ROCKINGHAM, N.C. — Matt Hagan spent two seasons trying unsuccessfully to find the winner’s circle in IHRA’s Pro Modified class. He moved into a Nitro Funny Car for the 2008 season — a move that has agreed with him so far.
Hagan secured his first-career Nitro Funny Car round win on his way to his first-career national event victory at the 37th annual IHRA Spring Nationals at Rockingham Dragway, defeating Paul Lee in the final round.
Hagan got a gift in the final when Lee’s car, which had been flawless all weekend, finally stumbled. Lee was ahead by 0.2 second at half-track and Hagan, making just his second Funny Car start, thought his own Cinderella story was over.
“I knew I had a bad light,” Hagan said, “and I said, ‘Oh man, it’s over now.’  It went into (tire) shake. I pedaled it (feathered the throttle) real quick. When I went around him, I was shaking already. I’ve been after one of these for a long time. Two years in Pro Mod. My tuner, Jay Lewis, made it all happen for me today. I couldn’t have a better tuner.”
Rookie sensation Spencer Massey kept his record perfect in the IHRA Nitro Jam Drag Racing Series, upsetting No. 1 qualifier Bruce Litton for the second-consecutive race.
Massey, 25, won the season-opening Amalie Texas Nationals at San Antonio just six days after qualifying for his Top Fuel license and hooking up with car owner Mitch King. He beat Litton in the first round of that race. He stopped the reigning series champion in the final at Rockingham.
Massey never trailed in Sunday’s final.  He had a .038-.069 advantage at the starting line and never looked back, his 4.712 second, 313.51-mile-per- hour effort covering Litton’s 4.764 at 310.13 mph. 
Other winners included Carolina favorite-son Elijah Morton, who upset defending champion John Montecalvo in the Pro Stock final and Laurie Cannister, who kept her 2008 record perfect in the Alcohol Funny Car class by besting two-time former series champ Rob Atchison.
In Pro Modified, Canadian Kenny Lang proved that the third time is indeed a charm by driving his 1953 Chevy Corvette to an uncontested victory over defending champion Scotty Cannon, to whom he lost in last year’s Spring Nationals. Lang has been to only three IHRA tour finals — all three at Rockingham, where he was runner-up to Mike Janis at last October’s World Finals.
Pro-Am winners included Brett Nesbitt, who doubled up in Quick Rod, adding the Spring Nationals title to the Summit All-Stars championship he earned on Saturday. Malinda Bertozzi, wife of multiple world champion Anthony Bertozzi, claimed the Top Dragster title while Sandy Wilkins prevailed in Top Sportsman, Bernard Weaver in Super Rod, Marshall Smith in Hot Rod, Jeff Tripp in Super Stock and Dan Fletcher in Stock.
The finals:
Top Fuel: Spencer Massey, 4.712 seconds, 313.51 mph  def. Bruce Litton, 4.764 seconds, 310.13 mph. 
Nitro Funny Car: Matt Hagan, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.227, 269.35  def. Paul Lee, Monte Carlo, 5.367, 244.83. 
Pro Modified: Kenny Lang, Chevy Corvette, 6.540, 194.86 def. Scott Cannon, Pontiac Firebird, broke. 
Alcohol Funny Car: Laurie Cannister, Chevy Camaro, 5.716, 231.40  def. Rob Atchison, Chevy Monte Carlo, 5.876, 244.60.
Pro Stock: Elijah Morton, Ford Mustang, 6.345, 219.65 def. John Montecalvo, Chevy Cobalt, 6.336, 220.51. 
Top Sportsman: Sandy Wilkins, Chevy Cavalier, 7.169, 191.05  def. Travis Harvey, Chevy Camaro, 12.908, 104.19. 
Top Dragster: Malinda Bertozzi, Dragster, 6.629, 188.78 def. Edward Careccia, Dragster, 5.928, 237.25. 
Super Stock: Jeff Tripp, Chevy Monte Carlo, 10.759, 104.27  def. Anthony Bertozzi, Pontiac Grand Am, foul. 
Stock: Dan Fletcher, Chevy Camaro, 11.299, 89.68  def. Lee Zane, Pontiac Firebird, 10.771, 121.58.
Quick Rod: Brett Nesbitt, Dragster, 8.929, 171.66  def. Jacob Elrod, Dragster, 8.919, 161.69.
Super Rod: Bernard Weaver, Dodge Daytona, 9.887, 150.40 def. Calvin Butler, Oldsmobile Cutlass, foul. 
Hot Rod: Marshall Smith, Sr., Chevy Chevelle, 10.910, 120.51  def. John Furr, Chevy Nova, 10.921, 139.85.