Popular Mopar brand Funny Car racer Matt Hagan dominated NHRA’s season-opening event.

Hagan, who is the driver for Don Schumacher Racing’s Mopar Express Lane-sponsored 2017 Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car swept the fuel FC field during the NHRA Circle K Winternationals held at the Pomona Fairplex near Los Angeles.

(After and astounding qualifying run — Matt Hagan recorded career victory #23)

Hagan with crew chief Dickie Venables and assistant Michael Knudsen added some special sauce when they won the event from the pole after an astonishing elapsed time of 3.822 seconds at 335.57 mph to match the NHRA world records the team set last year.

Hagan’s 23rd Funny Car victory came with a 3.875 at 330.07 to beat Courtney Force’s 3.901 in the final round.

“It’s a real special race for me, a lot of stuff happened over the off season, with losing my brother,” said Hagan, who came into eliminations as the No. 1 qualifier. “We came out motivated. My lights have been great, the car has been great and my team has been great. We just have got a real powerhouse team right now. We just have to keep some of this momentum going.”

Hagan also powered past teammates Jack Beckman and Ron Capps, the defending world champion, to reach the final.

“Anytime we can put those Forces on the trailer that’s what we need to do. We’re here to win and Don expects us to win.”

“There’s a line of drivers that would sit in that car and take my job tomorrow. But he keeps me in the car and I just try to do a good job for him. We’ve got a great team around us right now. I’m just excited. This is the first race of the year and you chalk it up to, ‘okay, yeah that’s great, but there’s a long season ahead of us.’ We’ve just got to keep some of this momentum going.”

(Racing for her new primary sponsor Advance Auto Parts – Courtney Force had a superb R/UP finish at Pomona)

(In his debut race in the Fuel FC class – JR Todd qualified #11 and won his first ever round)

(Defending NHRA World Champion Ron Capps went to the “final four”)

(JFR team racer Robert Hight ran this cool California Highway Patrol tribute Chevy Camaro FC)

All photos by Bruce Biegler

Event Essentials:   NHRA Circle K Winternationals (Feb. 9-12th, 2017)