Champion Hagan likes '1' on Aaron's Dream Machine but says it won't help his Funny Car go any quicker

(Photo by Brandon W. Mudd)

Matt Hagan begins his quest to defend the NHRA Funny Car world championship with a new racecar and sponsor when the NHRA Winternationals open Thursday in Pomona, Calif.

When the craftsmen at Don Schumacher Racing built the new chassis for Hagan's Aaron's Dream Machine Dodge Charger R/T they did not have to make the rollcage bigger to accommodate a swelled head on the driver.

"It will be incredible to be able to carry the '1' on the car," Hagan said of the car number that designates him as the champion.

"There's a lot of competition out there just with my teammates. Nobody is going to give anyone anything. We'll start with zero points like every other driver."

The Winternationals opens Thursday with one qualifying session followed by one more on Friday before the last two sessions are held Saturday leading to Sunday's championship eliminations. (See full schedule below.)

Hagan, 29, will carry the colors of Aaron's Inc., which will celebrate its 55th anniversary this year. Aaron's (NYSE: AAN) is the nation's leader in the sales and lease ownership and specialty retailing of residential furniture, consumer electronics, home appliances and accessories.

The cattle farmer from Christiansburg, Va., finished 72 points ahead of DSR driver Jack Beckman to win the prestigious championship.

Hagan and Beckman were joined by teammate Ron Caps (sixth) in the top-six in the final standings. Johnny Gray, another DSR driver, finished 11th.

"We will have to work hard to get in the hunt, but the 'Lucky Dog' will be on my Aaron's Dream Machine and that might make the difference," said Hagan, who won two NHRA events last year including the season finale at Pomona.

"What's sweet about Pomona is we just finished the season there. It seems like just yesterday when we raced there. Hopefully we can pick up where we left off."

Before clinching the championship by winning his semifinal race at Pomona, the team achieved a major milestone.

Hagan and crew chief Tommy DeLago always will be in NHRA record books for producing the first Funny Car pass down a 1,000-foot NHRA track in less than four seconds. Their 3.995-second run remains the quickest ever for a Funny Car and only one in the four-second range.