Hagan, Aaron's Dream Machine team hoping for success on a fast track during eliminations at Maple Grove Raceway

October 06

READING, Pa. (Oct. 6, 2012) - It's been a challenging weekend so far for crew chiefs in the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing series.

The conditions at Maple Grove Raceway have been some of the best all season, producing record runs and leaving the minds of the tuners wondering about just how far they can push their 8,000-horsepower machines.

Matt Hagan's best run of the weekend, a 4.074-second lap, was only good enough for the 12th starting spot in the sixteen car field.

"What a weekend so far here in Reading," Hagan said. "The conditions have just been outstanding. You know it's tough when a 4.07 doesn't get you in the top half of the field and no lane choice."

Hagan's Aaron's Dream Machine/Mopar Funny Car tuned by crew chief Tommy DeLago was unable to get down the track in two sessions on Saturday under overcast skies and temperatures in the mid-60s.

"We really needed to step up today and try to go into the low four second range but we just didn't have things go our way," he said. "We all know this car is capable of doing that. Tommy has the data to be able to do it.

"We had two solid laps on Friday and we will go off of that for race day. We just need to have a consistent race car and get down the track on Sunday."

Before this weekend, the team held the NHRA national elapsed time record of 3.995-seconds. Hagan's Don Schumacher Racing teammate Jack Beckman posted a 3.989-second lap and has the backup for a new national record, which will not be official until the event concludes.

"We'll just do our best and go out there for the first round and give it all we've got," said Hagan. "We have nothing to lose. All we're racing for now is win lights. If we could get four of those tomorrow it would just be huge for this team."

FUNNY CAR
No. 1 qualifier: Jack Beckman (DSR) 3.989 sec., 320.58 mph
First round opponent: Courtney Force (John Force Racing)

Matt Hagan, Aaron's Dream Machine/Mopar Dodge Charger R/T
Qualifying: No. 7
FRIDAY QUALIFYING
Session 1: 4.098 sec., 297.35 mph (time disqualified; failed tech, too light )
Session 2: 4.074, 311.92
SATURDAY QUALIFYING
Session 3: 6.810, 101.51
Session 4: 4.861, 162.55

EVENT SCHEDULE
Sunday: Championship eliminations, 11 a.m.

ON ESPN2
(Times are ET)
SUNDAY: Qualifying, 6 p.m.
SUNDAY: Eliminations, 7 p.m.

WEATHER.COM FORECAST
SUNDAY: High 50; 70 percent chance of light rain

UPCOMING FULL THROTTLE EVENTS
Oct. 25-28, Big O Tires NHRA Nationals, Las Vegas
Nov. 8-11, Auto Club of Southern California NHRA Finals, Pomona, Calif.

About Aaron's, Inc.
Aaron's, Inc. (NYSE: AAN), the nation's leader in the sale and lease ownership of residential furniture, computers, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories. Aaron's Inc., which celebrates its 57th anniversary this year, has over 1,940 company-operated and franchised stores in 48 states and Canada. Founded in 1955 by entrepreneur and current Chairman R. Charles Loudermilk Sr. and headquartered in Atlanta, Aaron's has been publicly traded since 1982. For more information, visit www.aarons.com.

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 195 NHRA national event titles and nine world championships.

Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.

- DSR -