Lagana breaks IHRA Top Fuel speed record

Words by Larry Crum
Photos courtesy IHRA

Just moments after crossing the finish line Saturday night, Aug. 10, during round one of the CarSafe Northern Nitro Jam at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park, Dom Lagana leapt from his car and sent the IHRA safety crew into a tizzy.

Was Dom’s Top Fuel Dragster on fire? Was there an issue no one could see?

Then the call came in from top end, “Don’t worry, guys, he is just celebrating.”

Indeed Lagana had stopped on the track, but it was just to release some energy and give his big brother and crew a hug worthy of a record-setting occasion. After all Dom Lagana had just made the fastest pass in the 40+ year history of the International Hot Rod Association.

In front of a capacity crowd at U.S. 131 Motorsports Park Saturday night, Lagana set the new benchmark in IHRA Top Fuel competition with the single fastest pass in IHRA history at 330.79 miles per hour, covering the quarter mile in 4.633 seconds.

“Man, that was unbelievable. I thought on that first pass we were going to be conservative, but just before we pulled out of the pits Bob (brother) leans in and says ‘the track looks good, let’s go for it’ and we did,” Lagana said. “It is such a cool feeling to put our names up there with so many legends that have raced with IHRA. To be listed with guys like Clay Millican, Bruce Litton, Shirley Muldowney, Doug Herbert – all drag racing legends – is amazing.

“When I heard them on the radio say 330, I told them to say it again. When they did I really couldn’t contain my emotion. I stopped right there on the track. Several people thought I blew up or was in trouble. But I just kept thinking ‘hell, I just want to get out of this thing and hug somebody.’ It is such an unreal moment, something I will never forget.”

Lagana’s record setting run came during round one of Saturday’s CarSafe Northern Nitro Jam presented by Perry Harley-Davidson. To add to the excitement Lagana produced another tremendous run, a 4.664 at 296.24 mph even with a broken belt, in the final to sweep the weekend in Top Fuel over Bruce Litton.