Q&A with 2011 NHRA Funny Car Champion Champion Matt Hagan

(Matt Hagan earned the 2011 NHRA Full Throttle Series Funny Car title this season, winning the season finale at Pomona and becoming the first driver to break the three-second barrier in his class with a 3.995 second ET along the way. Photo by AutoImagery.com)

It's been one month since Matt Hagan claimed his first NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series Funny Car championship, at the young age of 28. We sat down with the driver of the DieHard/Shelor Motor Mile Dodge Charger R/T at his Virginia cattle farm to talk with him about his stellar season, driving for Don Schumacher Racing, his work on the farm, his family and what his goals are for the future.

Racing in only his third full season in the NHRA Funny Car class for multi-team owner Don Schumacher, Hagan scorched the country's dragstrips by winning twice, qualifying No. 1 three times and finishing runner-up two times. He was the first to break the Funny Car 3-second barrier, blasting to a stunning national-record-setting 3.995 seconds at zMax Dragway in Concord, N.C. At the same fall event he established the fastest speed in NHRA history of 322.27 mph.

He didn't stop there. At the season finale in Pomona, Calif., he avenged his painful loss of the title to John Force last year when he upset his DSR teammate Jack Beckman in the quarterfinals and then outran two-time Funny Car champion Cruz Pedregon in the semifinals to score his first World Championship. He went on to win his second race of the season and fifth of his short career by posting a track-record performance of 4.009 seconds at 317.79 mph to hold off final-round opponent Robert Hight in the quickest side-by-side race in Funny Car history. Hight trailed with a 4.031/318.92.

Hagan became the second-youngest Funny Car champion in NHRA history. Frank Hawley was the first, capturing the championship at age 26 in 1982, the year Hagan was born. Hagan is also the 13th driver to win a Funny Car crown in the class' 38-year modern-era history.

TWENTY QUESTIONS WITH MATT HAGAN:

1. Has it finally sunk in that you are the 2011 NHRA Funny Car champion?

A: Well, I tell you. It's pretty amazing to just hear people say that. And it probably won't really sink in until I get back out in the race car and get my seat in the car. It's just been great back here at home, with my family and everyone, and it's been great to share it with them.

2. After such a devastating loss in 2010, did you and crew chief Tommy DeLago approach the 2011 season any differently?

A: Yes and no. We had a game plan. Tommy had a game plan, let me put it that way, to go testing during the regular season and then run what he was comfortable with in the Countdown. We didn't exactly set the world on fire during the regular season, but we were trying to learn new stuff with new equipment. Tommy's game plan really seemed to work out.

3. You're the second youngest driver to have won the Funny Car championship since Frank Hawley won it at 26 in 1982, coincidentally the year you were born. Do you feel the face of NHRA racing is changing with more younger drivers coming in to challenge for the title?

A: Absolutely. This sport is growing every day and there are many up-and-coming stars in NHRA and it has to have a younger face eventually to grow. There are a lot of guys who have been out here for a long time - hey, I'm rooting for them, don't get me wrong - but there's always a new kid who's got spunk and is ready to go. And I'm sure in a few years we'll see some new kids come into this thing. It's about marketability and being able to be marketed, to be able to sell and promote a product for your sponsor and also to show them a return on their investment. It's no different than other motorsports where these younger kids are coming in and they're growing a relationship with sponsors and I think there will be long future commitments.

4. John Force seemed to have fallen off during the Countdown this season, but another young JFR driver, Mike Neff, was nipping at your heels. To what do you attribute your success over Neff?

A: Our DSR team cars are really stepping up. To be honest with you, I was more worried in the Countdown about our own team cars. You look at Johnny Gray who didn't even make the Countdown who probably would have won the championship if he had. And Jack Beckman who finished second in the world. I was more worried about them and Ron Capps than I was about the JFR cars. I think that Don Schumacher has really taken this program to the next level. His R&D program has just been huge. He has taken all the right steps to put his teams in a place that I guess John Force was several years ago to win as many championships as he has. You definitely have to give Neff a lot of credit. He won five races during the regular season and he struggled when he came into the Countdown. The guy is a great driver, he's a great tuner, he's got two championships under his belt as a tuner. And I'm sure in the near future he'll get his driver's championship. But we're really glad that it worked out in our favor this year.

5. You had two other DSR team drivers vying for the same title in the Countdown, while the third, Johnny Gray, didn't make the Countdown. How did you interact with all of them during the Countdown?

A: It was really difficult because they're your friends and your buds. And something that was really tough for me was when Johnny Gray beat us in Phoenix during the Countdown. We wouldn't have wanted it any other way, because he had a better car and deserved to win. But when I crawled out of the car I could see how it upset Johnny to beat me because he wants the team to do well, win the championship, and he knows he wasn’t in contention. But you could also see that he is a competitor. He didn't do anything to drive it out of the groove, or red-light, or do whatever to let us win. We're out here to win, he's out here to win, so it's really tough with our teammates, because they're not going to give you any breaks. You have to earn everything you get out here with DSR. It's no different than being an individual team when you put the body down and pre-stage the car. At the end of the day, you share a cold beverage with your teammates, but when you crawl in the car it's anybody's ballgame.

