Hagan hanging on the edge of Countdown heading into Brainerd

DON SCHUMACHER RACING
2009 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
Round 16 of 24
28th annual NHRA NATIONALS
Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway
Aug. 14-16, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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

HAGAN HANGING ON THE EDGE OF COUNTDOWN HEADING INTO BRAINERD

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (Aug. 11, 2009) -  Matt Hagan is hanging on by a thread
to 11th place in the NHRA Funny Car point standings, and his chances of
making it into the Countdown to 1 playoffs are strong. He's just six markers
out of a spot on the list of the top 10 drivers who will contend for the
title in the final six races, and he's banking on continuing his and the
teamıs recent solid performances at this weekend's NHRA Nationals at
Brainerd (Minn.) International Raceway.

Fresh from scoring his first No. 1 qualifying position in Sonoma, Calif.,
three weekends ago, which followed two straight No. 3 qualifiers, the
26-year-old contender for the 2009 Automobile Club of Southern California
Road to the Future Award as an NHRA rookie-of-the-year frontrunner is
charged up for the battle in these last three events before the Countdown
kicks in.

Driving the shelor.com Dodge Charger with the Valvoline Engine Guarantee
program featured on its rear panel this weekend, Hagan will make his first
visit to Brainerd. After spending these off-weeks back on his family's
500-acre Angus Cattle farm in Christiansburg, Va., where he baled hay, built
fences, rode the Bobcat, and enjoyed time with his expecting wife Rachel and
son Colby, he's ready to attack Brainerd's drag strip racing an
8000-horsepower Funny Car.

"I've never been to Brainerd, so it's going to be a new one for me," said
Hagan, who has competed before in Reading, Pa., and the U.S. Nationals in
Indianapolis (the final two events before the Countdown). "It will be
interesting to see how our team steps up to make sure that we secure
ourselves a place in the Countdown. That's very, very important to us.

"Obviously, it would have been great to have had some experience in
Brainerd, but a lot of these tracks this year are new to me and I'm learning
them as I go along. I feel like once I have a lap or two underneath my belt,
I'll be good. It is such a tight chase to the Countdown for those of us
aiming to make the top 10, narrowing down that learning curve will help.

"I'm just excited to be going racing again," he added. "We had a long break
and I'm ready to get back at it. ESPN gave me a FLIP camera and I've been
trying to film all my activities, which included competing in a fishing
tournament, working on the farm and on some of my equipment. It's been kind
of relaxing spending time with my family. Rachel had a big honey-do list for
me so I've been trying to knock that out so that she would feel comfortable
until the time comes for us to have our new baby girl (in September)."

MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 11 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as a Rookie-of-the-Year
frontrunner
* Has eight first-round, five quarterfinal, one semifinal and one runner-up
finish so far in 2009
* Qualified on his first pole in Sonoma, Calif., this year
* Is six points short of 10th place in standings; 182 markers out of fifth
place
* 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: 4.068 seconds (Sonoma 2009)
* Fastest speed to 1000 feet so far: 307.51 mph (Sonoma 2009)
* Manages family 500-acre Angus Cattle farm in Virginia

SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Aug. 14 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:45 and 5:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Aug. 15 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15
p.m.
SUNDAY, Aug. 16 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at
11 a.m. 
 
TELEVISION:      
Saturday, Aug. 15, ESPN2  and ESPN2 HD will televise one hour of qualifying
highlights at 6 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Aug. 16, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m.
(ET).
Sunday, Aug. 16, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of
eliminations at 10 p.m. (ET).
            
SATELLITE (Analog feed):
Friday, Aug. 14, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 17K (12040 MHz,
vertical)
Saturday, Aug. 15, 7:30 - 8.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 17K (12040 MHz,
vertical)
Sunday, Aug. 16, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 17K (12040 MHz,
vertical)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winnersı
interviews on Sunday.

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