Hagan claims season best Funny Car qualifying effort at St. Louis

Hagan, DieHard/Aaron's team post season's best qualifying effort, will start No. 3 at Gateway seeking year's first NHRA title

MADISON, Ill. (Sept. 29, 2012) - Matt Hagan and the DieHard/Aaron's Dream Machine team had their best qualifying effort of the season in the AAA Insurance NHRA Midwest Nationals at Gateway Motorsports Park near St. Louis.

Matt Hagan

Photo by: Michael C. Johnson

Hagan's Dodge Charger R/T Funny Car clocked four runs in the 4.06- to 4.13-second range, leaving Hagan confident for getting the Wally trophy on race day.

"It's very positive," Hagan said. "The guys are working hard and Tommy's doing a great job with the tune-up. The car is going down the racetrack and that's what we need to do on Sunday. We need to make it to the finish line and turn on four win lights."

Despite not making the Countdown to the Championship where Hagan could defend his 2011 Funny Car world championship, he sees the team turning for the better in recent NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series events.

"How can you not be happy with what we've accomplished so far?" he said. "The team has made huge leaps and bounds in the right direction. It's unfortunate it's a little too late to win another championship."

Hagan and the team are focusing all of their energy into winning rounds and playing a spoiler role in the Countdown.

"All that matters right now is turning on the win light. We aren't counting points. We aren't doing anything other than trying to win a trophy.

"Our main goal is to walk away from one of these last four races with a trophy and I think it's possible. Our car is very consistent and I think this DieHard/Aaron's Funny Car will be good for race day."

Source: Don Schumacher Racing