Funny Car Class Unleashes Barrage On Record Books At Topeka

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Just as it did 24 years with the shattering the four-second and 300 mph barriers in the fall of 1993, the Funny Car contingent again captured the collective attention of the drag racing world at this weekend’s running of the Menards NHRA Heartland Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka, as cool air conditions and a lightning-quick racing surface provided historic performances in qualifying.

During Friday’s rain-shortened day of qualifying, Robert Hight unloaded off the trailer with a career-best 3.826 (just .004-seconds shy of the existing national record of 3.822) at the fastest wheel-driven speed in drag racing history: 337.66 mph, surpassing in 1,000-feet the all-time speed record held previously in the quarter-mile (Tony Schumacher recorded a speed of 337.58 at Brainerd, Minnesota in 2005).

Photo credit: Gary NastaseAuto Imagery

Photo credit: Gary NastaseAuto Imagery

“We just had killer conditions today,” Hight said. “You’ve got to give it to the NHRA Safety Safari: All the water, all the rain we had on the race track, getting it dry and getting it in shape that you can make a run like that. That was stout. You always run big records, big speeds and big E.T.’s here in Topeka. The racing surface is unbelievable. We’ve been creeping up on this for a while; it was just the perfect storm today.”

“Tomorrow, we’re looking at low-60s, cloudy, and the track’s going to be awesome, probably even better than it was today because there’s going to be more race cars running down it,” Hight continued. “It could be quicker and faster. I don’t believe if I don’t run quicker than the .826 that I’ll be in here [the media center] tomorrow night.”

And he was right.

Courtney Force provided a prelude of what was to come, leading off the second session of qualifying on Saturday with an incredible, then-national record run of 3.815 at 335.23 mph to overtake her teammate in the provisional qualifying order. But in the next-to-last pair on the racetrack, Matt Hagan and Dickie Venables, well known for their record-setting heroics over the last couple of seasons, scorched the Heartland Park surface on their way to both ends of the Funny Car national record with a lap of 3.802-seconds at a stunning 338.85 mph. For good measure, Hagan turned around in the final session, with the track temperature still only in the mid-80s, and recorded a 3.806 at just 335.98 mph to solidify his position atop the field.

“We were the first in the 3.90s and 3.80s and want to be the first in the 3.70s,” said Hagan following his historic day. “But you can’t be upset with a run like that. Dickie Venables and this whole Mopar gang are working so hard. Before the run they just told me to hang on. When they tell me that I know what to expect.”

120-MattHagan-Saturday-Topeka

Photo courtesy NHRA/National Dragster

“We had an amazing hot rod, that’s just Mopar power speaking out loud right there,” Hagan continued.

During Sunday’s opening round of eliminations, Hight and Courtney Force both joined the rather exclusive 338 mph club, as Hight carded a 3.833 at 338.09 mph and Force a 3.821 at 338.68.

About the author

Andrew Wolf

Andrew has been involved in motorsports from a very young age. Over the years, he has photographed several major auto racing events, sports, news journalism, portraiture, and everything in between. After working with the Power Automedia staff for some time on a freelance basis, Andrew joined the team in 2010.
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