6. How did you deal with that loss to Johnny Gray?

A: It was tough to have Johnny take us out and see Jack win against Johnny in the final in Phoenix and take over first place. You're kind of thinking, What's going on here? But, truly, I learned after talking to Johnny's crew chief Rob Wendland, that their intention was to try to beat Jack too. It's kind of tough when you're in that situation because you want to win so bad and you're up against a team who's not in the hunt and you think to yourself, Maybe we can get around this guy, especially since he's a teammate and he's not in contention, but it just doesn't happen that way over here. We're digging deep every race to make sure that we can turn the win light on even against our own teammates. We have to step up and it makes it even harder because they have the same equipment we do and they have the potential to run just as well as we do.

7. Were there moments of frustration throughout the year when you thought you had no chance of winning the title?

A: I thought that if we didn't move around before the Countdown came in when it got hot that they were going to brand the No. 5 on us. Obviously, as a driver and a competitor, and even Tommy as a crew chief, we want to win as many races as we can, but in the regular season sometimes we had to take a step back and say, Hey, we're not used to running this combination, this is not working the way it should be out here and setting the world on fire. That's something that we're learning. So you have to take a step back and take a deep breath and say, All right, and re-evaluate what you're doing. Obviously, it is to win as many races for the sponsors. But, taking this regular season and trying to learn something for 2012, '13 and '14 to help better the car, sometimes you have to learn new combinations and try new things. So, it is frustrating sometimes, but when you take a deep breath, sit back and you say, Well, this is what we accomplished and this is where we're going to be in the future and this is the direction we're going to work towards, it makes sense. As frustrating as it can be sometimes and you become narrow-minded and short-sighted, you have to look at the bigger picture, and I think Tommy DeLago has been doing that all along.

8. Who would you give the most credit to for your success this year?

A: The guys who work on the race car. They're putting together the race car and they have so many opportunities to mess up, just like Tommy and me, and they were flawless all year long. I love these guys, because the guys are the same age and they're like family. I'm around them just as much or more than my family. They are the real heroes in the story. They don't get to be in the limelight. As the driver, I come in late and leave early, and these guys come in early and stay late, and they're the ones who put this car together and bring it out and make sure we have a phenomenal hot rod at the race track and it goes up to the starting line and starts.

9. You lost 37 pounds at the beginning of the season. How did that help your performance?

A: Obviously, when you lose weight, you're lighter and it allows you to move weight around in the car. Also, it makes you mentally focused and physically you're feeling better. It's a positive all around. Tommy was able to move some weight around when we needed to gain traction. You move it around to help the car get up on the tire. So, it can't hurt anything. You also become more marketable, in my opinion, by looking better. All that goes hand in hand and it's just a good thing to do and I want to lose another 10 pounds give or take. I'm 202 right now. I put on five pounds during the season and I want to be about 190-195 pounds before the 2012 season starts in Pomona.

10. Who has been your mentor in the sport?

A: I've got a lot of great teammates and I think that Tony Schumacher really has been a big influence on me this year. In fact, the last three years. He's always been kind and always shared techniques, trying to help me out. He watches me stage the car and gives me pointers here and there, and some different things that I can do away from the track as far as my mental game goes to get prepared for each race. I also have great guys like Ron Capps I can go to with technical questions and off-track advice. And then Shirley Muldowney has been like the best cheerleader I could ever have. She's given me a lot of hoorah, saying 'you can dig deep, you can do this.' That's been great as well.

11. You've been named to the First Team of AARWBA's (American Auto Racing Writers and Broadcasters Association) All America Team. How does that make you feel?

A: It's phenomenal. It's definitely an honor. I'm looking forward to getting to the dinner in Indy on January 8 and having some fun and celebrating. It's nice that it's in Indy. I'll be able to come in and see my guys at DSR in Brownsburg, and have some fun right before we go to the first race next year in Pomona.

12. How are things on the farm? Has anything changed now that you're a world champion? Has your farm grown in the past year or so?

A: My wife (Rachel) and I are still buying some land here and there. We have about 1000 acres that we own or lease. We're working hard at that, and we're still feeding close to 300 mama cows on the farm and we'll have somewhere around 600 or so head at any given time on the farm. It's funny, I told my dad (David), It's awesome to win No. 1 in the world and I told him things were going to change. And the second day I'm home on the farm and I see a tweet on my phone and it's Ron Capps. He and I are great buddies and he's done a really good job. He tweeted that he was in Hawaii about ready to go to a luau. And I said to my dad, Hey, Capps is in Hawaii and heading to a luau and then to a fan cruise and I'm heading out to feed the cows. I want to get on his program. It was all in fun.

13. Do you associate with other farmers in your area, or belong to any groups dedicated to farming?

A: No. not really. There's a bunch of dairy farmers in the Christiansburg area and I grew up helping out on their farms when I was younger. My boy Colby is not quite old enough to be a member of the 4-H Club, but at age 6 we plan on enrolling him next year. I'd like to get my young'uns (Penny Louise is 2) involved in that, to have some fun there, and to learn to be hands-on with these cattle. I think that will go over well.

