[coverattach=1]CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. (Oct. 2, 2009) - With the birth of his second child Penny Louise Hagan just hours after he arrived home last Sunday in Christiansburg, Va., from the Ennis, Texas, event of the 2009 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series, Matt Hagan is relaxed, ready and roaring to get back on track at this weekend's NHRA Mid-South Nationals at Memphis Motorsports Park.
Driving the Valvoline Engine Guarantee/shelor.com Dodge Funny Car, the contender for the 2009 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award as an NHRA rookie-of-the-year frontrunner is aiming to win his first national event before the season is over in four events.
Though not a Countdown to 1 playoffs contender, he is hoping to be instrumental in helping his Don Schumacher Racing teammates Ron Capps and Jack Beckman earn the championship crown.
"Other than feeling like a walking zombie this week, I will be definitely more focused," said Hagan, who has reached the final round twice this year and is 12th in the standings. The best he could finish this season is 11th.
"Penny Louise's arrival worked out great. We couldn't have asked for anything better. A half hour before I walked in the door last Sunday, Rachel was beginning to show signs it was time. We had Penny Louise at 4:05 a.m. on Monday. We were up the whole night. We kind of got settled in about 8 that morning, and then we got a little power nap for 30 minutes and I had to get up and go back to work on the farm," said Hagan, who manages his family's 500-acre Angus Cattle farm in Virginia. "When I got back home, all my family and friends were there to congratulate us. I finally got some sleep last night and so did Rachel.
"I'm looking forward to Memphis because it’s just a great town. I was at the race track last year with my Funny Car so I'm familiar with the track and hopefully Tommy (DeLago, crew chief) can put a great race car under me and I drive the wheels off of it.
"We're going to go have fun with it. There's no pressure. I want to go out and take out a couple of guys this weekend and help out my teammates."
MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 12 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as a Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner
* Has 12 first-round, five quarterfinal, one semifinal and two runner-up finishes so far in 2009
* Qualified on his first pole in Sonoma, Calif., this year
* 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), one daughter Penny Louise (9/28/09)
* 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, Oct. 2 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:15 and 4:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oct. 3 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, Oct. 4 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Oct. 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed) :
Friday, Oct. 2, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, Oct. 3, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Oct. 4, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
Driving the Valvoline Engine Guarantee/shelor.com Dodge Funny Car, the contender for the 2009 Automobile Club of Southern California Road to the Future Award as an NHRA rookie-of-the-year frontrunner is aiming to win his first national event before the season is over in four events.
Though not a Countdown to 1 playoffs contender, he is hoping to be instrumental in helping his Don Schumacher Racing teammates Ron Capps and Jack Beckman earn the championship crown.
"Other than feeling like a walking zombie this week, I will be definitely more focused," said Hagan, who has reached the final round twice this year and is 12th in the standings. The best he could finish this season is 11th.
"Penny Louise's arrival worked out great. We couldn't have asked for anything better. A half hour before I walked in the door last Sunday, Rachel was beginning to show signs it was time. We had Penny Louise at 4:05 a.m. on Monday. We were up the whole night. We kind of got settled in about 8 that morning, and then we got a little power nap for 30 minutes and I had to get up and go back to work on the farm," said Hagan, who manages his family's 500-acre Angus Cattle farm in Virginia. "When I got back home, all my family and friends were there to congratulate us. I finally got some sleep last night and so did Rachel.
"I'm looking forward to Memphis because it’s just a great town. I was at the race track last year with my Funny Car so I'm familiar with the track and hopefully Tommy (DeLago, crew chief) can put a great race car under me and I drive the wheels off of it.
"We're going to go have fun with it. There's no pressure. I want to go out and take out a couple of guys this weekend and help out my teammates."
MATT HAGAN QUICK FACTS:
* No. 12 in 2009 Funny Car point standings, as a Rookie-of-the-Year frontrunner
* Has 12 first-round, five quarterfinal, one semifinal and two runner-up finishes so far in 2009
* Qualified on his first pole in Sonoma, Calif., this year
* 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), one daughter Penny Louise (9/28/09)
* 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, Oct. 2 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 2:15 and 4:45 p.m.
SATURDAY, Oct. 3 - PROFESSIONAL QUALIFYING SESSIONS at 11:15 a.m. and 2:15 p.m.
SUNDAY, Oct. 4 - Pre-race ceremonies, 10 a.m. FINAL ELIMINATIONS begin at 11 a.m.
TELEVISION:
Saturday, Oct. 3, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise two hours of qualifying highlights at 10:30 p.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise NHRA Race Day, a 30-minute news magazine show, at 11 a.m. (ET).
Sunday, Oct. 4, ESPN2 and ESPN2 HD will televise three hours of eliminations at 7 p.m. (ET).
SATELLITE (Analog feed) :
Friday, Oct. 2, 8 - 8:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Saturday, Oct. 3, 7:30 - 8 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Sunday, Oct. 4, 7 - 7:30 p.m. (ET), AMC 16 / Transponder 14K (11980 MHz, horizontal)
Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.
