Rookie Hagan continues on learning curve in Seattle

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2209 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 14 of 24
NHRA NORTHWEST NATIONALS
Pacific Raceways
Kent, Wash.
July 17-19, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

ROOKIE HAGAN CONTINUES ON LEARNING CURVE IN SEATTLE

KENT, Wash. (July 14, 2009) - Matt Hagan, a contender for the 2009
Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award as an NHRA
rookie-of-the-year frontrunner, continues on his pro-driver learning curve
as he competes this weekend at another new venue for him at the NHRA
Northwest Nationals at Pacific Raceways.

The 26-year-old Angus Cattle farmer from Christiansburg, Va., who drives the
shelor.com Dodge Funny Car for Don Schumacher Racing this year, is checking
off new tracks on his list as he aims for not only the rookie-of-the-year
honors but the championship as well.

It's anyone's game as the top 10 in points begin the Countdown to 1 playoffs
in the final six races of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
Hagan is No. 9 in the rankings and has as good an opportunity as the other
nine to battle it out for the crown to the finish.

Getting accustomed to the unique qualities of each new venue is part of the
deal. "I've never been to Seattle," he said. "I'm looking forward to it.
It's always a new experience learning these new tracks. All the tracks look
the same but they act so differently. Like in Denver. It wanted to pull you
to the right in both lanes, so you just had to know that and compensate for
it.

"It's fun to walk into something totally new and try to conquer it. You just
never know what you're going to get with these 8000-horsepower cars at these
race tracks under different conditions, so you definitely have to keep your
eyes wide open in the car, pay attention and make sure you do your job out
there."

As for getting down to sea level after a weekend competing on a mile-high
track carved out of the side of a mountain in Denver, "I can finally start
breathing again," said Hagan, who reached one final round this year in Las
Vegas. "The biggest thing with being mile-high is you have to keep hydrated.
You can feel the altitude as soon as you get off the airplane. It's nothing
major. I didn't go do any running there.

"There's going to be some more downforce on the car at sea level, so
hopefully it will handle a lot better. In Denver the car was definitely
darting around a lot and you had to stay on top of it. That was a concern
for me because we just front-halved the car and I asked Tommy (DeLago, crew
chief) why it was not driving the way it should. He said it was most likely
the air up there in Denver, or the lack of it. So, by getting back to sea
level, the car should start to run like a string again, straight down the
groove. 

"I have a lot of confidence in the Don Schumacher chassis builders.
Everything that we've gotten from them this year has been top-notch,
first-class all the way. And that's why I was a little surprised that it
didn't handle as well. I learned a lot about racing in thin air, so I can't
wait to get back to sea level and hopefully not have to saw at the wheel so
much.˛

MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 9 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as a Rookie-of-the-Year
frontrunner
* Has six first-round, five quarterfinal, one semifinal and one runner-up
finish so far in 2009
* Is 126 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 17 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 3 and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, July 18 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at noon and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, July 19 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at
11 a.m.
 
TELEVISION:        
Saturday, July 18, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 7 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, July 19, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day at 11a.m.
(ET)
Sunday, July 19, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise three hours of coverage
starting at 9 p.m. (ET).
                   
SATELLITE (Analog feed):
Friday, July 17, 11 - 11:30 p.m. (ET), Galaxy 18 / Transponder 23K (12160
MHz, vertical)
Saturday, July 18, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), Galaxy 18 / Transponder 23K (12160
MHz, vertical)
Sunday, July 19, 9 - 9:30 p.m. (ET), Galaxy 18 / Transponder 23K (12160 MHz,
vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winnersą
interviews on Sunday.

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