals: 3.945 ET at 330.31 mph, lost to Robert Hight (3.913 ET at 327.59 mph).
- Currently third in the Funny Car championship standings, 103 points behind leader Hight.
- Hagan advanced to the semifinals for the third week in a row.
- Hagan’s Round 2 win puts him 24-15 all-time against Tasca. It’s the fifth time this season the two have faced each other, with Hagan holding a 3-2 advantage. Tasca won against Hagan in Round 2 at Norwalk, Ohio, and in the semifinals at Topeka, Kansas. Hagan previously won against Tasca in Round 2 at Pomona, California, and in Round 2 at Reading, Pennsylvania.
- Hagan and Hight had their 43rd career meeting Sunday at St. Louis. It was the sixth time this season the two have competed against each other. Hight now leads 23-20 all-time.