Matt Hagan: "I'm going to have fun at the U.S. Nationals"
DON SCHUMACHER RACING 2009 NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES Round 18 of 24 55th annual U.S. Nationals Raceway Park at Indianapolis Sept. 4-7, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact; Judy Stropus, 203-438-0501; cell 203-243-2438; jstropus@earthlink.net MATT HAGAN: "I'M GOING TO HAVE FUN AT THE U.S. NATIONALS" CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (Sept. 1, 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, is 11th in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car class standings. Only the top 10 following this weekend's 55th annual U.S. Nationals at Raceway Park in Indianapolis will vie for the championship in the final six events of the season in the Countdown to 1 playoffs. So, how is the 26-year-old with a heavy burden on his shoulders going to handle it? "I'm just going to have fun," he said. He'll be driving the Valvoline/shelor.com Funny Car this weekend, as the team, led by tuner Tommy DeLago, continues to showcase different Don Schumacher Racing sponsors throughout the 2009 season. One race remains before the playoffs kick in, and the Angus Cattle farmer from Virginia, who's awaiting the arrival of his second child this month, is just 31 points short of a spot in the top 10. But he's surrounded by two NHRA Funny Car veterans also aiming for a berth in the Countdown to 1: Cruz Pedregon directly in front of him, and Robert Hight, seven markers behind. It's enough to make one scream. "I'm not going to worry about it," said Hagan, with authority and a smile, belying his youth. "It's going to fall where it's going to fall. I know I'm going to do the best job I can out there and I'm going to have fun with it. "Sometimes you can let the pressure get to you and I think that can take away from the fun of it. Of course, it's still my job to go out there and try to win, and obviously we want to do as well as we can. And that's what we're going to do. "For some people the pressure just eats them up and it really affects how they drive the car, the reaction times they have, and so forth. I'm going to go out there and do everything the way I've been doing it. I feel like my reaction times have been very good lately and that I have no issues driving the car down to the other end. "I will try to capitalize on the opportunities as they arise, cut good lights, get it to the finish line and make sure I don't let anybody down, including myself or anybody on the Valvoline/shelor.com team." Teams receive an extra perk this weekend, with a fifth qualifying session added to the schedule for the prestigious event. "Thatıs going to be great," added Hagan, who has one runner-up finish this season and one No. 1 qualifying effort. "We'll take any advantage we can. We had a test session last week at Raceway Park and it didn't go so well. Hopefully we can find some new ideas and new ways of doing things and have a fast race car this weekend." In the four NHRA events he entered in 2009, the U.S. Nationals was the only one at which Hagan qualified. He was No. 16, bowing out to polesitter Tony Pedregon in the opening round of eliminations. MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS: * No. 11 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as a Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner * Is 31 points out of 10th place * Has 10 first-round, five quarterfinal, one semifinal and one runner-up finish so far in 2009 * Qualified No. 16 at 2008 U.S. Nationals, lost first round to Tony Pedregon * Qualified on his first pole in Sonoma, Calif., this year * 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, Sept. 4 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSION at 5:30 p.m. SATURDAY, Sept. 5 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at Noon and 5:45 p.m. RINGERS GLOVES PRO BIKE BATTLE at 1:15 p.m., 5:30 p.m. and 7:40 p.m. SUNDAY, Sept. 6 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. MONDAY, Sept. 7 - Pre-race ceremonies, 9:30 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS at 11 a.m. TELEVISION: Sunday, Sept. 6, ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute magazine show at 11 a.m. (ET). Sunday, Sept. 6, ESPN2 HD will televise two hours and 30 minutes of qualifying coverage at 11:30 a.m. (ET). Sunday, Sept. 6, ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying coverage at 5 p.m. (ET). Monday, Sept. 7, ESPN2 HD will televise a special one hour NHRA Race Day from the U.S. Nationals at noon (ET). Monday, Sept. 7, ESPN2 HD will televise five hours of eliminations coverage at 1 p.m. (ET). SATELLITE (Analog feed): Friday, Sept. 4, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 6K (11820 MHz, horizontal) Saturday, Sept. 5, 10 - 10:30 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 6K (11820 MHz, horizontal) Sunday, Sept. 6, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 6K (11820 MHz, horizontal) Monday, Sept. 7, 6:30 - 7 p.m. (ET) - AMC 15 / Transponder 6K (11820 MHz, horizontal) ***