14. Now that you've won a championship, are you satisfied?

A: Well, no. I can see why Force has 15. It just makes you want it that much more. As bad as it is to say you're greedy, it makes you greedy. Even after we won the championship I still wanted to win the race (in Pomona at season finale). That meant as much to me as anything, to be able to win the final and put an exclamation point on this season. Everybody remembers the last race and they've got all off-season long to think about who won that race, how they did it, how it went down, and who won the championship. So, it was big for me for us to go out there, win the championship and win the race.

15. Talk about your family life. Are you treated any differently now that you're a world champion?

A: There's a lot of pats on the back. As for my family, it's the same old routine. They're excited for me, they're happy for me, but it's back to business. My wife is going to graduate from nursing school this spring, and she's been focused on that, so there hasn’t been that much time to celebrate. She's into the books and studying. I think we're enjoying having won the championship as much as we can and moving forward.

16. Do people recognize you in airports or in stores?

A: More and more it's starting to get like that. It's kind of funny. Obviously the longer your career the more folks have the opportunity to recognize you. I can remember when I first started I couldn't hand out a hero card at the races, much less get someone to take it if I signed it. And now there's a big line when I come to the ropes. For all my fans who support me, I can't say thank you enough.

17. Where do you see yourself in the next five years?

A: It's really tough to say, because being young in the sport you get the opportunity to deal with some great sponsors, and you really want to grow something with them, like Tony Schumacher has done with the Army for so many years. He hasn't had to jump around with 10 different sponsors in 10 different years. They have something good there, and the Army keeps coming back because he's done a great job for them. And that's what I want to do in the future. I want to grow a strong relationship with a sponsor that will last for a very long time. Trying to hustle every year, trying to keep ourselves out here, is just too hard to do. More times than not you're not going to be successful, because it's survival most of the time. For me in the next five years I'd love to be racing, but in reality it's very tough to do. You have to stay ahead of the game and you have to secure solid sponsorship and I think by being with DSR it puts me a step or two ahead of the rest.

18. You'd like to win more championships, correct?

A: Absolutely. That's the name of the game and that's why we work so hard.

19. Will you ever consider getting into a Top Fuel car or trying to race in other series, such as IndyCar or sports-car racing?

A: I've been asked that many times. I would definitely consider racing a Top Fuel car, but after being in a fuel Funny Car, and those cars are so aggressive and so fast, it kind of spoils you. I've never been in a Top Fuel car or warmed one up so I can't comment. But I'm sure it wouldn't be comparable to racing a fuel Funny Car after all these years. Funny Cars suit me. It's nice to be able to to manhandle a Funny Car and put it where I want it, get that adrenaline rush, take control of that wheel and make it go to the other end.

20. What is the ultimate pinnacle in life you'd like to achieve?

A: I'd like to have a good life, enjoy the ride, enjoy what's happening, enjoy the opportunities that come along. Great people are made out of great moments and I think you have to see what comes your way in life, whether it's on the race track or not. Don't take anything for granted and don't look a gift horse in the mouth. Be grateful for the opportunities that are there.

2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Top Performances

(Austin Dillon is the first driver under 40 years old to earn the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title since 2004. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

Every season since 2004, the over-40 crowd has hogged the championship spotlight in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

But in 2011, Austin Dillon changed all of that. At 21 years, six months and 22 days, Dillon became the youngest champion in the 17-year history of the series, signaling a possible changing of the guard.

Dillon was not alone in the young gun discussion, with the likes of Johnny Sauter, James Buescher and Timothy Peters all making a charge at the championship title. Throw in the addition of one of the strongest rookie classes in series history, and the series’ future looks strong.

There certainly were some outstanding performances that took place during the recently completed 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck season. The following is a look back at some of those standout performers and memorable races, as selected from discussions with the national series directors, competition department and NASCAR Integrated Marketing Communications managers. Additionally, click on the following links for special audio, video and photo packages commemorating the 2011 season.

Top Drivers

Austin Dillon – No sophomore slump for Austin Dillon, who followed up his 2010 rookie campaign with a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship. Dillon, a native of Lewisville, N.C., at age 21 became the youngest by six years to win a title in the 17-year-old series. He’s also the first North Carolina native to wear the crown and third former top rookie to capture an overall title. Dillon, under the leadership of crew chief Danny Stockman, proved his grit to succeed in a three-way championship struggle featuring another “young gun” James Buescher and veteran Johnny Sauter. He chased down and passed Sauter, who dominated the series standings through much of the season. Dillon withstood the near miraculous comeback of Texan Buescher, who’d handicapped himself by failing to qualify for the season’s second race at Phoenix. Dillon won the pole at five venues (Daytona, Kansas, Nashville, LOR and Kentucky) this season – more than any other competitor. His victory at Chicagoland in September was especially sweet, marking the first time Dillon had won with Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch in the field.

