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, qualified the Valvoline Engine
Guarantee/shelor.com Dodge Funny Car in No. 15 for the U.S. Nationals at Raceway Park at
Indianapolis. Only one run of two remaining qualifying sessions took place today due to a long rain
delay.
He drew himself a tough match-up against Ashley Force Hood in the opening round of eliminations on
Sunday, while his Don Schumacher Racing teammate Ron Capps will face off against Cruz Pedregon.
Hagan is in 11th place, 31 points behind Pedregon, and only the top 10 in points will vie for the
championship in the Countdown to 1 playoffs, which begin following this weekend's event for the
final six races.
"It's going to be a great race tomorrow," said Hagan. "We haven't done the best in qualifying this
weekend, but we're in the show, and that's all that matters. You have to be in it to win it.
"I'm looking forward to getting a good night's rest, getting a good dinner in me, eating the right
stuff and getting up tomorrow with the right attitude.
"We've kind of been struggling here lately. The times are showing that and not showing what our car
is capable of.
"Obviously, we have a difficult draw tomorrow with Ashley Force, but we have to get around her to
secure ourselves a place in the top 10. We're going to give it our best effort and make sure we do
everything that we can do to secure our spot."
