POMONA, Calif. - Reigning Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan opened the 2015 NHRA season by racing to victory Sunday at the Circle K NHRA Winternationals at historic Auto Club Raceway.
Shawn Langdon (Top Fuel) and Jason Line (Pro Stock) also were winners at the first of 24 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series events.
After overcoming a spectacular engine explosion during qualifying Friday, Hagan and his team rallied to qualify 12th Saturday. He then powered his Rocky Boots/Mopar Express Lane Dodge Charger R/T to four round-wins 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.
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.
• Top Fuel
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Langdon scored the Top Fuel victory in dramatic fashion by edging rival Antron Brown's Matco Tools dragster at the finish line. The 2013 champ, who entered this race without a full-time sponsor but had support from Food Network star Guy Fieri during the weekend, powered his Knuckle Sandwich/AJPE dragster to a time of 3.799 at 309.91 to finish in front of Brown, whose machine stopped the clocks in 3.804 at 310.70.
It was Langdon's second Winternationals win and the 10th victory of his career. The win gave the team much-needed momentum after its sponsor Al-Anabi Racing from the country of Qatar pulled funding from the team just weeks before the season opener.
• Pro Stock
Line claimed his fourth Winternationals Pro Stock victory by outrunning rookie Drew Skillman in the final round. Line powered his Summit Racing Equipment Chevy Camaro to a winning performance of 6.545 at 211.83 while Skillman's Ray Skillman Camaro trailed with a 6.556 at 211.13. It was Line's 36th career victory and the 91st Pro Stock win for a Chevy Camaro, a record in the category.
Line outran Joey Grose, Shane Gray, and Rodger Brogdon to advance to the final and meet longtime NHRA Sportsman racing standout Skillman, who advanced to his first final in his first Pro start.
The NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series continues Feb. 20-22 with the CARQUEST Auto Parts NHRA Nationals at Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park near Phoenix.
- nhra.com
