NHRA: Hagan, B. Force, Enders, and Arana Jr. lead Saturday quals

Matt Hagan notched his 50th Funny Car No. 1. Erica Enders and Hector Arana Jr. also earned the top spot in their respective classes to celebrate Bandimere Speedway’s 65th anniversary of the Mile-High Nationals.

Funny Car

Matt Hagan, the current NHRA Camping World Funny Car point leader, captured his 50th career No. 1 qualifying position Saturday in his Tony Stewart Racing (TSR) Dodge//SRT Direct Connection Hellcat Funny Car at the final Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway.

Hagan, the three-time NHRA Funny Car World Champion from Christiansburg, Virginia, drove his nitro-burning machine to a 3.895-second pass at 324.59 miles per hour in recording his fourth Mile-High Nationals pole position, just six thousands off the track record Hagan also took top qualifying honors in 2010, 2021 and 2022.

This weekend’s race is the final NHRA national event at the popular Colorado racing facility, as the racetrack will conclude operation at the end of the 2023 racing season. Hagan is hoping to add another Mile-High Nationals trophy to his collection after taking the 2021 Funny Car crown at Bandimere.

Hagan also won the Mission Food #2Fast2Tasty Funny Car Challenge title Saturday over Bob Tasca.

“It’s an emotional weekend with Dodge having a long, continuous sponsorship here at Bandimere, and the thought of not coming back here is kind of tough,” said Hagan, following the end of qualifications. “But we’re putting on a strong showing at the Dodge-sponsored event and we just have to finish strong throughout the whole weekend, not just in qualifying. At the end of the day, [crew chief] Dickie Venables put a great tune-up underneath me, and my guys put together a great car, and I got to drive the wheels off of it.

“It was a great crowd out here, and it was unbelievable to do a burnout, back up, and look up and see everybody up against the fence and in the stands. It was just a special moment. At the end of the day, I’m just excited to be here. I’m trying to take in every lap and every moment. You want to make it count this weekend, and that’s what we’re out there trying to do.”

John Force qualified second with his 3.920 at 323.74 from Friday and Bob Tasca III’s 3.943 at 315.12 put him third.

Top Fuel

Brittany Force already owned the Bandimere Speedway track record for elapsed time, but she rounded out her Denver records when she clocked the fastest speed the facility had ever seen for Top Fuel in her final qualifying effort. Heading into the last session, Force was No. 9 in the line-up in her Monster Energy Flav-R-Pac Chevrolet. Her blazing 3.72 at 337.33 mph sent her right up to the top and well past Friday low qualifier Antron Brown’s 3.78. Ultimately, Brown was bumped to No. 3 as Doug Kalitta recorded a 3.77 in his Mac Tools rail.

The No. 1 was Force’s fourth of the season and 46th of her career.

“We struggled all weekend – our best was a 3.90, and every one we’d been dropping holes right from the step,” said Force. “When they said 3.72, I thought, ‘That can’t be right.’ But to make such an improvement as the first car right out of the box, to come up here and make such a move, this team needed it. We’ve been struggling this year, and it really feels good.

“This track is so special to me. I’ve been coming here with my mom and sisters watching my dad in the stands since we were little kids. This is a track I grew up on, and it’s sad to see it go away. With that, we want to end on a good note. We want to end strong. Being able to lay down a 337-mph run and have the track record, it’s huge for us, for the entire team, to leave our mark like that. We really want to leave tomorrow with four win lights.”

Pro Stock

Enders has never won Denver before, and with this slated to be the final event, the pressure is on. She’s on good footing as the No. 1 qualifier based on a 6.91 clocked on Friday in her Johnson’s Horsepowered Garage Chevrolet. It is the 31st pole for the reigning and five-time champion, who is also racing in Mountain Motor Pro Stock at the event and is the No. 2 qualifier there.

Historically, Enders has performed well under pressure, and with only one more chance to win at Bandimere Speedway, she’s ready.

“I’m feeling really good,” she said. “It’s always challenging to come up here on the mountain with these Pro Stock cars – we’re down quite a bit of horsepower and our shift points come at different increments than normal – but I feel like we performed pretty awesome this weekend. We’ll have a long battle to be victorious, but we’re starting off on the right foot.

“I feel like I’ve been driving really well, and if I can continue that tomorrow, I think we’ll be all set. Having said that, there are 15 other drivers thinking the same thing. We’ll have our work cut out for us, but we do well when our backs are against the wall, and I’m going to try to have that mindset tomorrow.”

Defending event winner Matt Hartford stayed second with a 6.91 at 195 and points leader Dallas Glenn took third with a 6.92 at 195.

Bikes

Norwalk winner Arana had little trouble keeping hold of the 23rd No. 1 of his career after racing to a track record 7.047 at 189 mph on Friday aboard his GETTRX Buell. Arana won this event in 2018, and with a bit of momentum, he feels he can repeat on the final raceday on the mountain.

