Dan Horan with Ron Swearingen.

“I’m just so happy for my team,” stated Swearingen, enjoying a victory cigar while sitting on the steps of the hauler watching the celebration taking place.

Horan’s reaction was honest and forthright. “I don’t think it will sink in for a day or two that we won this race. This car has been arguably the best car in the class, and it needed one thing, somebody to drive it right. And finally it looks like we found that.”

As the team celebrated their win and “Huggy” Fears’ birthday and the rock music was blasting there seemed to be a sense of relief for team that they could close the deal. Many other teams, crewmembers, and fans joined in on the celebration. For Horan and Swearingen, it had been a hard day’s night, but a very rewarding one.

In the big picture of the points chase, Horan is the third different winner in three races. Nevertheless, the one constant is that Horan has been in all three finals of the year to this point.

The next stop on the Heritage Series for the Funny Cars will be July 18-20 at Mission Raceway in Mission, British Columbia, Canada. They do not call that place the mineshaft for nothing. If conditions permit, some big, big numbers could come from there. It will be exciting for sure.