Being runner-up no longer enough for rancher Hagan, DSR team, ready to steer Dodge Charger R/T into St. Louis winner's circle

September 26

BROWNSBURG, Ind. (Sept. 26, 2012) - Matt Hagan doesn't want anyone tossing a hand grenade at him. Even though he is a cattle farmer, the Virginian probably won't play horseshoes either.

"Close" is not a word he wants to hear anymore, especially if it's about how close he's come to winning his first NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series event title this season.

On Sunday near Dallas, Hagan and the Aaron's Dream Machine Funny Car advanced to the championship round for the third time in the past six events. The other three races within that run he advanced to the semifinals.

Because he and crew chief Tommy DeLago did not qualify for the Countdown to the Championship playoff this year after winning the prestigious title a year ago, the team is running to win trophies.

"We know what we are capable of doing and we've shown that the last six races, but I just want to win a trophy - for me, the team, our sponsors," Hagan said. "I know we will before the season is over, but I'm really getting frustrated."

Hagan regrets that his frustration boiled over after he lost in the final round Sunday to Bob Tasca III after both cars lost traction briefly and smoked their tires. Hagan, however, was able to react quickly enough to take the lead until the blower belt came off and allowed Tasca to cruise by.

When Hagan got out of his Dodge Charger R/T, he tossed his helmet.

"Man, I really wish I hadn't done that," he said. "That did not no good at all for anybody, and it made me look like a fool and a poor sport. But it's so frustrating, and we're tired of losing. I just want to apologize to our fans for doing that."

He might get charged-up in a better way this weekend when his Dodge is adorned with DieHard Advanced Gold battery brand colors, just as it was when the team won the NHRA title a year ago.

"When we were really struggling to get past the first round earlier this year and we'd get to the second round I kept saying we were ready to turn the corner. At St. Louis, the only corner I want to turn is the one that sends us to the winner's circle."

He has not forgotten how to get there, and he keeps getting close.

MATT HAGAN, DieHard/Aaron's/Mopar Dodge Charger R/T
2011 at St. Louis: No event
2010 at St. Louis: Qualified No. 12; lost in first round
Career at St. Louis: Wins 0, Runner-ups 0, Poles 0

2012 Pts Races Wins Rup Poles DNQ Win/Loss
11th 19 0 3 0 1 19-18
Career Races Titles Rup Poles DNQ Win/Loss
92 5 9 10 4 105-83

NHRA FULL THROTTLE STANDINGS
(After second of six events; DSR drivers in CAPS)

FUNNY CAR
1. RON CAPPS, 2,307
2. Mike Neff, 2,211
3. JACK BECKMAN, 2,210
4. Cruz Pedregon, 2,167
5. Robert Hight, 2,144
6. Courtney Force, 2,140
7. Tim Wilkerson, 2,123
8. JOHNNY GRAY, 2,113
9. John Force, 2,104
10. Jeff Arend, 2,095
11. MATT HAGAN, 978

NHRA MIDWEST NATIONALS EVENT SCHEDULE (All times CT)
Friday: 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m., qualifying
Saturday: 12:30 p.m., 3 p.m., qualifying
Sunday: 11 a.m., eliminations

ESPN2 SCHEDULE (All times ET, subject to change)
Sunday: 2:30 a.m., 1 p.m., qualifying
Sunday: 8-11 p.m. ET, eliminations

WEATHER
Friday: high 73, 10 percent chance of rain
Saturday: high 74, 0 percent chance of rain
Sunday: high 78, 0 percent chance of rain

UPCOMING FULL THROTTLE EVENTS
Oct. 4-7, NHRA Nationals, Reading, Pa. (Philadelphia area)
Oct. 25-28, Big O Tires NHRA Nationals, Las Vegas
Nov. 8-11, Auto Club of Southern California Finals, Pomona, Calif. (finale)

About DieHard
Introduced in 1967, consumers consistently rate the DieHard battery brand as "most trusted," "dependable" and "performs in extreme conditions" by overwhelming margins, according to a 2009 Battery Brand Tracker Survey.
The DieHard brand has continued to lead with innovation by introducing the DieHard Platinum battery in 2007. The DieHard brand's Platinum AGM technology gives it 40% more reserve capacity and 28% more Cold Cranking Amps than comparable spiral-wound AGM batteries. That's one reason why the DieHard Platinum battery has been ranked #1 by a leading consumer publication four years in a row. These are the very same batteries used at the starting line for Top Fuel and Funny Cars at each NHRA National event. For more on DieHard, as well as how to select a battery, visit DieHard.com and follow DieHard on Facebook.
The DieHard Brand is headquartered at Sears Holdings Corporation in Hoffman Estates, IL. In addition to its legendary performance as an auto battery, DieHard has batteries to power motorcycles, marine craft, tractors and powersport vehicles, and, has extended into categories such as portable power accessories, mens' workboots and alkaline batteries.

About Don Schumacher Racing
Don Schumacher Racing, headquartered in Brownsburg, Ind., consists of seven professional NHRA teams: in Top Fuel, the U.S. Army dragster driven by seven-time world champion Tony Schumacher, the FRAM/Prestone dragster of Spencer Massey and the Matco Tools dragster of Antron Brown; and in Funny Car, 2011 NHRA Funny Car champion Matt Hagan in the Aaron's Dream Machine/Mopar Dodge Charger R/T, Valvoline NextGen Dodge piloted by Jack Beckman, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Dodge of Ron Capps and the Service Central Dodge of Johnny Gray. DSR has won 193 NHRA national event titles and nine world championships.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.

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