In only the second event in the 2013 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series season, Hagan's team with new crew chief Dickie Venables, assistant Mike Knudsen and several new crew members earned a runner-up finish to teammate Ron Capps on Sunday afternoon.

And Hagan couldn't be happier with each member of his team.

"I am extremely, extremely, extremely proud of this new, young, race team," Hagan said. "For our second race together to come out here and go to the final, that's huge. We have a lot still to learn but I think it's just a taste of what you're going to see this year out of this team."

The Mopar/Rocky Boots Funny Car team had a little help from their friends and Don Schumacher Racing teammate Johnny Gray's crew to get ready for the final round.

"We really pushed to make that new 50-minute turnaround between the semifinals and final," Hagan said. "But we fired up right on time with Ron's NAPA car.

"I just want to say thank you to Johnny Gray's guys for their help. Without them we couldn't have gotten it done. They were over here just hustling and busting their butts as hard as my guys were."

Hagan credits Venables and Knudsen for the early season boost.

"Dickie is a leader over here," he said. "We needed someone that was going to pull the guys together, keep the guys going and lift up the morale. The guys have a lot of direction. Dickie is very hands on. He's out here working with the guys.

"Our assistant crew chief Mike is doing a great job. He's up and coming. He's a clutch guy and he had the opportunity to step up and he's made some really good calls."

PRO STOCK

Erica Enders-Stevens (remember, she is now married to Richie Stevens) outran top qualifier Mike Edwards in the Pro Stock final round to earn her fifth career victory.

She used a quicker reaction time in her GK Racing Chevy Cobalt to take the win from Edwards in his Interstate Batteries / I Am Second Chevy Camaro. Enders-Stevens finished in 6.538 at 211.99, just in front of Edwards’ quicker but losing performance of 6.520 at 213.74.