[coverattach=1]CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (March 24, 2009) - NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner Matt Hagan is a rookie on a roll so far this 2009 season.
Driving the Shelor.com Dodge Funny Car, he defeated half of John Force Racing's stable of Funny Cars (Robert Hight and Ashley Force Hood) before landing in the semifinals in the third event of the season in Gainesville, Fla., and is seventh in the point standings. Prior to Gainesville, he had only won one round of eliminations in the six pro events he had entered in his career - in the second race of 2009 in Phoenix.
The 26-year-old Angus Cattle farmer is well prepared, albeit cautiously optimistic, to take on all comers as the series heads to Houston Raceway Park for the NHRA Spring Nationals this weekend.
"It's kind of a tough deal because these Funny Cars are so unpredictable," he said. "I think it's great that we've been able to do as well as we have in such a short period of time, but you can come out here and do well one race and not qualify for the next.
"I've learned in drag racing to be very, very humble. Not taking anything away from what we've accomplished as a team, but I'm going into my next race making sure that we still take each lap at a time and not get ahead of ourselves.
"I feel really confident in Tommy (DeLago, crew chief). He's got a good handle on the Shelor.com Dodge and I think that once we get in one or two good laps in qualifying we can show what we can do."
MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 7 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner
* Has one first-round, one quarterfinal and one semifinal finish so far in 2009
* Entered NHRA Funny Car class four times in 2008, qualifying once at the U.S. Nationals
* 2006 NHRA AMS Pro Mod Challenge Rookie of the Year
* First season with Don Schumacher Racing
* Won class-best three Funny Car events in 2008 IHRA series, ending season third in point standings
* Born Nov. 11, 1982 in Salem, Va., lives in Christiansburg, Va.
* Married to Rachel; one son, Colby (10/27/06)
* Manages family 500-acre Angus Cattle farm in Virginia
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, March 27 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 1:30 & 5 p.m. SATURDAY, March 28 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. SUNDAY, March 29 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, March 28, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise one hour of qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, March 29, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11a.m. (ET).
Sunday, March 29, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours and thirty minutes of coverage starting at 4:30 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed):
Friday, March 27, 9 - 9:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 1K (11720 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, March 28, 8 - 8:30p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 1K (11720 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, March 29, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 1K (11720 MHz, vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners' interviews on Sunday.
Driving the Shelor.com Dodge Funny Car, he defeated half of John Force Racing's stable of Funny Cars (Robert Hight and Ashley Force Hood) before landing in the semifinals in the third event of the season in Gainesville, Fla., and is seventh in the point standings. Prior to Gainesville, he had only won one round of eliminations in the six pro events he had entered in his career - in the second race of 2009 in Phoenix.
The 26-year-old Angus Cattle farmer is well prepared, albeit cautiously optimistic, to take on all comers as the series heads to Houston Raceway Park for the NHRA Spring Nationals this weekend.
"It's kind of a tough deal because these Funny Cars are so unpredictable," he said. "I think it's great that we've been able to do as well as we have in such a short period of time, but you can come out here and do well one race and not qualify for the next.
"I've learned in drag racing to be very, very humble. Not taking anything away from what we've accomplished as a team, but I'm going into my next race making sure that we still take each lap at a time and not get ahead of ourselves.
"I feel really confident in Tommy (DeLago, crew chief). He's got a good handle on the Shelor.com Dodge and I think that once we get in one or two good laps in qualifying we can show what we can do."
MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 7 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner
* Has one first-round, one quarterfinal and one semifinal finish so far in 2009
* Entered NHRA Funny Car class four times in 2008, qualifying once at the U.S. Nationals
* 2006 NHRA AMS Pro Mod Challenge Rookie of the Year
* First season with Don Schumacher Racing
* Won class-best three Funny Car events in 2008 IHRA series, ending season third in point standings
* Born Nov. 11, 1982 in Salem, Va., lives in Christiansburg, Va.
* Married to Rachel; one son, Colby (10/27/06)
* Manages family 500-acre Angus Cattle farm in Virginia
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, March 27 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 1:30 & 5 p.m. SATURDAY, March 28 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. SUNDAY, March 29 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, March 28, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise one hour of qualifying highlights at 8 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, March 29, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11a.m. (ET).
Sunday, March 29, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours and thirty minutes of coverage starting at 4:30 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed):
Friday, March 27, 9 - 9:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 1K (11720 MHz, vertical)
Saturday, March 28, 8 - 8:30p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 1K (11720 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, March 29, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 1K (11720 MHz, vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners' interviews on Sunday.
