When multi-time NHRA nitro Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan opened his post-race press conference Sunday, he didn’t hide his feelings.

“I said it before and I'll say it again, ‘All greatness comes from God.’ It was kind of weird that NHRA edited that out of the TV deal last time, but I think it's important because you have to believe,” Hagan said shortly after winning the Midwest Nationals in St. Louis. “You have to believe in something, and it gives you hope, and it gives you something to dig towards and that you're pushing something in the right direction.”

Hagan was truly digging in St Louis, and it culminated with him winning in by defeating reigning world champion Ron Capps in the finals of the third race of the six-race Countdown to the Championship.

Hagan, driving for Tony Stewart Racing, clocked a 3.991-second elapsed time at 324.90 mph to edge Capps, who came across the finish line in 4.025 seconds at 306.88 mph.

“I just asked for something great today, man, and that's what we got,” Hagan said. “We knew that we had to win this race to be in the hunt for this thing (a world championship). It's such a cool feeling to have American Rebel out here, and Andy Ross, and for them to get their first win and give him the trophy and just to be a part of that. I just hope that he could feel some small amount of excitement that I felt just as being a sponsor and being able to drive the car and turn the win lights on, and just having such great sponsors with Dodge and Johnson's Horsepowered Garage, and just people you just get along with. It's just like, ‘Man, this has all come together and it feels like it's meant to be.’ Nothing's ever really pushed or forced, and I just am enjoying the ride.”

This was Hagan’s 48th career national event win and fifth this season. He arrived in St. Louis tied for third in the points standings and is now third outright, just 13 points back of leader Bob Tasca III.

“We sat down as a group, and you look across from each other and you go, ‘I'm going to dig for you. You dig for me, and let's make this stuff happen,’” Hagan said. “I think that's what it comes down to is just a core group of guys who you want to work hard for, and you want to show up for. (Sunday), they all showed up. They showed up for me and I felt like I showed up for them, and we did what we needed to do on the starting line and on the racetrack, and that's why we had four win lights.”

Hagan captured consecutive wins over Alexis DeJoria, John Force, Tasca III, and Capps to grab the Wally.

“I mean, there's always a lot of pressure. I was telling (his crew chief) Dickie Venables in the lounge before we went to the semis, ‘Damn, this is a lot of pressure.’ But that's what you want. I mean, I think that's what we're here for,” Hagan said. “If we didn't have the pressure, that means we don't have the shot. I think you have to learn to deal with that pressure.

“I used to work with some sports psychologists, and they threw me up on a high ropes course and I don't like heights. You're like, ‘Whoa. It's way down there,’ even though you're clipped in. But it's dealing with stuff that you're not comfortable with and learning to make that into a positive. I think there's a lot of people who crack under pressure and the pressure was huge and you just have to learn a way to capitalize. It is like, ‘Coach, give me the ball.’ This is my moment to rise to the occasion. Not like, ‘Oh, my gosh, if I mess this up, people are going to be mad at me.’”

The TSR team of Hagan and Top Fuel driver Leah Pruett had a memorable day as Pruett posted a runner-up finish. 

“Everybody's just pumped,” Hagan said. “There's not a lot of time to run back and forth, but you yell over and you're like, ‘That a girl.’ You know what I mean? I know Tony (Stewart) was in the booth from second round on and I was like, ‘Where the hell's this dude at?’ Because he usually fist bumps me and says something to pump me up, and I didn't realize he was in the booth. I just thought he didn't love me no more. For him to be up there commentating and us going rounds, and Leah took out a bunch of heavy hitters. We took out some heavy hitters, and we put ourselves in a position to be able to go out here and work hard to do well.”

Hagan, who has won nitro Funny Car world titles in 2011, 2014 and 2020, wants to add No. 4 to his resume.

“I want it more, plain and simple,” Hagan said. “It's just the drive, the dedication. I haven't taken a round off yet in the driver's seat, and I'm not going to. As far as reaction times and keeping it in the groove and doing what we're supposed to do, it's about manifesting something into reality. If you want something bad enough, you go out there and make it happen for yourself.

“There's not a whole lot to separate the parts and the pieces, and everybody buys from three manufacturers, and we all have the same stuff. It's just about who wants to go up there and have the biggest gut check, open up the most flows, put the most weight on it, what will the racetrack hold, and just bring it, man.”

The sold-out crowd at World Wide Technology Raceway wasn’t lost on Hagan.

“That's always amazing. It gives me chill bumps to do a burnout and back up and see everybody elbow to elbow on the fence. I guess they call them waffle bellies, I don't know, because they look like a chain-link fence when they walk away, but it is awesome,” Hagan said. “That's what we're here for, to put on a show.

“John Force told me a long time ago, ‘I blew up one time and I split my head open. I was bleeding everywhere, and they were down there checking me out and I was like, ‘Am I okay?’ You don't have a mirror. They're like, ‘You're not pretty, but you're going to be all right.’ He gets in the ambulance, and he opens the ambulance and he's like, ‘Hey, kid, you ain't done this very much, have you?’ I was pretty new on the scene. He goes, ‘Next time, roll around on the ground, act like you're on fire.’ 

“We're here to put on a show and that's what we do. We're showmen, but we're here to win races and we're here to promote sponsors and do what we need to do out there to get the attention we need for the folks that support what we do and pay the bills.”

The next race in the Countdown is the Texas NHRA Fallnationals, Oct. 12-15, in Dallas. And Hagan knows the FC battle will continue.

“In Funny Car, you can expect a dogfight,” Hagan said. “You want to come watch a WWE fight and you come to the NHRA, because it is a fight, man. I mean, we're pulling on helmets and putting (in a) mouthpiece, but it truly is throw everything you have at it. I mean, I think that's what we had to talk about as a group collectively this weekend was everyone has to throw everything at it. Because you think, ‘Wow, that's just enough.’ Well, that ain't enough.”