Bristol is considered a home race for you. What makes the event so special?
“I have a lot of folks that come out to Bristol to support us, with it being one of our home races. Charlotte is also comparable. It’s one of those races you always want to do well at. It’s always special when I can win there. It’s been a little while since we’ve brought home the Wally from Bristol, so we’re going to try and do it this year.”
The NHRA Thunder Valley Nationals will mark the completion of the first half of the regular season, prior to the Countdown. By the end of the weekend, teams will have established their routines, so how will that help you and your crew carry momentum through the second half of the regular season?
“Whether first half or second half of the season, we’ve always had a lot of great momentum. I don’t feel like we’ve had a streak of races this season yet that have been the same. It’s been hot, cold, different track conditions, you name it. We’re having to dig back through notes to figure out what calls to make on the line, since some races have been so extreme. Weather has been unpredictable. You can have all the momentum in the world, but you have to have good notes to go off of. I feel like we do have great notes, since our team has been together so long. I’m looking forward to getting to Bristol and also getting to run the Epping eliminations as part of the race weekend.”
- Hagan has one career win at Bristol in 2015 (4.164 ET at 303.23 mph) when he defeated Ron Capps (4.186 ET at 307.02 mph). He also advanced to the finals in 2016, but his 4.030 ET at 317.57 mph run fell short of the one from Tommy Johnson Jr. (4.038 ET at 313.22 mph). Hagan is seeking his first No. 1 qualifier at the event.
- Hagan is the current track record holder at Bristol for speed with a run of 330.34 mph, a mark he set on Oct. 16, 2021.