Rookie contender Hagan set for NHRA season start

(EDITORS: Attached is an all-new digital image of Matt Hagan, taken at the
recent NAPA AUTO PARTS National Time Trials in Chandler, Ariz., for your use
during the 2009 NHRA season. Photo credit: Les Welch. Additional images
available upon request.)

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series
Round 1 of 24
NHRA Winternationals
Auto Club Raceway at Pomona
Pomona, Calif.
Feb. 5-8, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438;
jstropus@earthlink.net

ROOKIE CONTENDER HAGAN SET FOR SEASON START

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (Feb. 3, 2009) - Don Schumacher Racing newcomer Matt
Hagan is eagerly anticipating the start of his first full season in the NHRA
Full Throttle Drag Racing Series at this weekend's NHRA Winternationals in
Pomona, Calif.

Driving the BrakeSafe Rear-End Collision Avoidance System Dodge Funny Car
tuned by crew chief Tommy DeLago, Hagan is a contender for
Rookie-of-the-Year honors and is ready for the challenge following
successful test sessions in West Palm Beach, Fla., and Phoenix.

"It feels great to be going to Pomona this weekend," said Hagan, the 2006
NHRA AMS Pro Mod Challenge Rookie of the Year. "We have a great team
together and it makes me feel confident going into the first race.

"We've had some successful test sessions. But what might look good today
could change tomorrow. So, we'll just keep our fingers crossed and hopefully
go into this race with open eyes and see what happens. We¹ll take it lap by
lap and make sure we do what we need to do to get down the race track.

³Obviously, our goal is to qualify for every race,² he added. ³You kind of
set goals for yourself whenever you embark on new ventures. What I would
like to accomplish at this first race is to qualify, and after we get into
the field it will be anybody's ballgame. I've won from No. 16 before. You
have to be there on Sunday to be able to play to have a chance to win."

Is being top rookie at Pomona high on his list? "I'm really not going to be
thinking about anything other than trying to concentrate on the groove and
making sure to get a feel for the race car," he responded. "I think the rest
of it will come, and if we do well that will fall into place.

"We're going to try to have a relaxed atmosphere in Pomona, do our best on
the track, and try to promote BrakeSafe Rear-End Collision Avoidance System.
We want to get everybody dialed into what this product is and how it can
become available to them."

DeLago was named crew chief on the BrakeSafe Funny Car following a stint as
assistant crew chief to Johnny West on the Valvoline/MTS Dodge. "Tommy can
do anything he puts his mind to," said Hagan. "This guy is super-bight and
I'm very, very thankful to have him on this race car. We're going into this
season with our heads down and try to do the best we can and that's all we
can do. Hopefully it will all turn in our favor."

MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* 2009 NHRA Rookie-of-the-Year contender
* 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 (2)
* Manages family 500-acre Angus Cattle farm in Virginia

SCHEDULE:    
THURSDAY, Feb. 5 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 2 p.m.
FRIDAY, Feb. 6 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2 p.m.
SATURDAY, Feb. 7 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:30 a.m. and 3 p.m.
SUNDAY, Feb. 8 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11
a.m.

TELEVISION:    
Saturday, Feb. 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Feb. 8, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute
news magazine show, at 11:30 a.m. (ET)
Sunday, Feb. 8, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours and thirty
minutes of coverage starting at 6:30 p.m. (ET).
    
SATELLITE:    
Friday, Feb. 6, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 11K (11920 MHz,
vertical)
Saturday, Feb. 7, 10 - 10:30p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 11K (11920 MHz,
vertical)
Sunday, Feb. 8, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 11K (11920 MHz,
vertical)

***