REIGNING FUNNY CAR WORLD CHAMPION MATT HAGAN DOESN’T MIND CHASING DURING COUNTDOWN OPENER AT NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – In the two years Matt Hagan won the Funny Car world championship, he did so by climbing the points standings with a red-hot performance in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series Countdown to the Championship.

To do the same in 2015 and claim back-to-back world titles in the loaded Funny Car class, Hagan will only need to climb one spot in his special-edition 10,000-horsepower Freightliner/Mopar/Rocky Boots Dodge Charger R/T to do it. He starts the NHRA six-race playoffs, which begin at this weekend’s eighth annual NHRA Carolina Nationals at state-of-the-art zMAX Dragway, in second and 30 points behind teammate Jack Beckman.

It won’t be easy to chase down the red-hot Beckman, who has a super-fast race car and six wins in 2015, but Hagan will take confidence into the Countdown knowing he started the playoffs in sixth to win his first world championship and seventh a year ago.

“Charlotte has always been a pretty kind track to us and hopefully that will continue,” said Hagan, who won last year’s playoff opener and has two other career wins at zMAX Dragway, including one during the Countdown. “The Countdown is chaotic. You have six races to make it happen and you never know how it’s going to turn out. I know what it’s like to dig myself up to that No. 1 spot. You just have to depend on your guys and have trust in what you’re doing.”

Tony Schumacher (Top Fuel), Jonathan Gray (Pro Stock) and Eddie Krawiec (Pro Stock Motorcycle) were last year’s winners of the playoff opener. ESPN2 will provide national television coverage of the NHRA Carolina Nationals. The event, which has kicked off the six-race Countdown to the Championship playoff since 2007, provides a great chance for a contender to jumpstart a run toward a world championship.

Hagan doesn’t need a jumpstart considering he has four wins and five final round appearances in 2015, but he would not frown upon a quick reboot after struggling heading into the Countdown to the Championship. He hasn’t advanced out of the second round in the past five races, including a forgettable first-round loss at the prestigious Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals.

It hasn’t affected him in the points standings as Hagan has never been lower than second all year, but he’s watched Beckman get incredibly hot in the process. His Don Schumacher Racing teammate passed him in the points standings in Brainerd and then won in Indy, but Hagan feels his team is bound to find another upward swing before the season is over.

“We’re in what I consider a little bit of a slump but the thing about drag racing is there are peaks and valleys,” Hagan said. “We’ve been in a slump but we’ll come back out of it. We’ll get some of these bad races out of the way and come back up to one of those peaks. It really is a different experience every time you get in the car. What reassures me is we have (crew chief) Dickie (Venables) in our corner and a bunch of guys driven to win and work hard. They are all motivated to win.”

Hagan’s successful season also continues to be one with vast changes as the team continues to push forward with the change to a six-disc clutch. Hagan has experienced the bumps in the road of the transition as of late but he remains impressed with how the team responds each time.

“It’s a huge learning curve, there’s no way around it,” Hagan said. “Obviously we want to win the championship and as many races as we can but we also have to look at the future. We’ve done a lot in a short time with this and I know it’s only going to get better. We’re learning something new all the time. It just takes time to learn. We had a little learning curve and a slump here and there, but in the Countdown it’s anybody’s ballgame. You can’t count out anybody.”

Hagan, who has 18 career wins, has certainly risen to the occasion multiple times throughout his standout career but gaining a third world championship in Funny Car might be his toughest task to date. It’s a loaded field that starts with Beckman and also includes DSR teammates Tommy Johnson Jr. and Ron Capps, who currently sit in third and sixth, respectively.

Other standouts include Del Worsham, who will start the Countdown in fourth, 16-time world champion John Force, Robert Hight, Tim Wilkerson, Cruz Pedregon and Alexis DeJoria, who will start the quest for her first championship from the No. 10 position. The stout competition makes performing well at Charlotte to kick off the Countdown to the Championship that much more important, and Hagan knows that full well. During both championship years, Hagan kicked off his Countdown running by winning at zMAX Dragway, something he would like to repeat this weekend.

“Reaction times are huge out there and that’s the biggest way I can help my team,” Hagan said. “The competition in this class is so competitive. I truly think Funny Car is the most competitive class in the NHRA right now. It blows you way and it’s mind-boggling how well everyone is running and how close it is. It’s absolutely crazy competitive out there right now. It’s big to race well right off the bat in Charlotte, but there’s pressure at every race. That’s how it is in this class.”

