Despite a stout Funny Car field, no one could dethrone top qualifier Matt Hagan on the final day of qualifying for the U.S. Nationals.

Hagan’s blazing track record time of 4.039 seconds at 277.89 mph on Saturday night won him his first career pole at the U.S. Nationals.

“It’s huge to come out here and qualifying No. 1,” said Hagan, who is in his second season driving his Don Schumacher Racing Diehard Dodge. “I remember back when I was racing IHRA and I would come over here (to the NHRA circuit) and qualify No. 16 and that would feel like I won the race. In two years, to qualify No. 1 here (at the U.S. Nationals) is a huge step in the right direction for my career and I think for our whole program.”

Hagan, who is fourth in the point chase as the Countdown to 1 playoffs begin at Indy, was quick to credit his crew chief Tommy DeLago for his success. Hagan meets No. 16 qualifier Tony Pedregon in the opening round Monday.

“I owe it all to Tommy DeLago,” Hagan said. “This guy gets smarter every day. I just do not how he puts all of it together up there, but he does. He has some really cool ideas and we came out here and tested (last week) and it is definitely paying dividends back to us. The track has been great. I know last year it was a little different race track and the weather just kind of worked out in our favor (this year). It’s cool to have this caliber of a machine.”

This was the fourth pole of Hagan’s young career. Hagan clocked 4.107 and 4.094-second qualifying runs on Sunday, the latter was the quickest of the session. Hagan has earned seven crucial bonus points at Indy.

“I think it was definitely warmer Sunday and be that as it may, that kind of plays into (Monday) because it is supposed to be a little bit warmer if the weatherman is right,” Hagan said. “Tommy was kind of playing around a little bit (Sunday) trying some new stuff. He wanted to go up there and get a baseline, but he kind of already has one. It just really built on his confidence and my confidence to be able to go down the race track that many times and not smoke the tires and do anything crazy. I know we have been working hard at getting this car more consistent and this (Sunday) was a what can we learn today? I think Tommy was more massaging on what we were already working on for our morning and mid-day tune-ups.”

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