Rookie contender Hagan will see "red" in Denver

(EDITORS: Attached is a rendering of the new red design on the shelor.com
Dodge Funny Car that will compete in this weekend¹s Mopar Mile-High
Nationals)

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2009 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 13 of 24
Mopar Mile-High Nationals
Bandimere Speedway
Morrison, Colo.
July 10-12, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

ROOKIE CONTENDER HAGAN WILL SEE 'RED' IN DENVER

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (July 8, 2009) - NHRA Rookie-of-the-Year contender Matt
Hagan will be seeing red this weekend, as Don Schumacher Racing introduces a
bright-red design on the shelor.com Dodge Funny Car he drives at the Mopar
Mile-High Nationals in Morrison, Colo. The scheme will also feature Gates
Belts and Hose prominently on the rear wing panel to show the team's
appreciation of the Denver-based company's longtime support of DSR in the
NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.

Hagan, new to DSR this season, will race at the mile-high Bandimere Speedway
for the first time in his short rookie career as he looks to move up in the
standings. He's tied with Cruz Pedregon in 10th.

"I've never been to Bandimere before," said the 26-year-old Angus Cattle
farmer in Christiansburg, Va., "but we're going to treat it like any other
race and try to put this bright-red shelor.com Dodge in the winner's circle,
especially for Gates Belt and Hose, who have been so supportive of this team
for so long.

"Tommy (DeLago, crew chief) has been at Bandimere several times, and I know
we have a good car, so I have no worries. Hopefully, we'll do well. We have
to get this monkey off our backs this weekend and quit losing these close
races," he said, referring to his early exit at the last event in Norwalk,
Ohio, where he lost by inches to Bob Tasca in the opening round of
eliminations.

"They say racing in Denver is definitely a little different. I'm looking
forward to seeing how that's going to affect my driving and breathing," said
the very fit Hagan, who has reached one final round this season. "But I
don't think I have any issues to really worry about. I just have to go up
there, focus and do better.

"We need to have a little bit of luck come our way, but I also know we have
to create some of our own luck, and if that means trying to cut a better
light or Tommy trying to make it run a little better than he thinks it can
run, then that's what we're going to have to do.

"The shelor.com crew is going to have to be flawless, I'm going to have to
be flawless and Tommy's going to have to make it run as fast as he possibly
can. And, instead of waiting for things to turn around, we're going to have
to make that happen ourselves."

MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* Tied in No. 10 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as a Rookie-of-the-Year
frontrunner
* Has six first-round, four quarterfinal, one semifinal and one runner-up
finish so far in 2009
* Is 150 points short of fifth place in standings
* 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), daughter on the way
* Quickest elapsed time to 1000 feet so far: 4.098 seconds (Phoenix 2009)
* Fastest speed to 1000 feet so far: 306.12 mph (Atlanta 2009)
* Manages family 500-acre Angus Cattle farm in Virginia

SCHEDULE: 
FRIDAY, July 10 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 4:45 and 7:15 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 11 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3:45 and 7:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 12 - Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at
noon.
 
TELEVISION:      
Saturday, July 11, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 10 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 12, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will air NHRA Race Day, at 11 a.m.
(ET).
Sunday, July 12, ESPN2 and ESPN 2 HD will televise three hours of
eliminations coverage at 7 p.m. (ET).
            
SATELLITE (Analog feed):
Friday, July 10, 10 - 10:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz,
vertical)
Saturday, July 11, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz,
vertical)
Sunday, July 12, 12:30 - 1 a.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz,
vertical)
Sunday, July 12, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz,
vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners¹
interviews on Sunday.

***