NHRA BRAINERD NATIONALS RACE RECAP

MATT HAGAN TAKES AMERICAN REBEL LIGHT BEER TO WINNERS CIRCLE

BRAINERD, Minn. (Aug. 23, 2026) – Matt Hagan and the America Rebel Light Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car team took over the points lead with their third win of the season Sunday at the NHRA Brainerd Nationals at Brainerd International Raceway.

In the final round and their first career match-up, Hagan defeated Funny Car rookie Jordan Vandergriff when he powered his American Rebel Light Funny Car to a 3.946-second pass at 320.13. It was a close race with Vandergriff crossing the finish line in 4.038 at 266.27. It was the first time the two had faced each other.

“This is very humbling because you never know what you’re going to get in Funny Car. You think you’re going to go out and pound on your chest, and it kicks you in the ass. I’m just very grateful that we have a great group of guys at TSR. We could have dialed a 3.94 or better every round and that is awfully consistent by Mike Knudsen, Phil Shuler, Alex Conaway and the whole crew. Hat’s off to them. At the end of the day, we definitely could have ‘bracket raced’ this car,” Hagan said. “Tony Stewart gave Mike the opportunity to head up our operation last year, and he learned from Dickie Venables over the years, giving him the chance to really grow into the crew chief role. People don’t understand the ‘behind the scenes’ stuff with all of the day-to-day of preparing the cars, driving the big trucks, setting up the tents and pits, wrenching on the parts and everything involved with a team. And we are still going to test tomorrow (Monday). The unsung heroes are the guys wrenching on the car. You think about a track like Bristol at 140-degree track temp or Phoenix where it was blazing hot, and those guys are like working over a wood stove. And they work in black because of clutch dust and dirt. It just doesn’t happen without them.”

En route to the finals, the four-time world champion earned his 600th round win when he defeated Jim Campbell in the first round (3.897 seconds at 326.00 mph def. 9.727 at 112.27). In the quarterfinals, Hagan and the American Rebel crew advanced past Chad Green with a strong 3.944-second pass at 320.05 mph, defeating Green’s 4.191-second run at 275.00 mph.

Hagan then matched up with two-time and reigning world champion Austin Prock in the semi-finals where his American Rebel machine laid down a 3.942-second pass at 319.37 mph to send Prock and his 4.764 at 237.84 home.

Hagan leads the NHRA Funny Car point standings by 12 heading into the 2026 NHRA Mission Food Drag Racing Series season finale, the Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals taking place Sept. 4-7 at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.

MATT HAGAN
American Rebel Light Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car

Unofficial Points Standing:
1st
Four-time world champion (2023, 2020, 2014, 2011)
Finished 2025 season runner-up
Won the NHRA Winternationals, NHRA’s 1000th Funny Car race
14 season streak with at least two wins
Has raced to 100 final rounds
Earned his 600th wound win during the first round of eliminations
Second win at Brainerd International Raceway (2021)
Fifth final round at the facility (2011, 2016, 2019, 2022)

Qualifying
No. 3, 3.903 seconds at 327.35 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: 2
Q1: Did not make the run
Q2: 3.940 at 323.66
Q3: 3.899 at 326.40
Q4: 3.948 at 318.92

Race Results:
E1: 3.897 seconds at 326.00 mph def. Jim Campbell 9.727 at 112.27
E2: 3.944 seconds at 320.05 mph def. Chad Green 4.191 at 275.00
Semis: 3.942 seconds at 319.37 mph def. Austin Prock 4.764 at 237.84
Finals: 3.946 seconds at 320.13 def. Jordan Vandergriff 4.038 at 266.27

“This is very humbling because you never know what you’re going to get in Funny Car. You think you’re going to go out and pound on your chest, and it kicks you in the ass. I’m just very grateful that we have a great group of guys at TSR. We could have dialed a 3.94 or better every round and that is awfully consistent by Mike Knudsen, Phil Shuler, Alex Conaway and the whole crew. Hat’s off to them. At the end of the day, we definitely could have ‘bracket raced’ this car. Tony Stewart gave Mike the opportunity to head up our operation last year, and he learned from Dickie Venables over the years. Giving him the chance to really grow into the crew chief role. People don’t understand the ‘behind the scenes’ stuff with all of the day to day of preparing the cars, driving the big trucks, setting up the tents and pits, wrenching on the parts and everything involved with a team. And we are still going to test tomorrow (Monday). The unsung heroes are the guys wrenching on the car. You think about a track like Bristol at 140-degree track temp or Phoenix where it was blazing hot, and those guys are like working over a wood stove. And they work in black because of clutch dust and dirt. It doesn’t happen without them.

