MARTIN, Mich. – At the 18th annual US 131 Northern Nationals, Donnie Hagar proved once again that he is the consummate drag racer. He can beat you with his car or he can beat you with someone else’s. He can win at the quarter mile distance or the eighth mile; with a car or with a truck and he can do it in either the conventional manner or through the buyback process.

The 21-year-old did all of that, and more, during Saturday and Sunday racing in the Lane Automotive Bracket Series and, as a result, he again is Gary Hunt’s Racer of the Week at US 131 Motorsports Park.

It’s the fourth time the volunteer fireman has been so honored and this time it literally was no contest.

Hagar, who works for the City of Hudson, turned on 27 win lights over the two days of competition driving in Modified, Street and Top Eliminator.

He wheeled his familiar blue Pontiac Firebird into the Street Eliminator winner’s circle on both days – at the quarter mile distance on Saturday and at one eighth mile on Sunday, buying back after going red by .006 in the first round. On Saturday, he also won Modified driving Heinz Haller’s Chevy S-10 pickup in which he won five more rounds Sunday.

A two-time US 131 Champion in Street (2015 and 2017) and the 2018 IHRA Thunder Division champion in Modified, Donnie is the son of 2016 track champ Ron Hagar. Coincidentally, on the same August weekend in 2017, Donnie won 21 rounds and two races en route to Racer of the Week recognition.

Congratulations, Donnie, from Gary Hunt and everyone at US 131 Motorsports Park.

ABOUT GARY HUNT

Gary Hunt is in his 12th season as the track announcer at US 131 Motorsports Park, a track on which he won seven championships in Stock Eliminator and the brackets. His experience as a race car driver has served him well behind the mike and while he often misses the thrill of competition, his “desk job” is not without its benefits. “It’s given me the best seat in the house, which is always climate controlled,” he said. “I never break any parts, don’t have to wait in line and I leave with a little bit of money every week.”