Ron Hornaday Jr. (Honorable Mention) – When the first half of the season started with three finishes outside the top-25, many wrote Ron Hornaday Jr.’s winning ways off. He won at Texas Motor Speedway in June and Atlanta Motor Speedway in September. Then Hornaday captured his milestone 50th victory at Kentucky Speedway, followed with his first win at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. More impressive he won in two different Kevin Harvick Inc. Chevrolet trucks, the No. 2 and the No. 33, and won with a pair of different crew chiefs, Bruce Cook and Jeff Hensley. Hornaday became just the fourth driver to compete in at least 300 races.

Comeback Driver of the Year

Johnny Sauter – This season was one of ups and downs, dominance and frustration for Johnny Sauter and his Ohio-based team. Sauter ranked no worse than second in the standings from March through the Labor Day weekend. He took the points lead for the first time in his career following a signature victory at Martinsville Speedway where he measured a solid field that included Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick. From June through August, Sauter racked up a trio of second-place finishes at Kansas, Nashville and Bristol. Mechanical issues and several penalties, however, kept the points close and allowed 21-year-old rivals Austin Dillon and James Buescher to pressure Sauter. He made an impressive comeback, winning the season ending race at Homestead and finished second to Dillon in the standings by six points.

James Buescher (Honorable Mention) – Never give up is how James Buescher – who finished third in the series standings - will remember his 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season. Buescher qualified second and finished ninth in the season opener at Daytona International Speedway. A week later, he wasn’t fast enough to make the field in Phoenix which dropped him to 24th in the standings. Then Buescher began what will forever be known as “the streak” in April. Beginning with a fifth-place performance in Nashville, Buescher went on a tear finishing 13 consecutive times among the top 10. He raced efficiently with calculation, letting the points pile up while rivals Johnny Sauter and Austin Dillon were hot and cold, charging forward and falling back.

Top Team

ThorSport Racing – It was a banner season for ThorSport Racing and owners Duke and Rhonda Thorson – one of the longest running teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series garage. Drivers Johnny Sauter and Matt Crafton nabbed a combined three victories (Martinsville, Iowa and Homestead), four Keystone Light Pole Awards and finished second and eighth in the series standings, respectively. The Sandusky, Ohio based team not only had success on the track, but off the track as well. In August, the team officially opened their new state-of-the-art 100,000 square foot racing facility.

Kevin Harvick Inc. (Honorable Mention) – All good things must come to an end, and Kevin Harvick Inc. went out a winner in the organization’s final season – capturing the 2011 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series owners’ championship in its No. 2 Chevrolet Silverado. The title was the third for what began as a single-truck, part-time operation fielded by DeLana and Kevin Harvick in 2001. KHI also won championships in 2007 and 2009, concurrent with Ron Hornaday Jr.’s third and fourth titles. KHI ended the season with an impressive combined 10 victories.

Top Breakthrough Performers

Joey Coulter – He could be considered the season’s biggest surprise, but Joey Coulter proved being consistent is the key to success for a rookie. The 21-year-old Sunoco Rookie of the Year winner had five top-five and 13 top-10 finishes, including top-five finishes in two of the final three events of the season. He finished seventh in the final NASCAR Camping World Truck Series standings. Coulter – along with Richard Childress Racing teammate Austin Dillon – became only the second duo in history to earn the series championship and Sunoco Rookie of the Year titles in the same season from the same organization.

Nelson Piquet Jr. (Honorable Mention) – With a rich family history in racing and an impressive five-race deal last season, Nelson Piquet Jr. had everyone’s attention from the start of the season. The Brazilian native finished second at Nashville in only his 10th series start. He scored six top-five and 13 top-10 finishes, including two fourth-place finishes in the final two races of the season. Despite battling streaks of bad luck, Piquet rebounded to climb his way back into the top-10 NASCAR Camping World Truck standings.

Top Races

Fast Five 225 at Chicagoland Speedway (Sept. 16)

One would expect a driver’s first victory to be the biggest race of his career, but his fourth? That is what Austin Dillon claimed following his fourth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory after holding off NASCAR Sprint Cup competitors Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch. Harvick dominated the 150-lap event leading a race-high 99 laps, but a vibration forced a four tire stop late in the race resulting in a second- place finish. The victory moved Dillon within three points of the championship lead with seven races remaining in the 2011 season.

AAA Insurance 200 at Lucas Oil Raceway (July 29)

Spins are anticipated – if not expected – at Lucas Oil Raceway. However, recovering from them is a different story. What appeared to be a disappointing turn of events for Timothy Peters at the midway point of the event proved to be a blessing in disguise. A flat tire caused Peters to spin forcing him to pit for service out of sequence. The unscheduled pit stop allowed Peters to have the advantage over the competition in the final laps and chase down James Buescher – who led 97 laps – with six laps remaining to pull off the spin-to-win upset.

