[coverattach=1]JOLIET, Ill. (June 6, 2009) - Matt Hagan, a frontrunner in the 2009 NHRA Rookie-of-the-Year program, planted the FRAM Tough Guard Funny Car into the No. 8 position for Sunday's NHRA Route 66 Nationals at Route 66 Raceway.
Hagan, crew chief Tommy DeLago and the entire FRAM Tough Guard crew enjoyed consistent runs all weekend in Hagan's first visit to Route 66 Raceway. He recorded his quickest pass of 4.133 seconds at 300.93 mph in the final session today. His other laps were a 4.244/288.03 (No. 6) and 4.160/298.60 (No. 6) on Friday, and a 4.178/255.82 earlier today.
"It seems like we have a really good race car this weekend," said the 26-year-old Angus Cattle farmer from Christiansburg, Va., whose team is also supported by shelor.com. "Tommy has a handle on this race car. In the second lap today I clicked it off about 800 feet and it still ran a 4.17. That shows you that we still have a lot in the bank.
"We hope to have the right conditions tomorrow to go out there and try to apply that power. I think it's going to be a little tricky because these cars, once you get off the asphalt, want to spin (the tires) a little bit. We're going to leave it in Tommy's hands and see what happens.
"I'm really excited. I really feel we have a race car that can win this thing."
He faces Robert Hight in the first round of Sunday's eliminations. "I think Robert is going to be a tough competitor," said Hagan. "He has been struggling a little bit at the beginning of this year. They're really a smart group of people over there at John Force Racing and it's just a matter of time before they figure this car out. We're just hoping they don't figure out in the morning."
Hagan, crew chief Tommy DeLago and the entire FRAM Tough Guard crew enjoyed consistent runs all weekend in Hagan's first visit to Route 66 Raceway. He recorded his quickest pass of 4.133 seconds at 300.93 mph in the final session today. His other laps were a 4.244/288.03 (No. 6) and 4.160/298.60 (No. 6) on Friday, and a 4.178/255.82 earlier today.
"It seems like we have a really good race car this weekend," said the 26-year-old Angus Cattle farmer from Christiansburg, Va., whose team is also supported by shelor.com. "Tommy has a handle on this race car. In the second lap today I clicked it off about 800 feet and it still ran a 4.17. That shows you that we still have a lot in the bank.
"We hope to have the right conditions tomorrow to go out there and try to apply that power. I think it's going to be a little tricky because these cars, once you get off the asphalt, want to spin (the tires) a little bit. We're going to leave it in Tommy's hands and see what happens.
"I'm really excited. I really feel we have a race car that can win this thing."
He faces Robert Hight in the first round of Sunday's eliminations. "I think Robert is going to be a tough competitor," said Hagan. "He has been struggling a little bit at the beginning of this year. They're really a smart group of people over there at John Force Racing and it's just a matter of time before they figure this car out. We're just hoping they don't figure out in the morning."
