Austin Prock: 'I felt pretty confident going that we were going to have the car to beat'
Paul Lee: 'It’s going to be great just to see our friends and the fans'
Jack Beckman: 'I don’t know if anyone wants to get back more than me'
Tim Wilkerson: 'I don’t think they’re ready for my attitude. It’s gonna be fun'
Kenny Delco: 'We were fast, we qualified fourth at Pomona and Phoenix'
Steve Torrence: 'You’ve got to come out and swing for every one of ’em'
Cristian Cuadra: 'I think I’m doing well, but I have a lot of room to improve'
Tommy Johnson Jr.: 'I’ve not wanted to win a championship more than this year'
Brittany Force: 'We’re ready for all this to be over so we get back to what we love'
Robert Hight: 'I can’t wait to get back and try to defend our championship'
Alex Laughlin: 'All we have to do is shove the car back in the trailer, and we are ready to go racing'
Shawn Langdon: 'I’m trying to stay as fresh as I can so we can be ready to go'
Chris McGaha: 'We’ve come up with some new ideas and we’ve beaten on some things'
J.R. Todd: 'I have all the confidence that we will be in contention when it counts'
Clay Millican: 'I can’t wait to stomp on that loud pedal ... it’s been way too long'
Bob Tasca III: 'Trust me, this Motorcraft car is going to have its day in the sun'
Antron Brown: 'I’ve been doing everything I can; I’m gonna come back hungry and ready'
Jason Line: 'It doesn’t matter what track we start with, the cars will all be ready to go when we get the call'
Fernando Cuadra Jr: 'We’re applying many of the things we learned from the first two races'
John Force: 'I’ll be ready. I know the car. I could drive it with my eyes closed'
Rahn Tobler maps out plans and goals for the NAPA Auto Parts Funny Car team
Leah Pruett: 'This is not the time to test or play; it’s time to run with what we know'
Ron Capps: 'It’s going to feel crazy the first time any of us steps on the gas for the first time'
Doug Kalitta: 'We’re all just really hungry and ready to make it happen'
Bo Butner: 'I feel like when we all come back racing we’ll be stronger than ever!'
Jeg Coughlin Jr: 'It’s time to go. Every round will be as important as the last'
Matt Hartford: 'We have a car that can run for the championship—bar none'
Alexis DeJoria: 'I just hope that everybody makes it back to the track safely'
Justin Ashley: 'Having a break like this really puts things in perspective'
Erica Enders: 'Our great start proves the organization’s hard work is paying off'
Matt Hagan: 'I really feel like we've got something on these guys'
MATT HAGAN | Mopar Dodge Charger
Current points position: 5th | Best season e.t. to date: 3.841
Early-season report card: After qualifying No. 1 in both Pomona and Phoenix with blistering passes in the mid-3.80s, only some slipups prevented what might have been a sweep by Hagan and crew chief Dickie Venables. After a 3.91 in round one, the car shook the tires and fell in the semi’s in Pomona and then Hagan gave away a winning first-round run in Phoenix when he hit a timing block.
Looking back: “We had a great test session and, as far as the car goes, knocked it out of the park. If Dickie and I can get our heads out of asses, between the two of us will be alright. Phoenix was the first time I’ve ever really hit a cone in competition in 11 or 12 years of racing. As a driver, I knew better, but on race day you’re pushing it and it just got away from me. It was unacceptable to be the No. 1 qualifier and then do that. I was disappointed for Don [Schumacher, team owner] and my guys and it breaks my heart to disappoint those guys. People ask me what I’m scared of and that’s it -– I’m scared of disappointing my guys. I’m ready to get back in the car and do it over and get that behind me.”
Looking ahead: “We’ve done some stuff in the offseason that gives us a competitive advantage that some of these other guys don’t have right now; I’m not gonna go into a lot of detail, but I really feel like we got something on these guys and I just feel like, ‘Let’s get back before everyone catches on.’ ”
Shop talk: Hagan has been sequestered at home on his cattle farm in Virginia, so he’s not aware of any changes the team might be making (“As good as the car’s been, I hope they don’t touch anything!”), but between his cattle, his meat business, his new hemp-farming venture, and his corona-shuttered outdoors store, he’s almost too busy to stop and think about it. “With all that plus four kids and a wife I’ve got so much to do man I barely sleep at night,” he said.
The final word: “We’ve got a great race car and a great team; we’ve got a lot of good chemistry and energy. I feel like when Dickie is aggressive and on point, you have a chance to set a national record every time that the weather is right. You’d better strap in because he’s going to put some wheels beneath you.”