Logically, when nitro Funny Car world champion Matt Hagan left powerhouse team Don Schumacher Racing to join new Tony Stewart Racing in the offseason, there seemed like there would be more questions than answers.

Hagan, however, has proved all skeptics wrong.

In five races in the 2022 season, Hagan has two wins and two runner-up finishes.

Hagan’s latest victory came Sunday at the SpringNationals at Houston Raceway Park, the final NHRA national event at the venue.

Hagan clocked a 3.982-second at 326.63 mph to defeat Bobby Bode’s 4.046-second run at 282.95 mph, which included him blowing the body off his Funny Car right near the finish line.

“I could hear (Bobby) beside me, and I was like ‘man this might be a real drag race.’ I have done that. I have blown bodies up and you have chaos. When they were pushing (Bobby) off the track, and I guess the kid chucked his helmet with passion because he hated he loss. Tony was like I’m going to buy that kid a helmet. I love people who are passionate like that, and I don’t think Tony has ever chucked anything before in his life. The kid is a good kid and he’s passionate about it. That passion is what you need in this sport.”

Hagan’s victory parade consisted of wins over John Force, Ron Capps, J.R. Todd and Bode.

“I just kept telling myself, don’t mess it up,” Hagan said. “We have a great car, and the car is running well. You simplify everything you do. Every final round, I just keep doing what I’m doing. I don’t go up there trying to do something extra or make something else happen and when it is supposed to be, it will be. We have such a great team and {crew chief} Dickie Venables has been able to assemble this great group of guys around me for the last nine to 10 years. I have won almost all my Funny Car races with Dickie, and it is just a statement of how good the guy is.

“There are a lot of heavy hitters, Guido (Dean Antonelli, Ron Capps’ crew chief) and Jimmy Prock (Robert Hight’s crew chief) and all those guys and I would not trade Dickie for anybody. Like I said a long time ago, when I was named driver of the decade, it was because of Dickie’s stats and what he has done, not because of me. The dude is incredible.”

This was Hagan’s 41st career nitro Funny Car NHRA national event victory.

The win was extra special for Hagan as Venables memorialized the passing of his father Dick Venables last night at his home track in Houston. Dick passed away Dec. 29, 2021, in Houston. He was 82.

“For Dickie Venables and his entire family to be here and his dad passing,” Hagan said. “Dick Venables was such a huge part of Dickie and what he has done in his career. They worked together with (Rahn) Tobler and all those people and to have that inspiration from his dad. This race means so much to me because in 2010, I won my first race here. I pretty much pedaled every round and won in the final on a pedal job.

“To close it out here with a win and be able to honor and commemorate Dickie and his dad and his entire family being here, it is super, super special. It is a sad, sad, thing but we are able to end on a good note and to be able to give him and his family the trophy this weekend is massive. I’m probably going to cry like a little girl when I have the time, but it means so much because Dickie means so much to me.”

Hagan also praised Bobby Bode and his father Bob.

“Bob Bode and his son are doing a great job,” Hagan said. “I told them to keep doing what they are doing. That kid is doing a great job driving, I’m super proud of him. We need youngsters like that coming up in the sport. I hated to rain on his parade for his (20th) birthday weekend. I was signing his card and I put you freaking stud on his birthday card. That’s just drag racing. I’m here to do a job and that’s turn win lights on and that’s what I get paid to do.”

Hagan arrived in Houston in the points lead and will leave atop the standings. Hagan has a 15-3 elimination round record this season.

“We’re just making a statement this year,” Hagan said. “There are a lot of heavy hitters and we got through a lot of them today. There were no easy runs today. You look at Bode, it is his birthday weekend, and he’s probably going to pull something out of his a**. That’s just how stuff happens. All in all, it was a really great weekend.”

Hagan acknowledged the positivity he’s been displaying this season is a direct link to his new team – TSR.

“We are just in such a good place mentally with Tony as a team owner,” Hagan said. “He’s like whatever you guys need, he doesn’t have the mentality of doing more with less, it is whatever it takes. It is kind of funny watching Tony learn a little bit. We have a track specialist out here now and he’s looking at the tires and he’s like if their chunking, there’s probably not enough rubber on there and it is like they will clean up in the burnout and no he’s like we need them full of rubber. His mentality is to win and that’s what I love. That’s a driver’s mentality of whatever takes. We are going to get up on the tire and get up on the wheel, we are going to make this happen.

“That carries over into my crew and my crew guys. Nobody knows this but a couple of years ago, I gave my bonus to my guys to keep them there.  They were like ‘we’re quitting, we’ll go drive a truck.’ Money motivates everybody. I gave over my bonus to keep my crew guys there and these guys are getting paid what they deserve, and they are happy to be there and wrenching on the car. They are coming in with a smile rather than coming in and me wondering if they are going to quit on me. We have a bad a** team and when the mentality is there, we have an incredible team. That is showing on the racetrack.”

After his sizzling start to 2022, Hagan is upbeat about the future, especially the next race on the schedule the Circle K NHRA Four-Wide Nationals, April 29-May 1 in Concord, N.C., NASCAR country.

“I’m just excited for what’s to come,” he said. “We have a lot in store. I really hope that NHRA sees how big this is for NHRA. To be able to bring a guy like Tony (Stewart) and that caliber and that fan base and the demeanor and charisma he brings to NHRA. I just hope we don’t miss the boat with that and really highlight that not because I’m driving for him, but it is such a good thing for our sport, and it shows how our sport is growing and people want to be here and spend money. It is such a good thing. We need this crossover. We have to have these NASCAR boys and gals. They have big-time money and big-time sponsors, and we need to bring that to NHRA.

“What we have is the most incredible thing ever is and we have to figure out how to showcase it and highlight it better. There’s nothing that we do that is more extreme than this.”