In only his second full season
competing in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Funny Car points
leader Matt Hagan is happy to be in the championship hunt.
The 27-year-old Angus Cattle farmer from Virginia leads 14-time Funny Car
champion John Force by 37 points as the 2010 season comes to an end at this
weekend's 46th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in
Pomona, Calif.
Racing the DieHard Dodge Charger, Hagan is two rounds of competition ahead
of John Force (20 points per round win). But there are many variables,
including qualifying position (eight points for No. 1), qualifying bonus
points earned (12 total available for the quickest driver in each of four
rounds), plus the opportunity to earn 20 bonus points for setting a national
elapsed-time record. Bottom line: anything can happen!
"I feel really good about everything," said Hagan, whose consistent finishes
this year, plus setting a national ET record during the Countdown, have
earned him the top spot. He has three national-event victories to Force's
five. "It's the end of the year and I'm excited to be in the championship
hunt. We're still leading the points, which is huge, and leading is a lot
better than following coming into the final race, so I'm excited about that.
"My family is going to be with me in Pomona, so I'm looking forward to
spending some time with them. It's just been a great year. Hopefully we
finish strong.
"No matter what happens, we can't lose sight of how much progress we've made
this year. This is the team that in our rookie season last year struggled to
try to make the Countdown. And now we're in a position where we've really
got a legitimate shot to win the championship.
"There are only four rounds of racing left and John Force has to make up
half of those on me, and that's huge. But I know how determined he is, but
so are we.
"It's easy to get wrapped up in this championship, but I think the big
picture is that this DieHard Dodge team has taken huge steps forward in a
short amount of time. And we've all grown together well and are working
together well.
"We've been to three finals in a row and that's tough to do in a Funny Car.
I'm just really proud of the DieHard guys. I'm proud of all the work they're
doing and I'm proud of (crew chief) Tommy DeLago. He's really come into his
own as a crew chief and he's doing a great job. This thing will fall where
it falls, but we sure hope it falls our way."
MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* Born Nov. 11, 1982 in Salem, Va., lives in Christiansburg, Va.
* Married to Rachel; one son, Colby (10/27/06), one daughter Penny Louise
(9/28/09)
* Manages 800 acres of family farmland and raises Angus cattle in Virginia
* No. 1 in 2010 Funny Car standings after five events in the Countdown to
the championship (one semifinal, one quarterfinal, one win, two runner-ups)
* His "regular" 2010 season produced two victories in two final rounds (six
career final rounds), six quarterfinal finishes, five semifinal and four
first rounds
* Is 37 points ahead of John Force in second, 136 ahead of DSR teammate Jack
Beckman in third
* Qualified No. 4 at 2009 Pomona 2 race; lost second round to Ron Capps
* Low qualifier four times so far in 2010, in Gainesville, Denver, Indy and
Reading. Six No. 1 career qualifiers
* Re-set his own national elapsed-time record in Reading 2010: 4.011 seconds
* Set national top-speed record (to 1000 feet) of 316.15 mph in Gainesville
2010. It has since been eclipsed by Ashley Force Hood with a 316.38 mph
* Set national elapsed-time record earlier this year in Chicago 2010: 4.022
seconds
* Has a career round-win record of 53-43 (37-19 in 2010)
* No. 11 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as a Rookie-of-the-Year
frontrunner. Was first finisher outside the Countdown to 1 contenders
* Had two runner-up finishes, 13 first-round, eight quarterfinal, and one
semifinal in 2009
* Qualified on pole twice in 2009: in Sonoma, Calif., and Las Vegas 2
* 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
* 2010 is second season with Don Schumacher Racing
* Won class-best three Funny Car events in 2008 IHRA series, ending season
third in point standings
* Quickest elapsed time to 1000 feet so far: 4.011 seconds (Reading 2010)
* Fastest speed to 1000 feet so far: 316.15 mph (Gainesville 2010)
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Nov. 12 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 13 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 14 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FULL THROTTLE SERIES
eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Nov. 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute
news magazine show, at 10 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN3.com will televise of coverage of eliminations
starting at 2 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN and ESPNHD will televise two hours and 30 minutes of
coverage starting at 9 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Nov. 12, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(Digital SD feed) Saturday, Nov. 13, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 /
Transponder 21K
Sunday, Nov. 14, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(12111 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 18.295441161 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 13.235 Ms;
FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 18 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners¹
interviews on Sunday.
competing in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Funny Car points
leader Matt Hagan is happy to be in the championship hunt.
