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Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan Charge Into NHRA U.S. Nationals with Momentum and High Hopes
Highlights
- Leah Pruett reached semifinals with fastest elapsed time at Brainerd.
- Matt Hagan secured three wins this season, including Brainerd Nationals.
- U.S. Nationals qualifying starts Friday; eliminations held on Labor Day Monday.
- Both drivers used post-Brainerd testing to fine-tune their cars.
- Hagan plans to compete in PlayNHRA All-Star Callout bonus race.
- Event broadcasted on FS1 and FOX with special qualifying coverage.
Leah Pruett and Matt Hagan head to the NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park seeking to convert recent form into Indy success for Tony Stewart Racing.
Pruett reached the Brainerd Nationals semifinals with the event’s quickest elimination pass, while Hagan claimed his third win of 2026. Momentum matters at The Big Go’s pressure-cooker.
Pruett clocked 3.702 seconds and a personal-best 341.08 mph. Her Dodge-backed crew remained Monday to test, refining setups and aligning factory projects for improved drivability and consistency.
Still recovering from illness at Brainerd, Pruett expects a clean bill of health. She chases a first Top Fuel Indy crown after 2020 runner-up and 2018 Factory Stock victory.
The task is building a repeatable window. Extended qualifying demands adaptable clutch and fuel decisions as the surface evolves across sessions, with lane choice pivotal for race day security.
Pruett delivered Brainerd’s quickest elimination ET at 3.702 seconds and topped 341.08 mph.
Hagan’s Dodge//SRT Hellcat group arrives with three wins and 14 straight seasons of at least three victories. Post-Brainerd testing targeted early incrementals and stability across a deep Funny Car field.
Indianapolis suits Hagan. He won in 2016 and holds the 2017 track record at 3.799 seconds, 338.77 mph. He stresses qualifying first amid a projected 24-car entry.
The PlayNHRA All-Star Callout and the Mission Foods #2Fast2Tasty Challenge complicate planning. Added laps tax parts, crew turnaround, and engine cycles, but offer money and momentum before eliminations.
Hagan will contest both the PlayNHRA All-Star Callout and the #2Fast2Tasty Challenge.
Hagan credits Indy for launching his career after qualifying in 2008 drew Don Schumacher’s interest. Pruett sees the event’s prestige as a platform to advance championship positioning.
The Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals schedule anchors the weekend: qualifying Friday–Sunday, eliminations Labor Day Monday. FS1 and FOX provide expanded coverage and bonus-race features.
Qualifying begins Friday; eliminations run Monday at Indianapolis.
Competition depth remains a theme. The Funny Car points race remains tight, as shown in recent coverage. Storylines extend to entries like Chris King across the weekend.
Visual Summary
Nicholas Rivera delivers NHRA Top Fuel and Funny Car news, including eliminator-round results and reaction-time stats. He brings track-side interviews, contender profiles, and championship-point breakdowns straight from drag-racing’s biggest national events.