In Top Fuel reigning world champion and current points leader Tony Schumacher has his sights set on a ninth Top Fuel world title. “The Sarge” won the playoff-opener a year ago to kick of his championship quest and he’ll again face off against a loaded Countdown field in Top Fuel, including Antron Brown and Richie Crampton, who both have four wins in 2015 and will start from the second and third spots, respectively, three-time world champion Larry Dixon, Brittany Force, 2013 world champ Shawn Langdon, Doug Kalitta, J.R. Todd, Steve Torrence and Dave Connolly.

Pro Stock points leader and reigning world champion Erica Enders, who has six wins this season including the recent prestigious Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals, will have her hands full dealing with challenges from four-time world champion and four-time 2015 winner Greg Anderson, who is in second to begin the Countdown, and his teammate Jason Line. Other championship contenders include two-time event winner in 2015 Chris McGaha, who is currently third, Allen Johnson, Vincent Nobile, Shane Gray, Jonathan Gray, rookie Drew Skillman and veteran driver Larry Morgan, who won the Four-Wide Nationals here in April.

Defending Pro Stock Motorcycle world champ Andrew Hines is a two-time winner of this event and will battle defending winner and teammate Krawiec, who is the current points leader, for the title. Others to watch include Hector Arana Jr., who starts the Countdown in second, Jim Underdahl, Hector Arana, Karen Stoffer, alligator farmer Jerry Savoie, who won at Indy for the first time in his career and moved all the way to fourth, Chip Ellis, who jumped into eighth after a runner-up finish in Indy, Scotty Pollacheck and local favorite Matt Smith.

Teams in the NHRA Lucas Oil Drag Racing Series and the NHRA J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Series also will take to the track in their 250 mph machines to provide even more thrills and excitement for race fans during the weekend.

As always, fans will have the opportunity to interact with their favorite drivers as they’re granted an exclusive pit pass to the most powerful and sensory-filled motorsports attraction on the planet. This unique opportunity in motorsports gives fans direct access to the teams, allowing them to see firsthand the highly-skilled mechanics service their hot rods between rounds, and get autographs from their favorite NHRA drivers.

Mello Yello Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday, Sept. 18, with sessions at 12:30 and 3 p.m. The final two qualifying sessions will take place Saturday, Sept. 19, at 12:45 and 3 p.m. Final eliminations are scheduled for Noon on Sunday, Sept. 20. J&A Service Pro Mod Drag Racing Series qualifying begins Friday at 2:30 and 4:45 p.m. with one final qualifying session on Saturday at 12:15 p.m. The first round will begin on Saturday at 2:30 p.m. and continue on Sunday.

Fans can be a part of the action all weekend with a Three-Day Pass to the NHRA Four-Wide Nationals starting at $99. Tickets for children 13 and under are free with any paid adult ticket; to purchase general admission or reserved seats please visit www.zMAXDragway.com or call the box office at (800) 455-FANS (3267). For more information about NHRA, please visit www.NHRA.com.

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NHRA CAROLINA NATIONALS FACT SHEET

WHAT: Eighth annual NHRA Carolina Nationals, the 19th of 24 events in the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series and the first of six races in the NHRA Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship playoffs.. Drivers in four categories – Top Fuel, Funny Car, Pro Stock and Pro Stock Motorcycle – earn points leading to 2015 NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series world championships.

WHERE: zMAX Dragway- Track is located on Hwy 29 off I-85 at exit 49 (Speedway Blvd.) in the Concord, N.C. area.

COURSE: Championship drag strip; Track elevation is 630 feet above sea level. Standard two-lane dragstrip configuration will be used at this event for all categories.

WHEN: Friday through Sunday, Sept. 18-20

SCHEDULE:

FRIDAY, Sept. 18 – LUCAS OIL SERIES qualifying

NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 2:30 and 5 p.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 3:15 and 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, Sept. 19 – LUCAS OIL SERIES eliminations

NHRA J&A SERVICE PRO MOD SERIES qualifying at 12:15 p.m.; first round of eliminations at 2:30 p.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES qualifying at 12:45 and 3 p.m.

SUNDAY, Sept. 20 – Pre-race ceremonies, 11 a.m.

MELLO YELLO SERIES eliminations begin at noon

TELEVISION:

Sunday, Sept. 20, ESPN2 will televise 90 minutes of qualifying coverage at 1:30 a.m. (ET).