“You can’t be doing this without the sponsors too like Andy Ross at American Rebel Light beer, Jason Johnson at JHG and, of course, Dodge who I have raced with for some 19 years. That is unheard of especially from an OEM. They will develop new bodies and bring new pieces to the program. It just takes everyone. It’s a small village that makes this happen day-to-day. That includes Roy at hospitality, Sara, Alyse, Kelly, Chloe and all of the people that make this team special. Blood, sweat and tears at the end of the day makes it all worthwhile. You can’t buy the championship. Many millionaires have tried that for decades and it hasn’t worked. Tony Stewart has created that special environment, and everyone comes to work with a smile on their face. That is something I have never had in my career, and we have it at TSR now. It’s having a group that meshes well.”

LEAH PRUETT
Rush Truck Centers Top Fuel Dragster

Unofficial Points Standing:
3rd

Set her career best speed at 341.08 mph during the first round of eliminations.
13-time NHRA National Event Winner
Finished 2023 runner-up in championship points
Finished runner-up up at the 2026 NHRA Arizona Nationals
Has finished quarterfinals or better all season
Second No. 1 of the 2026 season
No. 1 qualifier at the NHRA Winternationals and Thunder Valley Nationals
Won NHRA New England Nationals Friday night at Bristol Dragway
Has only one first-round loss so far this season

Qualifying:
No. 5, 3.710 seconds at 332.18 mph
Bonus Qualifying Points: 2
Q1: 3.769 at 331.04
Q2: 3.889 at 292.20
Q3: 4.786 at 151.58
Q4: 3.756 at 329.18

Race Results:

E1: 3.702 seconds at 335.57 mph def. Will Smith, 3.726 at 330.47
E2: 4.158 seconds at 194.49 mph def. Shawn Langdon 4.247 at 254.66
Semis: 3.776 seconds at 325.14 mph lost to Maddi Gordon, 3.770 seconds at 329.91 mph

“What an eclectic weekend for our TSR Rush Truck Centers Top Fuel dragster. Off the trailer, we were No. 2 in qualifying. Then our car decided to be one of the animals from the (Brainerd) Zoo. I had to abort the run in the second qualifier. Then, in the first round of the #2Fast2Tasty round on Saturday for Q3, we had another animal when the car wanted to take flight. I had to abort that run too. We hadn’t had one of those front-end problems before. So, we had to evaluate the situation. We qualified sixth in the final Q4 run.

“We had to race Wil Smith in the first round of eliminations, and we had to pay attention to him. That car has been more consistent. He is one of the best leavers in the category. We really rose to the occasion for him with 3.70 and 341, career best speed there. In E2, up against Shawn Langdon, we had lane choice, and the car lifted the front wheels again. I got out of the throttle and pedaled it. When I pedaled it, we got two burst panels go out and the chutes came out. I am coasting to the finish line with no car in sight in the other lane. But I could hear him coming. I had my eye on the win light, and, luckily, it came on. Going into the semis, we are trying to wrap our heads around what is happening with chassis. We band-aided up what we thought would fix the issue. We put weight in the front and put the mud flaps on for the semi-final against Maddi. We had an incredible close race with Maddi.

“The obstacles this team has overcome makes me very proud. And the fact we have conquered 341 mile per hour mark proves we are learning a lot. It’s a combination of conditions, torque and the back half of the run. Now that we have seen it, we can pick the run apart and try to produce it again. We continue to hold onto our third place in points heading into the biggest drag race of the year at Indy. It’s points and a half race. We’ll be in the last Mission #2Fast2Tasty matchup too. First thing is first, we have a truck load of components we’ll be testing here on Monday. We are continuing the hunt. It’s hunting season now for that championship.”