Courtney Force Recognized by ESPN the Magazine Next Athlete

(Courtney Force. Photo by Ford Driving Skills for Life)

Every year since 1998, ESPN The Magazine has recognized an elite group of emerging athletes to watch in the year ahead -- athletes they call NEXT. They are competitors not only on the cusp of stardom, but on the verge of transcending their sports. NEXT is what happens when the hype is real. This year John Force Racing driver Courtney Force is in the motorsports group going head to head with Darrell Wallace Jr. (NASCAR), Chase Elliot (NASCAR), Ryan Truex (NASCAR) and Josef Newgarden (Indy Car) as the NEXT big driver in motorsports.

“This is really a big honor. I honestly didn’t know I was being considered as one of the NEXT athletes. I am really excited about my future and getting on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series full time,” said Force, winner of the 2009 Seattle NHRA national event in the Top Alcohol Dragster category.

“The chance to race with my father, John Force, is exciting but I also want to chart my own path. Ashley (older sister Ashley Force Hood) has been a big help and she has been a great person to lean on and get good advice. I want to make my current fans proud to be my fans and I want to try and introduce a new audience to NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing. It is a great sport and I am looking forward to having a long racing career.”

Force has spent the 2011 season testing her BrandSource Ford Mustang Funny Car with plans to race full-time on the NHRA Full Throttle Drag Racing Series in 2012. An official announcement about Courtney’s future has not been made by John Force Racing. She began her racing career in the Super Comp ranks in 2006 and has steadily moved up through the ranks following a similar career path as her older sister Ashley Force Hood, who is a four-time Funny Car national event winner including back to back Mac Tools US Nationals titles in 2009 and 2010.

Voting for the NEXT athlete competition ends December 18, 2011. Fans can vote online at http://espn.go.com/espn/next2012/story/_/id/7303218/courtney-force-chase-elliott-espn-mag-next-issue

Stewart, Stenhouse Jr., Dillon To Sign Autographs At Inaugural Fan Festival In January

(Three-time and newly-crowned NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart, seen here during driver intros at the 2011 "Prelude to the Dream" at Eldora Speedway, will join NASCAR Camping World Series champion Austin Dillon and NASCAR Nationwide Series champion Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., at an autograph session for fans in January. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

With the completion of the 2011 NASCAR season, planning for the NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint season preview fan event is in high gear. Driver appearances by the newly crowned 2011 champions in the three NASCAR national series have been confirmed for the fan-centric, all-day event located inside the Charlotte Convention Center on Saturday, Jan. 21.

Three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Tony Stewart and first-time national series champions Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (NASCAR Nationwide Series) and Austin Dillon (NASCAR Camping World Truck Series) are scheduled for two-hour appearances that include driver autograph and on-stage question-and-answer sessions.

The NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint is a new addition to the annual calendar. Reminiscent of popular season preview events of the past, the festival-like event will feature driver and show car appearances, simulators, games, prizes and a host of other fan-friendly and interactive activities.

The event is part of the three-day NASCAR Acceleration Weekend from Jan. 20-22 in Charlotte, N.C. that gives race fans an unprecedented experience through a combination of events and activities featuring the legends of the sport and stars of today.

NASCAR Acceleration Weekend kicks off Friday, Jan. 20 with the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for the Class of 2012, which features Darrell Waltrip, Cale Yarborough, Dale Inman, Richie Evans and Glen Wood. Following Saturday’s NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint event will be the unveiling of the Class of 2012 exhibits in the NASCAR Hall of Fame on Sunday, Jan. 22.

For many fans, the highlight of the weekend will be the opportunity to meet their favorite NASCAR driver. Stewart and other NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers will sign autographs in the Ballroom of the Charlotte Convention Center starting at 9:15 a.m. on Sat., Jan. 21. Beginning Saturday at 7 a.m. in the Charlotte Convention Center Ballroom, wristbands will be distributed to a limited number of fans. Recipients must have an event ticket to be eligible to receive a wristband.

Driver Appearance Times

3:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m. – Tony Stewart

11 a.m. – 1 p.m. – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

2:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. – Austin Dillon

Additional driver appearances from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, NASCAR Nationwide Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, plus the four living NASCAR Hall of Fame members inducted the previous night, will be announced at a later date. Appearance times are subject to change.

Tickets to NASCAR Preview 2012 Presented by Sprint start at just $10. Experience the entire weekend at a discounted rate: Ticket prices range from $10 for individual event admission to $299 for a VIP weekend package that includes the NASCAR Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, and are available at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

For additional information, visit www.NASCARAcceleration2012.com.

Holiday Season Kicks Off With John Force Holiday Car Show

(John Force, a 15-time NHRA Full Throttle Series Funny Car champion, is hosting his 14th annual car show with proceeds going towards the California Highway Patrol's "CHiPs for Kids" toy drive. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

This weekend at the John Force Racing headquarters and museum in Yorba Linda, California, 15-time NHRA Funny Car world champion John Force will welcome all of Southern California to his 14th annual Holiday Car Show. The event will once again benefit California Highway Patrol’s “CHiP’s For Kids” toy drive. The event will be open to the public Sunday, December 4th from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Spectator admission is a new $10 unwrapped toy. Last year tens of thousands of people wandered through one of the largest collections of vintage cars, trucks and street rods. Throughout the day toys, stuffed animals and games poured into the John Force Racing shop as fans toured the shop and John Force RaceStation.

