Matt Hagan Claims Victory In NHRA Funny Car At Northwest Nationals While Tony Stewart's Streak Ends

Published: Tuesday, July 22, 2025, 3:50 [IST]

Matt Hagan celebrated a triumphant return to the NHRA winner's circle on Sunday, driving the Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Direct Connection Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car. This victory at the NHRA Northwest Nationals in Seattle marked his first win of 2025. Hagan, a four-time NHRA World Champion, secured his 53rd career victory by defeating Ron Capps in the final round with a time of 3.904 seconds against Capps' 3.919.

Hagan's journey to this victory was marked by impressive performances throughout the event. He achieved low elapsed times in each elimination round, including a 3.861 and 3.879, before facing Capps in the final showdown. This win propelled Hagan into third place in the current NHRA Mission Foods Funny Car points standings as the tour heads to Sonoma Raceway from July 25-27.

Hagan Wins NHRA Funny Car Title in Seattle

The Virginia driver had earlier victories over competitors Buddy Hull, Jack Beckman, and Alexis DeJoria. His triumph over Capps was his ninth win against the California racer in their 15 NHRA encounters. This victory was particularly significant for Hagan as it was his first since Dallas last year.

Meanwhile, Tony Stewart, owner of TSR and Hagan's teammate, saw his eight-race Top Fuel semifinals streak end with a quarterfinal loss to Shawn Langdon. Despite this setback, Stewart remains second in the NHRA Mission Foods Top Fuel points standings with 906 points, trailing Langdon by just 12 points after 11 races.

Hagan attributed much of his success to his new crew chiefs Mike Knudsen and Phil Shuler. "It has been a while since my last win," said Hagan. "I'm very happy for the whole team, especially Mike Knudsen." The team has been working hard to build confidence and improve performance throughout the season.

Knudsen expressed optimism about their progress: "We knew that the tide was turning in Norwalk," he said. "Every run has built more confidence for our team as well as Matt." The team is now focused on maintaining their momentum heading into Sonoma and beyond.

Challenges and Reflections

Tony Stewart reflected on his weekend performance: "There were highs and lows," he said. Despite mechanical issues causing an early exit in Seattle, Stewart remains optimistic about future races. He emphasized that they are still within striking distance of reclaiming the points lead.

Sweden's Ida Zetterström returned to NHRA Mission Top Fuel action at Seattle but faced tough competition from Brittany Force in the first round. Zetterström acknowledged her challenges but remained hopeful for improvement at upcoming events like Sonoma.

Upcoming Events and Broadcast Information

The NHRA Sonoma Nationals will take place from July 25-27 with qualifying sessions starting on Friday at 5:30 p.m. PDT. Final eliminations are scheduled for Sunday at 10:30 a.m., with live coverage on Fox Sports 1 Network beginning at 4 p.m. EDT/1 p.m. PDT.

This season continues to be exciting for fans of drag racing as teams prepare for intense competition leading up to September's playoffs.