The 27-year-old Angus Cattle farmer from Virginia leads 14-time Funny Car
champion John Force by 37 points as the 2010 season comes to an end at this
weekend's 46th annual Automobile Club of Southern California NHRA Finals in
Pomona, Calif.
Racing the DieHard Dodge Charger, Hagan is two rounds of competition ahead
of John Force (20 points per round win). But there are many variables,
including qualifying position (eight points for No. 1), qualifying bonus
points earned (12 total available for the quickest driver in each of four
rounds), plus the opportunity to earn 20 bonus points for setting a national
elapsed-time record. Bottom line: anything can happen!
"I feel really good about everything," said Hagan, whose consistent finishes
this year, plus setting a national ET record during the Countdown, have
earned him the top spot. He has three national-event victories to Force's
five. "It's the end of the year and I'm excited to be in the championship
hunt. We're still leading the points, which is huge, and leading is a lot
better than following coming into the final race, so I'm excited about that.
"My family is going to be with me in Pomona, so I'm looking forward to
spending some time with them. It's just been a great year. Hopefully we
finish strong.
"No matter what happens, we can't lose sight of how much progress we've made
this year. This is the team that in our rookie season last year struggled to
try to make the Countdown. And now we're in a position where we've really
got a legitimate shot to win the championship.
"There are only four rounds of racing left and John Force has to make up
half of those on me, and that's huge. But I know how determined he is, but
so are we.
"It's easy to get wrapped up in this championship, but I think the big
picture is that this DieHard Dodge team has taken huge steps forward in a
short amount of time. And we've all grown together well and are working
together well.
"We've been to three finals in a row and that's tough to do in a Funny Car.
I'm just really proud of the DieHard guys. I'm proud of all the work they're
doing and I'm proud of (crew chief) Tommy DeLago. He's really come into his
own as a crew chief and he's doing a great job. This thing will fall where
it falls, but we sure hope it falls our way."
MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* Born Nov. 11, 1982 in Salem, Va., lives in Christiansburg, Va.
* Married to Rachel; one son, Colby (10/27/06), one daughter Penny Louise
(9/28/09)
* Manages 800 acres of family farmland and raises Angus cattle in Virginia
* No. 1 in 2010 Funny Car standings after five events in the Countdown to
the championship (one semifinal, one quarterfinal, one win, two runner-ups)
* His "regular" 2010 season produced two victories in two final rounds (six
career final rounds), six quarterfinal finishes, five semifinal and four
first rounds
* Is 37 points ahead of John Force in second, 136 ahead of DSR teammate Jack
Beckman in third
* Qualified No. 4 at 2009 Pomona 2 race; lost second round to Ron Capps
* Low qualifier four times so far in 2010, in Gainesville, Denver, Indy and
Reading. Six No. 1 career qualifiers
* Re-set his own national elapsed-time record in Reading 2010: 4.011 seconds
* Set national top-speed record (to 1000 feet) of 316.15 mph in Gainesville
2010. It has since been eclipsed by Ashley Force Hood with a 316.38 mph
* Set national elapsed-time record earlier this year in Chicago 2010: 4.022
seconds
* Has a career round-win record of 53-43 (37-19 in 2010)
* No. 11 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as a Rookie-of-the-Year
frontrunner. Was first finisher outside the Countdown to 1 contenders
* Had two runner-up finishes, 13 first-round, eight quarterfinal, and one
semifinal in 2009
* Qualified on pole twice in 2009: in Sonoma, Calif., and Las Vegas 2
* 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
* 2010 is second season with Don Schumacher Racing
* Won class-best three Funny Car events in 2008 IHRA series, ending season
third in point standings
* Quickest elapsed time to 1000 feet so far: 4.011 seconds (Reading 2010)
* Fastest speed to 1000 feet so far: 316.15 mph (Gainesville 2010)
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, Nov. 12 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 1:30 p.m.
SATURDAY, Nov. 13 - FULL THROTTLE SERIES qualifying at 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.
SUNDAY, Nov. 14 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FULL THROTTLE SERIES
eliminations begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Nov. 13, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise two hours of qualifying
highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN2 and ESPN2HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute
news magazine show, at 10 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN3.com will televise of coverage of eliminations
starting at 2 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Nov. 14, ESPN and ESPNHD will televise two hours and 30 minutes of
coverage starting at 9 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE:
Friday, Nov. 12, 8:30 - 9 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(Digital SD feed) Saturday, Nov. 13, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 /
Transponder 21K
Sunday, Nov. 14, 9:30 - 10 p.m. (ET), AMC 3 / Transponder 21K
(12111 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 18.295441161 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 13.235 Ms;
FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 18 Mhz)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners¹
interviews on Sunday.