The car show is open to all Sports Cars, Street Rods, Classics, Trucks, Muscle Cars and Exotics. There will be plenty of vendors and this family friendly event will have something for everyone. The ‘featured vehicles’ this year are Pontiacs.

Unique display cars include:

• The crashed funny car from John Force’s crash in 2007 at the Texas Motorplex
• Two Batmobiles
• Mike Ryan’s Freightliner Race Truck
• ‘Speed Demon’ 462mph Bonneville car

Meet NHRA stars John Force, Robert Hight, Mike Neff, Ashley Force Hood, Brittany and Courtney Force, plus Jack Beckman, Tom ‘The Mongoose’ McEwen, and Linda Vaughn; plus “Queen of Cars” – Genevieve Chappell, George Barris, and Santa Claus.

Fans will be able to tour the John Force Race Shop and Museum. Music will also fill the air with Chris Anderson Group, Lil Mo & The Dynaflos, plus Scot Bruce’s – Tribute to Elvis.

Take the 91 Freeway (in Yorba Linda), exit at Weir Canyon North, right on Savi Ranch Parkway, and follow the signs for parking. John Force RaceStation, 22722 Old Canal Road, Yorba Linda, CA 92887.

For entry registration call 714-921-8123 x205 or download entry form at www.JohnForceRacing.com or http://johnforce.com/HolidayCarShow2011/JFR_drive2011HolidayCarShow_v3.pdf

Blickensderfer named 2012 crew chief for NASCAR veteran Jeff Burton

(Drew Blickensderfer, former Daytona 500 winning crew chief for Matt Kenseth, was named as the new crew chief for Jeff Burton Monday. Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

Drew Blickensderfer, a native of Mt. Zion, Ill. and former NASCAR Nationwide Series crew chief for Missouri native Carl Edwards, has left Roush Fenway Racing after nearly a decade there. He will man the pit box for Edwards' former RFR teammate Jeff Burton in 2012. For the full story, click HERE.

TRANSCRIPT: Interview with 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Tony Stewart

(Tony Stewart earned his third NASCAR Cup Series title Sunday in the closest finish in the history of the sport. Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR)

THE MODERATOR: Good afternoon. Welcome to today's NASCAR teleconference. Today we are joined by the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion, Tony Stewart. With the victory Sunday at Homestead Miami Speedway and an impressive five wins during this year's NASCAR Chase for the Sprint Cup, Stewart captured his third NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship. Stewart is also the first driver/owner to claim the Championship since Alan Kulwicki 1992.

Q. Tony, I just wondered, you probably are talked out about this whole thing, but after you finished 25th at Dover and 15th at Kansas, were you seriously thinking you were still in contention? Were you pretty optimistic throughout?

TONY STEWART: I felt like we still had an opportunity to maybe salvage a Top 5 out of it, but I'm not sure that I really felt like we still were a championship contender at that point. I think the turning point for me was the win at Martinsville. I think that's when I felt like internally myself and the organization we were a contender at that point, and I didn't think anybody should overlook us yet.

Q. I have a question for you that maybe only you can answer, and that is you were so brilliant in the driving up on the wheel. One we'll be talking about forever and others seemed to have raged at that point, even when they get out of the car and even up on it. How close is that line between I'm going to get this and being in control, and having that rage turn into rage? You know what I mean?

TONY STEWART: I think the fact that we were coming from behind let us stay calm during the drama at the beginning of the race. It just seemed like once we were able to overcome that, it just gave us so much confidence that we did have a good race car and we were able to battle back right away. You just kind of had the confidence on your side and it was about staying focused.

I don't think there was any part of the race where I actually felt any kind of anger other than when I made contact with David Reutimann. After talking to David, I was the one that made the mistake there, not him. So it was more just not putting yourself in any bad positions, and other than that it was just staying focused and having fun driving the car.

Q. Your two Chase championships, looking back at 2005 and this year, you won them in two very different ways. In 2005, had you five regular season wins, but you didn't win any during the Chase. Then of course this year you didn't have any regular season wins and got five Chase wins. Can you talk about the difference in your mindset between those two championship runs?

TONY STEWART: Definitely. When we came to Homestead for the finale in 2005, we had a lead. I think the scenario in '05 was we had to finish 22nd or better to lock it up. At that point, you're not worried about where everybody else is running. All you're focusing on is making sure can you stay in the top 22.

I think there are a lot of opportunities in those situations to make mistakes because you just get out of your rhythm of what you need to do. Where this year's Chase, we were in a unique position to not have to worry about going backwards. I mean, we couldn't go any further than second in the standings backwards.

It really, honestly, put us in a position where we just didn't have anything to lose, and we had the opportunity to gain and win the championship.

For us, I guess it took a lot of the pressure away that we had. We had a lot of pressure in '05 to keep that lead and win a championship where this year there really didn't seem that pressure that we had before. It just seemed like we had a great opportunity, and our performance was really good going into Homestead. So I think that took all the pressure away and made it feel totally different.