Sunday, Sept. 20, ESPN2 will re-air one hour of qualifying coverage at 7 a.m. (ET).

Sunday, Sept. 20, ESPN2 will televise three hours of eliminations coverage starting at 8:30 p.m. (ET).

SATELLITE (Digital HD feed):

Saturday, Sept. 19, 6 – 6:30 p.m. (ET), SES 1/Transponder 18C

Sunday, Sept. 20, 6:30 – 7 p.m. (ET), SES 1/ Transponder 18C

(4060 MHz, horizontal; Data Rate: 40.46147055 Mbp; Symbol Rate: 29.27 Ms; FEC: ¾; Bandwidth: 36 Mhz)

Video news release contains race action highlights each day and winners’ interviews on Sunday.

2014 EVENT WINNERS: Tony Schumacher, Top Fuel; Matt Hagan, Funny Car; Jonathan Gray, Pro Stock; Eddie Krawiec, Pro Stock Motorcycle.

TRACK RECORDS:

Top Fuel – 3.713 sec. by J.R. Todd, March ’15; 332.18 mph by Spencer Massey, April ’12.

Funny Car – 3.980 sec. by Cruz Pedregon, Sept. ’13; 322.27 mph by Matt Hagan, Sept. ’11.

Pro Stock – 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15; 215.48 mph by Greg Anderson, March ’15.

Pro Stock Motorcycle – 6.794 sec. and 199.26 mph by Hector Arana Jr., March ’15.

NATIONAL RECORDS:

Top Fuel – 3.680 sec. by Antron Brown, Aug. ‘15, Brainerd, Minn.; 332.75 mph by Spencer Massey, Aug. ‘15, Brainerd, Minn.

Funny Car – 3.901 sec. by Jack Beckman, Aug. ‘15, Brainerd, Minn.; 329.58 mph by Matt Hagan, Aug. ‘15, Brainerd, Minn.

Pro Stock – 6.455 sec. by Jason Line, March ’15, Charlotte, N.C.; 215.55 mph by Erica Enders-Stevens, May ‘14, Englishtown, N.J.

PS Motorcycle – 6.728 sec. by Andrew Hines, Oct. ’12, Reading, Pa.; 199.88 mph by Hector Arana Jr., April ’15, Charlotte, N.C.

TICKETS: Order tickets by phone at (800) 455-FANS. Tickets also are available online at www.zmaxdragway.com.

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NHRA MELLO YELLO DRAG RACING SERIES COUNTDOWN TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS STANDINGS

GLENDORA, Calif. — Official reset point standings following the NHRA Mello Yello Drag Racing Series regular season. Points have been reset for the Mello Yello Countdown to the Championship, NHRA’s six-race playoffs –

Top Fuel: 1. Tony Schumacher, 2110; 2. Antron Brown, 2080; 3. Richie Crampton, 2,070; 4. Larry Dixon, 2,060; 5. Brittany Force, 2,050; 6. Shawn Langdon, 2,040; 7. Doug Kalitta, 2,030; 8. J.R. Todd, 2,020; 9. Steve Torrence, 2,010; 10. Dave Connolly, 2,000.

Funny Car: 1. Jack Beckman, 2,110; 2. Matt Hagan, 2,080; 3. Tommy Johnson Jr., 2,070; 4. Del Worsham, 2,060; 5. John Force, 2,050; 6. Ron Capps, 2,040; 7. Robert Hight, 2,030; 8. Tim Wilkerson, 2,020; 9. Cruz Pedregon, 2,010; 10. Alexis DeJoria, 2,000.

Pro Stock: 1. Erica Enders, 2,110; 2. Greg Anderson, 2,080; 3. Chris McGaha, 2,070; 4. Jason Line, 2,060; 5. Allen Johnson, 2,050; 6. Larry Morgan, 2,040; 7. Shane Gray, 2,030; 8. Drew Skillman, 2,020; 9. Vincent Nobile, 2,010; 10. Jonathan Gray, 2,000.

Pro Stock Motorcycle: 1. Eddie Krawiec, 2,110; 2. Hector Arana Jr, 2,080; 3. Andrew Hines, 2,070; 4. Jerry Savoie, 2,060; 5. Karen Stoffer, 2,050; 6. Matt Smith, 2,040; 7. Jim Underdahl, 2,030; 8. Chip Ellis, 2,020; 9. Hector Arana, 2,010; 10. Scotty Pollacheck, 2,000.