Hagan, Aaron’s Dream Machine team unable to secure Wally trophy during NHRA eliminations in Las Vegas

October 28

LAS VEGAS (Oct. 28, 2012) - Time is running out for Matt Hagan and the Aaron’s Dream Machine/Mopar team to seal the deal and bring home a Wally from the 2012 NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series.
Hagan started Sunday’s Big O Tires NHRA Nationals at The Strip at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from the fourth-best position after a stellar 4.077-second qualifying run in the fourth session on Saturday afternoon.
“We started out having a great weekend,” Hagan said. “We qualified well again and were confident coming into eliminations.”
Hagan ousted Jon Capps in the opening round of eliminations on a bright, warm day outside Las Vegas. Hagan was then paired with Don Schumacher Racing teammate Johnny Gray in the second round.
The driver of the Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car did his job and beat Gray off the line. Hagan was ahead until the 660-foot mark when the car slowed and Gray went by for the win.
“We were good until we weren’t,” Hagan said. “That’s just how this sport is. We were cruising right down there and then it just let go. That’s just our luck. It’s tough because we just had a great weekend going for these guys. We did great during qualifying but it heated up a little bit today and that didn’t help any.”
The team will load up and head to Pomona, Calif., for the Auto Club Finals at Auto Club Raceway in two weeks where it will be their last opportunity to win an event title this season. Hagan is the defending event winner of the NHRA Auto Club Finals.
“I’ve been saying this for weeks now but we are just out here trying to get a Wally,” he said. “Hopefully we can end the season on a high note. Last year in Pomona we were on top of the world and this time I’d just like to be on top of the mountain with a Wally.”
The following are Matt Hagan’s results and other event information.
FUNNY CAR
Event Winner: Ron Capps (DSR)

Matt Hagan, Aaron's Dream Machine/Mopar Dodge Charger R/T
Qualifying position: No. 4
First round: HAGAN (4.213, 298.80) def. J. Capps (10.637, 76.37)
Second round: Gray (4.213, 299.46) def. HAGAN (4.601, 173.87)

NHRA FULL THROTTLE DRAG RACING SERIES
STANDINGS (unofficial through Oct. 28)
(* mathematically eliminated from championship contention)

FUNNY CAR
1. JACK BECKMAN 2,531 --
2. RON CAPPS 2,527 -4
3. Mike Neff 2,443 -88
*4. JOHNNY GRAY 2,323 -208
*5. Cruz Pedregon 2,307 -224
*6. Courtney Force 2,293 -221
*7. John Force 2,249 -282
*7. Robert Hight 2,249 -282
*9. Tim Wilkerson 2,241 -290
*10. Jeff Arend 2,211 -320
*11. MATT HAGAN 1,185

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 2,000 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 196 NHRA national event titles and nine world championships.
Follow Don Schumacher Racing at ShoeRacing.com, on Twitter at @shoeracing and Facebook.com/shoeracing.
- DSR -