Q. I was wondering, you had mentioned that over the course of time you felt like you had found something, some advantage over Carl, and that you wouldn't tell us until after you won it or whatever. Was it mental? Was it some sort of strategy play? Can you shed some light on that?

TONY STEWART: I think I'm going to keep that a secret. I may want to use it down the road again.

Q. All right. How about if you make a deal with us, if you do the same thing next year, then can you tell us?

TONY STEWART: We'll review it.

Q. Okay. Keep it under review. Thank you.

TONY STEWART: Thanks.

Q. Penske Racing announced that Steve Addington won't return to its organization next year. Are you interested in him being your crew chief or have you changed your mind at all as far as Darian is concerned?

TONY STEWART: We're looking at all of our options right now. After we get through with all the media obligations today, I'll getting to back to the shop and we'll sit down as a group and try to come up with a decision and figure out.

We already know some options that are available, and we'll try to sit down and see what we think is the best option and decision for the company.

Q. I just wanted to follow up on something you talked about on Sunday night when you and Darian were sitting there next to each other and you were talking about Atlanta and whether or not he made a change on the car, and he said he didn't. You sort of seemed surprised by that. Did you have any further discussions on that? Can you clarify exactly? Did that thinking that maybe he changed something, did that play into your mindset at all? Give you some confidence in terms of just a confidence boost rather than just a simple performance boost?

TONY STEWART: Well, obviously I didn't know about that until after the race on Sunday night. That was on a race that happened before the Chase even started. From what I gathered out of that, he didn't make an adjustment all day on the car, and we just found something at the end there and got going.

I was under the impression that we had made changes all day, so that was a surprise to me. Had we had anymore discussions about it? No. Literally, when we got done with all the photos, with sponsors and the media interviews, we didn't get done until 2 a.m., and it was straight to the airport and fly to Connecticut to go to ESPN yesterday.

So I haven't even talked to the guys or seen them since we were on the stage doing photos and everything. So I'm hoping I'll get a chance in the next couple of days to see or at least talk to these guys.

Q. There's been a lot of talk, and I'm sure you probably were questioned a few times about having a new face or a new champion, anyway, and how that can help promote the sport. I'm just wondering how you think that will have an impact on the sport or what impact you think it will have?

TONY STEWART: I'm not really sure I understand what it will do. Obviously, it's been a long reign the last five years of having Jimmie win the championship. Obviously we're not oblivious to listening to the fans and them saying they want to see somebody else win.

So hopefully no matter who it was, it is the shot in the arm the sport needs right now. I think looking at TV ratings from this weekend and the attendance numbers the last couple of weeks, I think it's hopefully a sign that we're starting that road of recovery.

Not that we were in dire straits by any means, but I'm glad to see the numbers going back up again, and I don't know if we're going to be responsible for it because of winning a championship. But we're all just hopeful that it's going to keep going the direction it's going right now.

Q. Tony, congratulations from Columbus, Indiana. Your hometown was buzzing Sunday night and is continuing to buzz. I guess have you talked to people and do you have a message to maybe some of the folks that you haven't who have been following you from the beginning?

TONY STEWART: I haven't had a chance to talk to anybody. As we sit here now, I have over 300 text messages that I haven't been able to answer yet. I've got a lot of replies to send back, but I'm excited about coming home in the next couple of days.

Especially there is something about coming home, and the childhood friends of mine that I'm still friends with and people that I know in town, I'm excited to be able to come back and celebrate a championship with them. That's something that's really high on my priority list right now is getting the chance to come home here in the next couple of days.

Q. Will we ever see you in the Indy 500 again?

TONY STEWART: I don't believe so. Not because of lack of desire or anything else, but honestly, it's the logistics of having the time to prepare for the race and getting the seat time and run races before the 500.

I don't think that after being out of those cars for 11 years now, I'm not sure that I can just go sit in one in the month of May and feel like I was up to speed with the technology and everything that's going on with those cars to compete against the best in the sport there.

So I would think that we'd have to do a lot of testing, and I think we'd have to run some races before Indy to really feel like we were even remotely up to speed and up to pace with those guys.

Q. How much did being a past champion help you deal with the pressure of this particular Chase?

TONY STEWART: I think I feel like quite a bit, to be honest, really only from the pressure standpoint. You know what going into that last race is like. You know the strains and the pressures that go along with it.

But I'll be honest, Carl Edwards I thought did an excellent job of going into Homestead also. With the fact that he hasn't won a championship, I thought he dealt with the pressure very well. I firmly believe that he's going to get one pretty soon here.

But I felt like from our side, I thought it was just a little bit different from the standpoint that we just didn't have that pressure going into it like I thought we would.

Q. I was curious. In the last couple of days, is it a big deal to be a three-time champ and the people that you kind of join on that list, virtually all Hall of Famers?

TONY STEWART: It is. I'll be honest. I feel very flattered and very honored just to be a part of that list. Those are guys that every one of those drivers that have won three championships are icons in this sport.

I somewhat honestly feel out of place being on that list. At the same time, I feel honored to be in it with them. I feel like it's an episode of Sesame Street when you read that list: Which guy doesn't belong and which is not like the others?

