Funny Car racer Dan Hix arrived at Darana Raceway hoping to be part of the show during the IHRA Outlaw Nitro Series weekend. By the time Sunday’s weather-delayed final round was complete, Hix had become the show with a victory that he described as surreal.
The win came in only his second outing with the car, after debuting it weeks earlier in Milan, Michigan. Hix called the run a “Cinderella story,” crediting his team and longtime friends for making it possible.
“I’m just kind of at a loss for words. I can’t believe it happened,” Hix said. “I actually did not think I got the win. I thought he shut it off at the finish line, but he just got squirrely and I went ripping by him. I didn’t think I got the win until I turned the corner and all the people were waving me over for the interviews. That’s when it set in a little bit, but it still hasn’t set in completely.”
For Hix, the achievement was especially significant because of the car’s limited resources. Unlike top-tier builds, his Funny Car is equipped with a single magneto and a small fuel pump, yet it delivered when it mattered.
“Everybody needs to know that’s a single mag, small fuel pump car is why we’re not running 4-0’s, but we’re sure making the most of what we got,” Hix said. “It’s a family and friends effort to the tee. Me and my wife and kids do everything together and we work our butts off.”
The path to victory was not without hurdles. A mechanical scare during Saturday’s burnout nearly ended the weekend early when the throttle stop broke.
“When I stepped on the throttle, it spit the throttle stop off and revved at 10,200 RPMs in the burnout,” Hix said. “I caught it as fast as I could, but luckily it didn’t blow the thing up right there. We pulled the heads off, changed parts, and went back out to finish the weekend.”
That recovery paved the way for a smooth Sunday. Hix said the win carried extra meaning as it coincided with a personal milestone.
“Yesterday was my dad’s birthday, so I was happy to get to celebrate his birthday with a win today,” Hix said. “We’re definitely going to do some celebrating.”
The victory followed a runner-up finish in Milan, giving Hix two strong showings in his first two outings with the Funny Car. He explained that the car wasn’t originally intended for this configuration, but circumstances led his team to bring it out of storage.
“We came to the first Columbus race ready to run this car as a fuel altered,” Hix said. “After watching, we thought, you know what? Let’s go home and get that Funny Car body out of the rafters. From that day on we worked mega, mega hours. Rich McPhillips Jr. and Sr. both helped me out working day and night. Dom Lagana helped get us off on the right foot with the tune-up, and we’re taking it from there.”
Hix emphasized that smart decisions and steady progress have been key to the team’s early success. He said his group continues to learn with each pass but is careful not to stray too far from proven methods.
“We’re creeping our way towards knowing what we’re doing,” Hix said. “We’re faking it on a few things, still asking questions, and just making sure we don’t get too far off the beaten path. It’s working out. We’re all good mechanics and solid people. We’re good together.”
Before leaving the track, Hix made a point to thank IHRA owner Darryl Cuttell for providing racers an opportunity outside of larger corporate-backed venues.
“Without him doing this, my car is probably sitting idle or I’m off doing some match racing,” Hix said. “These things run on dollars and you got to keep your nose clean or you run your wallet over real quick. But just a great day at the races, I tell you. One of the best ever.”
