[coverattach=1]CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (June 3, 2009) - In support of FRAM and his Don Schumacher teammate Cory McClenathan, NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Rookie-of-the-Year contender Matt Hagan will trade the shelor.com Funny Car body for a FRAM Tough Guard design on the Dodge Charger he will drive in this weekend's NHRA Route 66 Nationals in Joliet, Ill.
The Top Fuel dragster that McClenathan races for Don Schumacher Racing will wear a different, unique design for this weekend's event at Route 66 Raceway, outside of Chicago, the details of which will be announced later this week.
"We've been planning for some time to help provide FRAM some additional excitement to their branding," said team owner Don Schumacher. "So, we've come up with a special design for the Funny Car Matt Hagan drives for DSR to help promote the FRAM Tough Guard brand and as a way to say thanks to FRAM for their support."
“We’re thrilled to have Matt Hagan representing the FRAM brand in Chicago,” said Kelley O’Donnell, Director of Global Coolants and CPG Motorsports for Honeywell Consumer Products. “He is a terrific young driver and has a long successful career ahead of him."
For Hagan, Route 66 Raceway is another new race track he'll have to learn during his rookie season, as this will be his first trip to what is considered one of the smoothest and fastest drag strips on the NHRA circuit.
"I've never been to Chicago before," said Hagan, who has reached one final round this season and stands seventh in the rankings. "I heard it is really a great track. I'm looking forward to getting there early. I'm excited to be running the FRAM Tough Guard body in support of one of DSR's top sponsors, and I'll get to meet all the people at Schumacher Electric while I'm there.
"It's going to be great because it's Don's home track and I can't wait to get on this drag strip because everyone has told me it's a really fast race track, and hopefully we'll have good conditions this weekend.
"It's exciting to learn these new tracks and check them off on the 'done' list and make sure we do the right stuff to go rounds. We're coming off of two first-round losses in a row, which we're not used to. We're going to have to see how strong everybody is out here, keep our heads up, move forward and keep going rounds.”
MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 7 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner
* Has three first-round, four quarterfinal, one semifinal and one runner-up finish so far in 2009
* Is 73 points short of fifth place in standings
* 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: 4.098 seconds (Phoenix 2009)
* Fastest speed to 1000 feet so far: 306.12 mph (Atlanta 2009)
* Manages family 500-acre Angus Cattle farm in Virginia
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, June 5 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 6 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at noon and 3:00 p.m.
SUNDAY, June 7 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10:30 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, June 6, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday June 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, June 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of eliminations at 4 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE: Friday, June 5, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
(Analog feed) Saturday, June 6, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, June 7, 730 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 11K (11760 MHz, vertical)
The Top Fuel dragster that McClenathan races for Don Schumacher Racing will wear a different, unique design for this weekend's event at Route 66 Raceway, outside of Chicago, the details of which will be announced later this week.
"We've been planning for some time to help provide FRAM some additional excitement to their branding," said team owner Don Schumacher. "So, we've come up with a special design for the Funny Car Matt Hagan drives for DSR to help promote the FRAM Tough Guard brand and as a way to say thanks to FRAM for their support."
“We’re thrilled to have Matt Hagan representing the FRAM brand in Chicago,” said Kelley O’Donnell, Director of Global Coolants and CPG Motorsports for Honeywell Consumer Products. “He is a terrific young driver and has a long successful career ahead of him."
For Hagan, Route 66 Raceway is another new race track he'll have to learn during his rookie season, as this will be his first trip to what is considered one of the smoothest and fastest drag strips on the NHRA circuit.
"I've never been to Chicago before," said Hagan, who has reached one final round this season and stands seventh in the rankings. "I heard it is really a great track. I'm looking forward to getting there early. I'm excited to be running the FRAM Tough Guard body in support of one of DSR's top sponsors, and I'll get to meet all the people at Schumacher Electric while I'm there.
"It's going to be great because it's Don's home track and I can't wait to get on this drag strip because everyone has told me it's a really fast race track, and hopefully we'll have good conditions this weekend.
"It's exciting to learn these new tracks and check them off on the 'done' list and make sure we do the right stuff to go rounds. We're coming off of two first-round losses in a row, which we're not used to. We're going to have to see how strong everybody is out here, keep our heads up, move forward and keep going rounds.”
MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 7 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner
* Has three first-round, four quarterfinal, one semifinal and one runner-up finish so far in 2009
* Is 73 points short of fifth place in standings
* 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: 4.098 seconds (Phoenix 2009)
* Fastest speed to 1000 feet so far: 306.12 mph (Atlanta 2009)
* Manages family 500-acre Angus Cattle farm in Virginia
SCHEDULE:
FRIDAY, June 5 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m.
SATURDAY, June 6 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at noon and 3:00 p.m.
SUNDAY, June 7 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10:30 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, June 6, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday June 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will air NHRA Race Day at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, June 7, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of eliminations at 4 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE: Friday, June 5, 10:30 - 11 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
(Analog feed) Saturday, June 6, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 3K (11760 MHz, vertical)
Sunday, June 7, 730 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 15 / Transponder 11K (11760 MHz, vertical)