Those are some of the greatest names in this sport, and it truly feels like an honor to me to be a part of that group with them.

Q. What we've seen out of you in the last couple of weeks is just unbelievable determination, confidence, and what resulted is one of those rare sports moments like we see out of Michael Jordan back in the day, a Game 7 kind of stuff. Did you see it unfolding like that, or were you just in the moment and you had to get the job done?

TONY STEWART: I think it was more in the moment. I think looking at Texas, to me, Texas by itself was kind of surprising that the top two guys in the point standings ran first and second in the race. I don't think that I would have been able to predict that we were going to run second and third at Phoenix, and actually run first and second at Homestead.

I'm just blown away by that stat really. I think it truly was one of the best battles, I feel like, in the history of the sport because of that. Not just because of the outcome of who won, but just the fact that you had the top two guys that literally fought it out. And rather than Phoenix, we ran second and third there, but we virtually raced the wins to race to the win to win a championship at the same time.

It wasn't just a head-to-head battle and who got more points than the other by finishing ahead. We were winning races and finishing in the top three to do it. To me, that's the part of it that kind of brings out the race fan in me. That it was just that competitive in the last three races of the year, the most important three, that it was that competitive and that tight up front to get it done.

Q. You talked about getting the chance to go home a little bit. But can you take us through a little bit of this off-season? It doesn't seem like because of the championship and all the obligations, when will you finally get time to kind of catch your breath and relax a little bit in between all the hoopla, if you will?

TONY STEWART: Like I said, I'm looking forward to being able to go home to Thanksgiving for a couple of days. Obviously Vegas is a long, but important week at the same time.

Honestly, I haven't even looked at my schedule. I know we still have stuff booked for the rest of the year that are obligations that we have to get done. Obviously, we're still trying to fill the competition director role, and we're still active in trying to help get sponsorship for some of Ryan's races next year.

So as much as I'd love to just go and take a break, I still have a lot of things that are on the to-do list with the organization that need to be done before the year's out. But we'll find the time.

I'm not really concerned about having time off right now. I've actually enjoyed being up here in New York today. I've enjoyed being on the ESPN campus yesterday, and I know that probably just gave half of you guys heart attacks hearing me say that. But I truly have enjoyed talking about it. I feel like I was a part of something Sunday that was really special, and I'm very proud of that fact.

Q. Have you learned any more since the race about what happened with your grill there early on? Was it apparent to you that something was wrong there immediately?

TONY STEWART: It wasn't apparent immediately. Honestly I didn't even feel the impact. The impact came and hit the screen which is just a wire mesh. It's pretty vulnerable when it comes to an impact in the radiator duct work. Basically it was the part in between the joint of the transmission and the drive shafts. It was a pretty large, substantial piece and thinking back to it, that was a large piece of luck that we had in the race that it did not find its way to the core of the radiator. It very easily could have broken the radiator and taken us out of it. Q. Have you been able to go back and watch a replay of the race where you were wild about some of the things that you did as much as we were?

TONY STEWART: I actually did get a chance last night to see the last half of the race, and it was fun to watch. Obviously, we knew from the driver's standpoint what was going on, but it was fun to listen to the commentary and to listen to them trying to analyze what was going on and what everybody was thinking.

It was fun to watch. It was fun to watch what Carl was able to do in the car. It just, I guess, added to the experience of what we went through. But to see it from that angle and see the highlights of it and watch the race, ironically enough, I was just as nervous watching. I was more nervous watching the race, even though I knew what the outcome was, than I was being in the car. It was fun to watch last night. I enjoyed it.

Q. I wanted to ask you a little about your relationship with A.J. Foyt. When did you first meet him in person and tell me about that experience.

TONY STEWART: I think I met A.J. the first time I believe around '91 or '92. I got a chance to go to the speedway in Indianapolis during the month of May, and I got to meet him in the garage. Then when I was racing in USAC around '94, I got the opportunity to be a crew member.

I'm sorry, I take that back, it was '95. I was a crew member on the 14 car, and that was when Eddie Cheever was driving the car. That was when they had the big wreck on the first lap with Cheever and Stan Fox. I didn't get to do anything during the race. My job was to work what they call a dead man valve on the fuel tank. So it's not a real high-tech job or important job, but nonetheless, I got an opportunity to work on the crew. But our race lasted eight seconds, unfortunately.

But since then I got a chance to drive a Silver Crown car for A.J. and George Snider. I got to be around him a lot more and that friendship kind of grew, and then he gave me an opportunity to test for him in Phoenix in '95. I did a test with him and got a job offer with him.

Then I was working with his son on a bush grand national program at the time also. Was just about finished with that when my test with A.J. came up. A.J. wanted me to make a decision of not doing both. I tried to do both divisions and Ranier was willing to let me do that, but A.J. wanted me to focus strictly on the IndyCar.

I actually ended up not taking the IndyCar offer because of the relationship I had with Renniers too at the time.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you again for joining us, Tony. We appreciate it. Congrats again on the championship.