“I feel awesome, and we have a great bike,” said Arana. “Our GETTRX Buell is mean, she’s bad to the bone. I just need to do my job and get her down the track, and we should be good. We’re going to take it one round at a time and enjoy our last passes we get down this beautiful track here at Bandimere speedway. How awesome is it to be able to get the last No. 1 and set the track record the last time here. I’m so excited. What an awesome way to end it.”

Although he left the starting line too soon in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty NHRA Challenge, Arana did not fixate on the bump.

“You always want to win,” he said. “But bikes react so much faster here on the mountain, everything is reacting quicker, and I know what to do now. It gave me a preview for tomorrow, and we’ll be good to go.”

Rookie Chase Van Sant stayed second with a 7.121 at 188.52, and points leader Gaige Herrera moved up to third with a 7.123 at 187.39.

Final Qualifying, Sunday Pairings

Sunday’s first-round pairings for eliminations for the 43rd annual Dodge Power Brokers NHRA Mile-High Nationals at Bandimere Speedway, the 10th of 21 events in the NHRA Camping World Drag Racing Series. Pairings based on results in qualifying, which ended Saturday. DNQs listed below pairings.

Top Fuel — 1. Brittany Force, 3.724 seconds, 337.33 mph vs. 16. Rob Passey, 4.426, 245.49; 2. Doug Kalitta, 3.779, 322.42 vs. 15. Terry Totten, 4.254, 258.37; 3. Antron Brown, 3.783, 327.90 vs. 14. Buddy Hull, 3.977, 285.29; 4. Mike Salinas, 3.791, 322.34 vs. 13. Austin Prock, 3.952, 311.56; 5. Clay Millican, 3.793, 314.90 vs. 12. Tony Schumacher, 3.897, 307.93; 6. Steve Torrence, 3.800, 324.59 vs. 11. Justin Ashley, 3.883, 313.95; 7. Leah Pruett, 3.812, 323.89 vs. 10. Josh Hart, 3.848, 319.60; 8. Greg Carrillo, 3.832, 324.75 vs. 9. Shawn Langdon, 3.837, 317.87.

Funny Car — 1. Matt Hagan, Dodge Charger, 3.895, 324.59 vs. 14. Chris King, Charger, 4.608, 270.32; 2. John Force, Chevy Camaro, 3.920, 323.74 vs. 13. Steven Densham, Ford Mustang, 4.352, 215.00; 3. Bob Tasca III, Mustang, 3.943, 315.12 vs. 12. Cruz Pedregon, Charger, 4.207, 283.91; 4. Robert Hight, Camaro, 3.944, 311.56 vs. 11. Alex Laughlin, Charger, 4.206, 287.05; 5. Ron Capps, Toyota Supra, 3.982, 315.34 vs. 10. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.197, 282.01; 6. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.989, 289.94 vs. 9. Alexis DeJoria, Supra, 4.021, 324.83; 7. J.R. Todd, Supra, 3.998, 323.04 vs. 8. TimWilkerson, Mustang, 4.004, 298.60.

Pro Stock — 1. Erica Enders, Chevy Camaro, 6.919, 195.70 vs. 16. Fernando Cuadra Jr., Ford Mustang, 6.999, 195.03; 2. Matt Hartford, Camaro, 6.919, 195.34 vs. 15. Fernando Cuadra, Mustang, 6.978, 196.19; 3. Dallas Glenn, Camaro, 6.921, 195.19 vs. 14. Chris McGaha, Camaro, 6.970, 196.04; 4. Troy Coughlin Jr., Camaro, 6.923, 196.67 vs. 13. Aaron Stanfield, Camaro, 6.970, 196.22; 5. Greg Anderson, Camaro, 6.927, 194.60 vs. 12. Mason McGaha, Camaro, 6.966, 195.82; 6. Kyle Koretsky, Camaro, 6.934, 195.96 vs. 11. Cristian Cuadra, Mustang, 6.965, 196.47; 7. Camrie Caruso, Camaro, 6.941, 195.87 vs. 10. Bo Butner, Camaro, 6.960, 196.19; 8. Jerry Tucker, Camaro, 6.956, 195.56 vs. 9. Deric Kramer, Camaro, 6.959, 195.65.

Pro Stock Motorcycle — 1. Hector Arana Jr, EBR, 7.047, 189.36 vs. Bye; 2. Chase Van Sant, Suzuki, 7.121, 188.52 vs. 13. Lance Bonham, Buell, 7.681, 172.72; 3. Gaige Herrera, Suzuki, 7.123, 187.39 vs. 12. Chris Bostick, EBR, 7.377, 183.94; 4. Angie Smith, EBR, 7.133, 189.42 vs. 11. Jianna Evaristo, Suzuki, 7.375, 181.91; 5. Eddie Krawiec, Suzuki, 7.134, 188.81 vs. 10. Steve Johnson, Suzuki, 7.240, 184.04; 6. Matt Smith, Suzuki, 7.150, 186.98 vs. 9. Kelly Clontz, Suzuki, 7.224, 184.37; 7. Ryan Oehler, EBR, 7.176, 186.61 vs. 8. Marc Ingwersen, EBR, 7.214, 184.30.