Doug Kalitta continued his recent dominance in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge, defeating Maddi Gordon in Top Fuel to headline Saturday’s bonus race winners at the NHRA Winternationals in Pomona. Matt Hagan (Funny Car) and Dallas Glenn (Pro Stock) also secured victories, strengthening their positions heading into eliminations.
Kalitta’s victory marked his seventh win in the specialty event since the start of the 2025 season, reinforcing his command of the Saturday format. His 3.747-second pass at 333.66 mph proved enough to hold off Gordon’s challenge and maintain his grip on the program.
The performance further solidified Kalitta’s standing at Pomona, where he already owns the most Top Fuel wins in track history. With momentum from Saturday and the points lead entering the weekend, he positioned himself for another potential milestone on Sunday.
“I think the fans like racing on Saturday. I think it’s cool just to be able to just try to outrun the people you raced the previous race, and winning these things on Saturday is huge momentum for everybody on our team,” Kalitta said. “Every time we go up there, regardless of what we’re doing with somebody in the other lane, I’m always just trying to get the win light to come on in our lane.
“The car got to about half track, and it was really cool because you can tell that the tires aren’t slipping and it’s hooked up one-to-one. I knew I had a good shot at getting the win. Tomorrow, it’s just one round at a time. Everybody’s tough, first round to fourth round, if you can make it that far.”
Kalitta’s consistency in the Mission Challenge has mirrored his overall approach, where clean, repeatable runs have become the foundation of his success. The Saturday format, which pits drivers against recent opponents, has only amplified that advantage.
The Top Fuel veteran now turns his focus to eliminations, where his track record suggests he remains the driver to beat. His ability to convert Saturday success into Sunday wins has been a defining trait during this stretch.
In Funny Car, Hagan delivered a timely performance, defeating Paul Lee in the final round with a 3.940-second run at 329.58 mph. The win marked his first Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge victory of the 2026 season.
Hagan’s result builds on his success in the program from a year ago, when he captured the overall Funny Car title in the specialty series. His two consistent runs on Saturday signaled a car capable of contending deep into eliminations.
“It’s a race inside of a race, and I hope I used up all my adrenaline for today,” Hagan said. “It’s cool, what Mission does and to be able to win some money for the crew guys and scoop up the points, it’s exciting. We’ve got a great race car this year, and I’m excited to see what we can do with it. This is one of the little accolades that we get to put up on the shelf, but I think there’s a lot more.
“I’ve been dreaming about getting three trophies: the Mission Challenge, the event trophy and that 1,000th trophy Funny Car trophy, so there’s a lot to be had. That’s wishful thinking, though, because these Funny Cars are super humbling.”
His comments reflect both ambition and caution, acknowledging the unpredictable nature of the Funny Car category. While the Saturday win adds confidence, Hagan emphasized the challenge of maintaining consistency across four rounds on race day.
That balance between performance and restraint has defined his approach entering Sunday. With a proven car and momentum from the bonus race, Hagan remains a central figure in the Funny Car storyline.
Dallas Glenn extended his unbeaten run in the Mission #2Fast2Tasty Challenge this season, defeating Aaron Stanfield in the Pro Stock final. His 6.525-second pass at 208.55 mph continued a streak that began with a win in Phoenix.
The reigning Pro Stock champion has shown little drop-off from his title-winning campaign, carrying that form into both qualifying and specialty competition. His ability to deliver under pressure has made him one of the most consistent performers early in 2026.
“The Mission Challenge brings that race day mentality and gets you ready for Sunday,” Glenn said. “You go out there and get two win lights and that just builds the confidence to know that you can take out anybody when everything’s right. I feel like I’ve got a lot of confidence in the car and I feel like I’m driving good, where I don’t have to think about anything, and you can just go out there and do it, everything clicks and the car runs well.”
