Four-time Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan surged from fifth to first in the NHRA points standings on Sunday, beating Jordan Vandergriff in the final round at Brainerd International Raceway to win the 44th annual NHRA Brainerd Nationals. Hagan covered the quarter-mile in 3.946 seconds at 320.13 mph in his 12,000-horsepower American Rebel Light Beer Dodge//SRT Hellcat Funny Car, securing his third win of the season for Tony Stewart Racing and the 58th of his career.
Doug Kalitta (Top Fuel) and Greg Anderson (Pro Stock) also picked up wins at the 13th of 20 races on the 2026 NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series schedule.
A Perfect Day for Hagan
Hagan reached the finals by dispatching Jim Campbell, Chad Green, and Austin Prock. He ran 3.94 seconds in each of the final three rounds, including the championship pass when Vandergriff slowed to a 4.038. Vandergriff, who qualified No. 1, made his third final of the season after beating Alexis DeJoria and J.R. Todd.
The win flipped the standings. Hagan entered the weekend fifth in points but now leads Vandergriff by seven heading to Indianapolis. Ron Capps sits 12 points back, with J.R. Todd and Jack Beckman trailing by 22 and 74 points, respectively.
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“It’s very humbling because you never know what you’re going to get in a Funny Car. If you think you’re going to go out there and pound on your chest, these things will kick you in the (butt),” Hagan said. “I’m just very grateful that we have such a good group of guys putting a great race car underneath me.”
He added that the car was strong enough to bracket-race all weekend, a sign of the team’s consistency. “As I was doing the burnout and backing up, it gave me chills, man. The fans were packed in here. NHRA is doing a great job promoting our sport, and our sport is growing every day.”
Kalitta Extends His Run in Top Fuel
Reigning Top Fuel world champion Doug Kalitta made it three straight victories, holding off rookie Maddi Gordon in the final round with a 3.743 at 333.74 in his Mac Tools dragster. It was his second consecutive Brainerd win and fourth of the season, the 63rd of his career.
Kalitta qualified No. 1 with the quickest pass in all four sessions, won the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge on Saturday, then rolled past Cam Ferre, Antron Brown, and Justin Ashley on race day. Gordon left first with a 3.770 at 328.78, but Kalitta tracked her down before the stripe.
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He now holds a 67-point lead over teammate Shawn Langdon going into the regular season finale at Indy.
“It was definitely an interesting day,” Kalitta said. “My guys did a great job throughout the weekend, through qualifying, the Mission Foods deal and then being able to go rounds on Sunday and get to the final and beat Maddi. She’s doing a great job and they’re tough.”
Anderson Keeps Brainerd Streak Alive
Greg Anderson won at Brainerd for the second straight year and the fifth time in his career, the most of any Pro Stock driver at the track. The six-time world champion went 6.584 at 208.17 in his HendrickCars.com Chevrolet Camaro to chase down first-time finalist Chris Vang.
Anderson got a major break when teammate and reigning world champion Dallas Glenn lost in the first round after qualifying No. 1. He took full advantage, beating Mason McGaha, Troy Coughlin Jr., and Greg Stanfield to reach the finals. The win opened an 85-point lead over Glenn with one race left in the regular season.
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It was the 116th win of his career.
“The world knows this is the place where it all started for me. I wouldn’t be a Pro Stock racer today if it wasn’t for this place and all the people around here,” Anderson said. “My father and John Hagen gave me my start in Pro Stock. It’s been a special place to me since the first time I walked on the grounds.”
Vang, who reached his first career final, got there by beating Matt Latino, Jeg Coughlin Jr., and rookie Cody Anderson.
The NHRA Mission Foods Drag Racing Series returns Sept. 2-7 with the 72nd annual Cornwell Quality Tools NHRA U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Indianapolis Raceway Park.
