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 team's 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).
