Riner’s Matt Hagan and his “demon-possessed” Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat Redeye have earned the 2020 National Hot Rod Association (NHRA) Drag Racing Series Funny Car World Championship title and the national event win at the season-ending Dodge NHRA Finals presented by Pennzoil in Las Vegas.
The title marked Hagan’s third championship crown after wins in 2011 and 2014 and was the sixth Funny Car class victory for the Don Schumacher Racing (DSR) team in 18 years.
The victory and championship make Hagan’s story possibly the top story of the year, at least in active sports despite fighting a pandemic this year.
From the No.-2 position on the eliminations ladder, the Montgomery County native earned his third Wally trophy in a season dominated by the DSR stable of HEMI®-powered Funny Cars. The DSR foursome of Hagan, Tommy Johnson Jr., Jack Beckman and Ron Capps finished 1-2-3-4 atop the Funny Car standings and combined for a NHRA season “sweep” in which a Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat won every national event to extend the team’s undefeated streak to a record 14 consecutive victories since October 2019.
“It’s been just an unbelievable season,” said Hagan. “My guys have put an unbelievable car behind me with Pennzoil, Dodge SRT and Mopar. Everybody who supports us. It’s great to win for Camping World and their first championship. My guys have worked so hard all season long. I can’t say enough about them, and I thank them for all they did. Three wins, a championship, it’s just special. I can’t wait for next season.”
But it might have been his success off the track that gives Hagan something positive to watch going into the new year.
His hemp growing operation is completing its first year and seems well-placed in the expanding world of CBD oil.