Mopar Funny Car superstar Matt Hagan kicked off the 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing season campaign right where he left off last year — by winning…

(Defending NHRA World Champ Matt Hagan won the NHRA season opener)

After overcoming a spectacular engine explosion during qualifying on Friday, Hagan and his team rallied to qualify 12th on Saturday. He then powered his Rocky Boots/Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T to four round wins on Sunday, including a winning final-round performance of 4.011 seconds at 320.89 mph to hold off his teammate Ron Capps at the finish line. Capps’ NAPA Auto Parts Dodge Charger R/T finished in 4.078 at 314.90.

With crew chief Dickie Venables making the necessary adjustments, Hagan said his confidence in his 10,000-horsepower race car never wavered after the incident.

“You try to put it out of your mind and not think about it,” Hagan said. “These [race cars] are animals out there and you never know what you are going to get when you crawl in there to drive one. It’s always an experience. You have to respect it, but you can’t fear it.”

It was Hagan’s second-straight Pomona win, fourth victory overall at this track and his first Winternationals win. He raced past Tony Pedregon, John Hale and Del Worsham in early rounds before beating Capps in the final.

“Pomona is very special to me and it’s an historical track,” said Virginia cattle rancher Hagan of his 15th career victory. “The fans are awesome here. It’s been great. The history of this track and everything that’s happened here through the years, it puts it in perspective for me and makes [winning here] even more special.”

(Courtney Force set both low ET and top speed in the new Traxxas Chevy Camaro)

Event Essentials:  NHRA Circle K Winternationals (Feb. 5-8th, 2015) Pomona CA

(Jim Dunn’s team ran this spectacular looking presentation at Pomona)

(Chad Head’s awesome looking Taylor Made Aeroburner Toyota made it’s debut)

Posted with files from NHRA Communications

Photos by:  Bruce Biegler